Listen, Believe, Apply By Matthew Furey Last month the legendary wrestler Dan Gable spoke at my annual seminar in Tampa, Florida. Gable won the gold medal at the 1972 Olympics. Since then he has coached the University of Iowa to 15 NCAA team titles in 21 seasons (three of which included me as a member). This man clearly knows how to succeed. Yet his formula for success is simple. I have studied self-development since high school and I have never seen a success formula spelled out like this anywhere. It is very much "breakthrough." In the opening minutes of his talk Gable said that success boils down to three things. First, you need to LISTEN to good people. These are people who are knowledgeable and want the best for you. Second, you need to BELIEVE in what these people teach you. Third, you need to APPLY what you are taught. This is the hardest part. Nothing much is going to happen in your life if you don't APPLY what you listened to and believed. And unless you are willing to apply what you've learned over and over again, unless you practice the art of "relentless repetition," you will never become a success. According to Gable, when all three elements of this formula are in place, you will succeed. And that's not all. If you continue working this formula, it will lead to something he calls DOMINATION. That means not just becoming a winner or a one-time champion in something. It means dominating in your field, year after year, as Gable has done for four decades. Think of how this formula applies to anything you are passionate about. Take a few moments to analyze the successes you've had. I'm betting you'll find they are directly proportional to how well you listened, how much you believed in what you heard and how well and how often you applied what you were taught. By using the Gable Formula, it is very easy for me as a coach to spot those who are destined for greatness and those who will never make it. All I have to do is look at who is listening and who isn't. After that I will usually know who believes what I taught by what they are willing to apply. Yes, there are those who take notes and listen to what you say, and they try to apply what you've taught them. But they don't really, deep down in their guts, BELIEVE what you taught. And so, at the first sign of defeat or the first time in which adversity mounts its head, the person gives up. He stops applying what you taught because he listened but did not believe. It's the equivalent of learning various kicks, punches and throws in the martial arts world, then trying to do them on a more experienced person. Naturally, the techniques won't work right away. You need more practice. You need more time APPLYING what you listened to and believed. The truly great person listens and believes long before he ever sees the first sign of success. He follows the advice of his teachers. He applies it day in and day out, no matter how hard. Then, pretty soon he begins to see light coming through the tunnel. He sees that what he listened to and believed is coming true. With this first sign of success in mind, the person is given even more belief. So he listens even more intently because he sees a new reality shining through the clouds. If this person never gives up, he will have his first BIG success. When this happens, it's a time for celebration. Yet, potential danger lurks in the shadows. The student may begin to be filled with himself instead of with the subject he is studying. He may stop listening. Yes, he may still believe what he learned previously. But without an open mind willing to learn MORE than what he believed at an earlier time, he will start to lose what he gained. The key to the Gable Success Formula requires humility. It's hard to listen when you're pompous. It's hard to believe anything when you think you already have all the answers. And with nothing to apply, how can there ever be a success? Post "Listen, Believe and Apply" on a wall in your mind for the next month. Put this formula in a place where you'll see it everyday. Take a few moments to pause while you're reading. Doing so will change your life and open the eyes of those around you. [Ed. Note: Martial arts and discipline titan Matthew Furey motivates thousands of people with his politically incorrect fitness, fighting and maximum success instruction.] Healthy Healing: New Research Tips the Scales in Favor of Fat By Shane Ellison If you want to lose fat, eat more fat. Sounds crazy, right? Perhaps, but it's true. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition recently showed that eating twice as much fat led to greater weight loss! Sure, fat has about twice as many calories per gram as carbohydrates and protein. But math isn't the best measure of a food's effect on the body. Biochemistry is. And the latest research proves it. Researchers compared two eating plans that were similar in caloric intake but vastly different in fat consumption. Obese individuals who consumed 61 percent fat energy for eight weeks lost 18 pounds. Those consuming a mere 30 percent fat lost 14 pounds. Far more staggering than the differences in weight loss are the differences in biochemistry between the two groups. Low fat, high carbohydrate eaters have the perfect biological environment for obesity and type II diabetes. Their blood levels of glucose, insulin and triglycerides skyrocket. The Nurses' Study by Harvard found that women who eat mostly carbohydrates increase their risk of diabetes 2.5 times! Men are not immune to the deadly carbohydrate effect. Diabetics die early from heart disease twice as often as those without diabetes. It is so damaging that it can erase 11 to 20 years from a person's lifespan. Currently, an estimated one in four Americans suffer from it. One in three born in the year 2000 will succumb to the Big Fat Scam and therefore suffer from diabetes according to The Journal of the American Medical Association. The best way to avoid the diabetes epidemic is to start eating more fat and fewer carbs. Avoid trans fats, of course, and give preference to fats with omega-3's. Grass-fed beef, seeds, nuts, avocados, coconut oil and fish are the best choices. [Ed. Note: Shane Ellison is known as "The People's Chemist." He holds a Master's degree in organic chemistry and has first-hand industry experience with drug research, design and synthesis. He is the author of Health Myths Exposed and The Hidden Truth About Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs.] Alternative Eating: Why Is the FDA Afraid of Stevia? By Jon Benson Stevia is a safe and natural sweetener with a long history of successful trials in Europe and Asia, as well as several positive studies here in the States. So why did the FDA declared stevia, an herbal sweetener used for hundreds of years, an "unsafe food additive" this October? Could it be an issue of profits and big business? Remember, the FDA has been going after stevia since the 1980s. That's precisely when aspartame became a profitable sugar substitute. And guess what? Aspartame has been linked to a whole host of health problems! We as health-conscious consumers should take a hard look at why the FDA ignores legitimate health concerns over products that have massive economic impact while attacking smaller and, not coincidentally, competitive products. [Ed. Note: Jon Benson is a lifecoach and nutrition counselor who specializes in helping individuals discover a life-altering mind/body connection. His work in the field of post-40 fitness and mental empowerment has helped countless thousands rediscover their youthful body and positive outlook.] Weight Loss: Antioxidants May Stop Fat Cell Formation By Dr. Jonny Bowden New research from Taiwan suggests that antioxidants put a halt to fat cell formation, at least in a laboratory. In the study, published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, 15 phenolic acids and six flavonoids were exposed to mouse cells. Phenolic acids and flavonoids are classes of potent plant chemicals that exert multiple health benefits as antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. The researchers wanted to see if these antioxidants would have an affect on the formation of triglycerides, the chemical form in which most fat exists in food and in the body. Sure enough, they did. Two antioxidants in particular, o-coumaric acid and rutin, were found to inhibit the creation of triglycerides by 61 percent and 83 percent, respectively. Not only that, these same two antioxidants also increased the levels of a protein called adinopectin. This protein has been found to have protective effects against atherosclerosis and, even more to the point, helps cells become more sensitive to insulin. Insulin insensitivity is a huge factor in diabetes, metabolic syndrome and often in obesity. Coumaric acid is just one of many bioactive compounds found in such foods as grapes. Look for dark varieties with thick skins. Also, try eating them seeds and all. It's an acquired taste, I know. But the seeds are an extraordinary source of nutritional phytochemicals, so much so that grape seed extract is sold as a powerful nutritional supplement. You'll get used to it, and it's totally worth the effort. I don't even notice the seeds anymore when I chew on some grapes. Rutin is found in buckwheat seeds, fruits and fruit rinds, especially the citrus fruits. Again, that white stuff that we throw away that surrounds the orange and grapefruit is a nutritional bonanza. Eat as much of it as possible when eating the fruit, or throw the whole thing (with as much of the rind as you like) into a juicer to get the maximum value. [Ed. note: Dr. Bowden is a nationally known expert on weight loss, nutrition and health. He's a board certified nutrition specialist with a Master's degree in psychology. Dr. Bowden is also a life coach, motivational speaker, former personal trainer and author of the award-winning book, Living the Low Carb Life.] Exercise & Fitness: Avoid This Forgotten Back-Breaker By Craig Ballantyne Experienced weightlifters know most of the tricks needed to protect your lower back during a workout. But even seasoned gym rats often overlook a common cause of back injuries. Those who are new to weights should also pay close attention here before you pick up your first dumbbell. Because it's how you pick up that dumbbell that matters. Watch people pick weights up off the floor. That's where you see some of the ugliest form in the gym. Most people pick up weights by bending over with a rounded back. They would never do that during their exercise, but think nothing of it before or after their movement. And that's where they get into trouble. Back pain is a common affliction. According to a recent issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, 85 percent of patients suffer "nonspecific back pain." Many cases start with improperly lifting something - whether it's a small child, a bag of groceries or 30-pound dumbbells. Don't think that because picking up or putting down weights is "not really part of your exercise" that you can use poor posture when you are moving weights around the gym. [Ed. Note: Craig Ballantyne is an expert consultant for Men's Health magazine.] Recipes & Nutrition: Carrot Ginger Bisque By Kelley Herring A whole bunch of carrots and a pinch of ginger make this velvety soup a potent inflammation-fighter. In fact, a recent study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food found that compounds in ginger help reduce inflammation in the body by inhibiting several genes involved in the inflammatory response. A healthy helping of this autumn soup may help reduce the inflammation related to chronic disease and delight your taste buds too. Serves: 8 Time to Table: 30 minutes Healing Nutrient Spotlight • Gingerols • Excellent source of beta-carotene • Good source of calcium, riboflavin, potassium Ingredients 14 medium organic carrots, washed, chopped 6 slices organic ginger, plus grated ginger for garnish 1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg 2 cups organic,1% milk 2 Tbsp organic grapeseed oil Preparation Fill a large pot with water. Add carrots, half of the ginger and oil. Bring to a boil and cook until carrots are tender. Drain carrots, retaining 2 cups of broth. Add carrots and broth to a food processor. Process until smooth, adding the milk and additional water to desired consistency. Return to pot to keep warm, serve with a sprinkle of nutmeg and grated ginger. Nutritional Information 102 calories, 4.2 g total fat, 0.8 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0.8 g monounsaturated fat, 2.6 polyunsaturated fat, 3 mg cholesterol, 101 mg sodium, 14 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 8 g sugars, 3 g protein [Ed. Note: Kelley Herring is the Founder & CEO of Healing Gourmet, a multimedia company that educates on how foods promote health and protect against disease. She is also the creator of Healing Gourmet's Personalized Nutrition Software and Editor-in-Chief of the Healing Gourmet book series published by McGraw-Hill, including Eat to Fight Cancer, Eat to Beat Diabetes, Eat to Lower Cholesterol and Eat to Boost Fertility. For more information, click here.] __________________________________________________ These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs [Issue 11-30-07] which offers alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. 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