Source: http://www.theminimalists.com/p016/

By Ryan Nicodemus · Follow: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

In this episode of The Minimalists Podcast, Ryan Nicodemus answers a bucketload of listener questions, including:

How do you minimize social activities, but still participate enough socially to be beneficial?
How do you respectfully turn down gifts?
How do you determine what you can contribute to society that will add the most value?
What do you do with pets that are no longer adding value to your life?

Stream

Subscribe

iTunes · Stitcher · Soundcloud · YouTube · MP3 Download

Mentioned in This Episode

Book: Essential
Book: Everything That Remains
Book: Minimalism: Live a Meaningful Life
Event: How to Write Better
Event: Tuesdays with The Minimalists
Meetup: Minimalist.org
Recommendation: The Good Life Project Podcast
Website: Ultimate Success Formula
Tour: Minimalism Documentary

This episode was produced by Shawn Harding. Our theme music was written and performed by Peter Doran. Our podcasts are completely free, so if you found value in this episode, and you’d like to help us produce more, please consider donating a dollar to The Minimalists. Your donations help keep this podcast 100% advertisement-free (because advertisements suck).

If you’d like to comment on the podcas…

Source: http://summertomato.com/roger-goes-from-hating-the-gym-to-loving-workouts-and-loses-26-lbs-without-noticing/

After years of failed diets and nearly giving up on health completely, Roger uses a new approach to eating well and being active that he actually loves. By slowly implementing small changes in his healthstyle, he loses 26 lbs in one year and feels like he’s “just getting started.”

Listen on iTunes

Listen on Stitcher

Listen on Soundcloud

If you’d like to be a guest on the show, please fill out the form here and tell us your story.

…

Source: http://www.foodpolitics.com/2016/04/food-navigator-special-edition-food-preservation/

FoodNavigator-USA provides daily information about issues of interest to the food industry.  It’s useful.  Here, it has a collection of articles on current thinking about how to preserve foods, a problem since antiquity and now even more so over concerns about food additives.

Special Edition: Food preservation

Consumers and retailers are becoming increasingly unwilling to accept products with a shelf life maintained by use of the synthetic preservatives – even if they are safe and legal. But what natural solutions are available to manufacturers, and are they up to the job? Meanwhile, will novel processing techniques ultimately render all preservatives, artificial or otherwise, redundant in certain products?

4 strategies for preservative-free food from Grain-Free JK Gourmet: Retailers and manufacturers that want to meet consumers’ growing demand for food free from preservatives need to rethink their strategies for packing, shipping and stocking products, suggest the husband and wife team behind Grain-Free JK Gourmet. .. Read

‘Artificial’ preservatives are falling out of favor, but what are the alternatives?: The percentage of new food and beverage launches (retail) making ‘no additives/preservatives’ claims rose from 12.46% in 2012 to 20.24% in 2015, according to Mintel*, while there has also been a marked rise in the number of companies pledging to ditch ‘artificial’ preservatives from …

Source: http://zenrockfitness.com/2016/04/sunday-evening-restorative-yoga/

Diana Jorgensen will be teaching a 60min restorative yoga class each Sunday evening from 5:30-6:30pm. This class is geared toward learning to breathe and decompressing before another week of stress begins. Come prepared to reset your nervous system, and release tension.

Suitable for adults of all levels whether you are overly stressed, suffer from anxiety or just need some down time.  Head into Monday recharged and ready for your week.

Classes begin April 10th and will be FREE for everyone for the first 4 weeks.

The post Sunday Evening Restorative Yoga appeared first on ZenRock Fitness.

…

Source: http://www.livelifeactive.com/2016/04/05/cooper-river-bridge-run-2016-review/

Good morning everyone!!!  So this past weekend I completed my first Cooper River Bridge Run!  If you don’t know what the Cooper River Bridge Run is, it’s probably the biggest event in Charleston, SC every year.  We have this absolutely beautiful cable-stayed bridge called the Arthur Ravenel Jr. bridge that crosses over the Cooper River.  If you’ve ever been to Charleston, you’ve probably seen it.  It connects Charleston to Mount Pleasant, SC and has some of the best views!

Every year Charleston hosts the Cooper River Bridge Run where you run from Mount Pleasant and end downtown Charleston.  People travel from all over the United States (and other countries!) to do this 10k.  I heard this year we had participants from all 50 states and several different countries.

Parking

We were coming from Summerville, SC so we decided that we would take the shuttle for the North Charleston Convention Center.  Traffic and parking is absolutely insane downtown so I’d suggest taking a shuttle either from North …

Source: http://summertomato.com/wisdom-wednesday-dont-make-a-lifestyle-change/

Photo by Darnosaur

When I first made the decision to stop dieting and focus on eating for health and happiness, more changed than just my body. As I explored new foods and new habits I met an entirely new group of people.

Instead of talking about calories, carbs and cardio, these people spoke about balance, acceptance and a “healthy lifestyle.”

I hated it.

I agreed with these principles in theory––of course you should balance your nutrition; of course you shouldn’t think worse of yourself because of the shape of your body; of course health is a lifestyle and not a short-term goal––but there were no concrete instructions for actually making change.

It felt like a fluffy echo chamber, all philosophy and no action. Maybe there’d be some laughable tips like “eat everything in moderation” (what does that even mean?) or “get plenty of sleep” (pffffff, I wish).

But I wanted to know how to stop when I’d eaten enough and how to pry my eyes away from my computer screen so I could actually get ready for bed.

One of the nice things about the dieting world (putting the pure evil thing aside for a second) is the specific, actionable advice you’re given.

“Eat no mor…

Source: http://www.sonima.com/food/cauliflower-fried-rice/

You heard it here first, cauliflower is the new kale. It seems like out of nowhere this underappreciated vegetable is finally getting its moment in the spotlight.

ShareTweetPlusPin

In this inventive preparation, cauliflower is finely chopped and used as a rice substitute that’s lighter and healthier than a traditional Asian fried rice. Loaded with vitamins and fiber, this dish also features a bright array of veggies including carrots, green onions, red bell peppers, and peas.

ShareTweetPlusPin

The healthy medley is seasoned with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili pasta, and brown sugar. The result is a vegan dish that is bursting with flavor and so easy to throw together.

ShareT…

Source: http://www.sonima.com/meditation/dangers-of-drowsy-driving/

Letting out a big yawn and rubbing your eyes as you slide into the driver’s seat with a large latte—it doesn’t sound like the makings of a deadly car accident. But driving on too little sleep can be just as dangerous as driving with too much alcohol in your system.

A new public service announcement released today by the Huffington Post, in collaboration with Uber, sheds light on what’s at stake when someone gets behind the wheel on too little sleep: “I was driving back from Columbia, South Carolina. I fell asleep at the wheel for three to five seconds. Within those three to five seconds my whole entire life changed,” says Adam Gorlitzky, who is now bound to a wheelchair. “You have that macho mentality where you say, ‘I’m almost home.’ But if I were to talk to my 19-year-old self, I would say that you’re not invincible.”

According to a 2014 report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 21% of fatal crashes involve a drowsy driver. That’s not far behind drunk driving: Alcohol accounts for 31% of traffic-related deaths, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Just like alcohol, drowsiness diminishes your ability to drive in many ways: It slows down reaction time, impairs decision-making ability, limits awareness of what’s going on around you, creates lapses in attention, and can even cause bouts of “microsleep”—dozing…

Source: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2016/04/04/how-to-build-an-active-outdoor-lifestyle-with-your-kids/

This is a post from Rebel Family Correspondent Dan.

“Who wants to have some fun?!”

Not Fallout fun, not Facebook fun, not even Futurama fun. Just good old fashioned Family Fun, outside and outstanding! (Yes, I’m a dad.)

Today we’re going to look at why we’ve all lost our love for the outdoors, how to rediscover it (and why it’s awesomely beneficial), plus some super rad outdoor activities everyone can do to get moving whilst enjoying yourself.

Now, I’ll be the first to admit, be it Nintendo, Netflix, or of course, Nerd Fitness, I find that I spend a lot of my time in front of a screen. And as a result, so do my kids.

This is a common issue for many families today. Studies have shown that children are spending far too much time in front of some sort of screen, and not enough time undertaking physical activity.

I get it; the things on these screens are pretty seductive – they’ve been designed that way! So let’s fight back; today we’re going give you the tools to put down this device and go out into the world! (Right after you finish reading this article, of course).

All screen, no green

Growing up, my days were spent riding my bike, exploring creeks, or…

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tinybuddha/~3/m4WzHn7WHQ0/

“Stop beating yourself up. You are a work in progress; which means you get there a little at a time, not all at once.” ~Unknown

I got embarrassed at the gym.

I sat down at the bench press, ready to hoist up 135 pounds of iron. My goal was eight reps for the first set.

Before I started my first set, I heard someone huffing to my left. I looked over and saw a young guy benching 315 pounds!

I counted his reps, and he went all the way up to eight. It was the same number of repetitions that I aimed for, only I was lifting 135 pounds, which is one 45-pound weight on each side (compared to his three on each side).

How embarrassing!

In that moment, I felt like I was wasting my time at the gym.

This young guy beast was leagues ahead of me in terms of physical strength. For the same number of reps, he could lift 180 pounds more than me. That difference is so much that, despite the point I’m making, my pride told me to omit this story.

Pride isn’t a good thing though, so here’s the story!

Others’ Success Is Not a Threat to Yours

I didn’t leave the gym early from discouragement because I realized two things.

1. I can bench press my bodyweight now (150 pounds), which is something I had wanted to do for a long time.

2. LA…