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Believe in Yourself

Whether you believe it is possible, or you believe it is not possible, you are right.

Throughout my life I've been told many times that my dreams and goals are unattainable, that they're too lofty or too hard or too demanding or they're just unrealistic. The idea of the word “cannot” makes little sense to me. History has shown us that anything is possible. You can achieve your dreams if you remember the one thing that makes up the core of your being... the belief in yourself.

Believing in yourself also means believing in the “possibility”. I'm referring to the possibility that you can be your best. You can reach for greatness and your goals are attainable. For some reason many of us (including myself) lose our way, life seems to knock us down and many times it's hard to get back up. At these times, our character is tested and strengthened. In these darkest of moments, we make a choice to either get up and fight or stay down. My experience has shown me that there's no magic that triggers us to fight, no epiphany, just the simplest of things, the belief in yourself.

“There are no great limits to growth because there are no limits of human intelligence, imagination, and wonder”

- Ronald Reagan

Being a father provides me with the opportunity to witness how internal character is built. I watch my 4 year old son, Hunter, learn how to fight and push through his frustration. Each time he does it, he develops a stronger belief in himself and the feeling he “CAN” succeed. The belief could be in the ability to kick a soccer ball, sing the alphabet, write his name or ride his bike. With each little victory, Hunter's confidence grows… and when he experiences a setback, this understanding of past successes provides him with the foundation he needs to continue his journey. We were all 4 once, and we've gone through the same trials that children have and succeeded at them. For some reason, the older we become, the less we remember the truth that we CAN. It is as if when we enter adulthood, we must accept the way things are and that our dreams are a thing of the past. My response: “Why?”

Albert Einstein says it best:

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning”

Why do we need to accept the way things are? Why do we need to settle for mediocre? Why do we need to give up our dreams? The simple answer is we do not … We didn't when we were 4, and we shouldn't as adults.

I'm sharing this message with you because I accomplished a 14 year dream - a dream I was told many times was impossible - a dream I would like to share with you so you too can see achieving your dreams is possible.

"The world we've made, as a result of the level of thinking we have done thus far, creates problems we cannot solve at the same level of thinking."

- Albert Einstein

I have had a front row seat to the hole in the health industry for years, watching the vicious yo-yo cycle that "diets" and restrictive programs cause. I've seen my mom, myself as well as thousands of clients struggle with this cycle. We chose to implement these nutrition philosophies because it's what we were told we should do. The classic idea is: "Eat less, exercise more, and create a caloric deficit." This concept is 40 years old and completely out dated. There is not one ounce of physiological evidence to support the idea that the “calories in vs calories out” philosophy will yield permanent health results. On the other hand, there's tons of evidence that following this philosophy will instead cause the yo-yo syndrome - weight loss followed by weight gain.

Fourteen years ago, I realized that this hole in the industry existed. Then I went on a relentless pursuit of a way to fill this hole. My pursuit led me to create the Venice Nutrition Program and provide a solution for the millions of people who were also searching for the answers. The journey I've gone on has been a process of becoming aware, moving through frustration, staying determined, overcoming challenges and achieving triumphs. Through the entire process, a belief in myself is what kept me going no matter what obstacles lay in my path. The final piece of the dream I had 14 years ago is writing the Venice Nutrition book. It's a book that will create a “New Level of Thinking” in the health industry, provide people with answers, hope and the possibility that their health goals are within reach. It will educate anyone on how to make their health a permanent part of their world.

On August 13th, 2009, I solidified my 14 year dream as I completed the Venice Nutrition Book's 126 page outline. Over the next few months I will finish the book, to be released in 2010. Our intention is for it to revolutionize the health industry.

Our dreams are our inspiration, our vision of what can be, and the magic we want to bring to our lives. I have seen far too many people give up on their dreams of health, believing that they are destined to struggle every day with their energy, weight, mood and confidence... and ultimately fail. I am saying that what used to be, no longer needs to be. Your health success is possible. It requires three things: the knowledge of what to do, the wisdom to apply that knowledge, and most important, the belief in yourself. It is time for a “New Level of Thinking”, a time to believe in the "possibility" that anything is attainable. With this mindset, your dreams CAN be touched.

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Culinary Corner

by head chef Valerie Cogswell

Creamy Shrimp Salad Sandwich

If you're in the mood for a cool and refreshing summer dish, Creamy Shrimp Salad is the perfect meal. In this simple recipe, roasted shrimp, crisp cabbage, and carrots are dressed in a creamy citrus sauce and topped with fresh cilantro. Though the sauce tastes incredibly indulgent, it's made of low-fat yogurt, a touch of real mayonnaise and freshly squeezed orange juice. You can serve this shrimp salad in a low carb whole wheat wrap, whole grain bread or on top of a salad. Enjoy!

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Minimizing Water Retention and Bloating written by Mark Macdonald, Creator and CEO of Venice Nutrition

Think of this scenario. You've had a great couple weeks with your eating and exercise. You're starting to really see progress: your clothes are fitting looser, your face looks leaner, your stomach's tightening up, your energy's increasing… You're fired up to weigh yourself now, because you know the number will be much less. You step on the scale and... OH NO! Your weight is actually up… You think to yourself, "How can this be? It's not possible!" So you get off the scale, look at yourself and see if you're wearing something different or maybe the scale isn't calibrated correctly… Of course, all you're trying to do is justify how the number is higher. You then step on it again. This time, the number is the same and immediately all that amazing progress you were experiencing is discounted and you're frustrated and upset. You think all your hard work was a waste. Does this sound familiar? The example I just shared happens in thousands of different homes every day. Many of us have lived this moment. We've disregarded all the positive work we've done with our health because we've been attached to a number on the scale.

Sometimes that number does mean something… and sometimes it doesn't. There are many factors that determine your weight. The biggest one is water retention. Your body's made up of somewhere between 55%-75% of water (the percentage depends on the size of your body). This means that your weight will be directly affected by your body’s retention of water. My purpose in writing this article is to educate you on what causes your body to hold water and what causes it to release water. With this knowledge, you'll know when your weight is just an increase in water that will be gone in a day or two, or whether it's an increase in body fat. If it's the second, it's time to tune up your nutrition and exercise program. In either case, what will be prevented is the false panic which is explained in the above example. This type of panic causes you to behave in an unnecessary and self sabotaging manner in regards to your health... all due to a lack of understanding. After you read this article, the lack of understanding I've just described will become a thing of the past. Let's get you informed.

I will answer the five most asked questions regarding water retention, which are:

• 1. How does the body regulate water?
• 2. Why does the body retain water?
• 3. What causes water retention?
• 4. What's the main effect of water retention?
• 5. How do you minimize water retention and bloating?

How does the body regulate water?

Every cell in your body controls its water balance through a sodium/potassium pump. Potassium resides inside the cell and sodium stays outside the cell. Both of these are electrolytes. An equal balance of sodium to potassium must remain in each cell so that proper cell integrity and water/electrolyte balance can be maintained. As with every other system in the body, the goal is to maintain homeostasis (balance). Water retention is a side effect of the disruption of this balance.

Why does the body retain water?

Once the balance is lost, the body will need to make an internal adjustment in order to regain cell balance. Many times, the body adjusts by retaining water. The main reason for this is blood flow. Our circulatory system is the method in which our body is supplied with oxygen. Without water, our blood cannot flow. When there's a cell imbalance with possible dehydration (lack of water), the body triggers the release of hormones to retain and protect its remaining water and ensure the proper hydration of the body’s blood supply.

What causes water retention?

This cell imbalance can be affected by many things; the most frequent are: high sodium and/or carbohydrate foods, a lack of water intake, the ingestion of diuretics (substances that force your body to release water), women’s menstrual cycle and stress. Every gram of sodium and carbohydrates attract 3-4 water molecules. This means when you eat too much sodium or carbohydrates, you'll will force the body to retain excessive water. Many people also think that drinking water causes water retention... Not true. In fact, the exact opposite is true. Please remember that the body is a "feed as it goes" machine… If the body is being fed consistently, it will release consistently. This means by drinking more water, your body will release more water and in turn flush out excess sodium. Taking diuretics or “water pills” are also a big cause of water retention. These substances force the body to release its water and directly affects the sodium/potassium pump of each cell. By taking diuretics, your body begins to rely on them, and temporarily loses its ability to self regulate this internal water balance. This means that when the substances aren't taken, the body doesn't know how to release water, causing heavy water retention. Diuretics taken for long periods of time can cause permanent damage to the body’s water regulating system as well as the kidneys. Another cause of water retention is a women’s menstrual cycle. This is caused by the increased levels of hormones present. Typically, a woman on her menstrual cycle can gain 5-6 lbs. The last thing that frequently causes water retention is stress. Stress is defined as the body's reaction to change, producing a physical, mental, or emotional response. Stress naturally occurs in life, so in moderation it's a non-factor. When stress levels reach a high point, they cause a hormonal response that triggers the accumulation and retention of water and toxins in the body.

What are the effects of water retention?

Since we know the causes of water retention, what's the main effect? When the sodium/potassium pump goes out of balance, the main effect of water retention is weight gain. I've seen clients gain 10lbs of water by eating a heavy sodium/carbohydrate meal alongside a stressful few days. That same 10lbs will then dissappear a couple days later by eating correctly and managing stress. In this circumstance, the increase of weight is just a sign of water retention and nothing else.

How do you minimize water retention and bloating?

It is important to understand and accept that there will be times when your body will retain water and get bloated. The goal is to implement the correct strategies to minimize the occurance of times like those. To achieve this goal, focus on these 4 strategies.

• 1. Drink Water
  • As I've shared, water is the most important ingredient in minimizing water retention. You should drink at least 64 oz (2 liters) of water per day, and ideally 96-128 oz (3-4 liters) per day. The best way to tell if you're drinking enough water is by the color of your urine. If it's clear you are doing well, if it's yellow, you're dehydrated and should increase your daily water intake.
• 2. Exercise Consistently
  • Movement equals optimal circulation. The more efficient and diverse you are with your exercise, the better your body can remove excess water. To learn more about exercise diversity, please read this article >>
• 3. Eat High Quality Foods
  • The ideal sodium/potassium ratio in mg is 1:3. The great news is that if you eat high quality foods, you'll automatically hit that ratio. It's pretty simple to tell the quality of a food, just look at its ingredient list. If it has 3 or less ingredients, it is of great quality. More ingredients means more processing, and that typically means higher sodium. A good rule is to center your meals on higher quality foods. This will ensure minimal water retention and bloating.
• 4. Manage Stress Levels
  • Stress causes the over release of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is a water retaining, fat storing hormone. Managing your stress levels will help reduce water retention and bloating. To learn the 5 skills to manage stress please read this article >>

So the next time you step on that scale, if your socks leave an imprint in your legs (I hate that!), or your face looks fuller than normal, or your rings don't fit your fingers… I invite you to remember your new found understanding about water retention and bloating. If the cause of those things is an occasional “off plan” meal or a stressful day, it's just excess water. If you get back on track by implementing these 4 strategies that water retention will be gone in a day or two… there is never a need to panic once you understand the process.

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You Asked | We Answered

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Q:How much water should I drink?

A:Water is probably the most underestimated essential nutrient.  You can live up to 5 weeks without food… and only 5 days without water.  Water is involved in every process of your body, so it is very important you stay hydrated.  The best way to ensure hydration is to drink AT LEAST 8-16 oz of water with every meal and between each meal.  Your goal is to drink at least 64oz (2 liters) of water a day, or 96-128 oz (3-4 liters) at the optimum.  The more you exercise, perspire or drink caffeinated beverages (caffeine is a diuretic), the more water you should drink.   The best way to tell if you're getting enough water is by looking at the color of your urine.  If it's clear you're doing well. If it's yellow, your body is dehydrated…The easy solution is: drink more H2O!

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