I’m no stranger to hard work. I grew up with a very blue collar family that instilled in me a foundation of self-reliance, determination and industriousness. If I wanted something, it was up to me to get it. So, it wasn’t much of a surprise when I started my first career move at the age of 10 going door to door to sell Greeting Cards and Wrapping Paper.

Through my efforts I was able to earn a number of toys, of which my most prized was the Holly Hobby Easy Bake Oven.

By 14, I was working 2 jobs…one during the week after school and one on the weekend.

After putting myself through college and entering into the “traditional” working world of 8 – 6, commuting, and earning what someone else felt I was worth, I decided to venture into home based business. At 28 I made a decision that I wasn’t going to waste my life trading time for a paycheck. I was a hard worker, a diligent worker and I knew that I could count on myself to get great results.

I vowed to find my niche…to do what I loved to that work became play and my yearning for “time off” would go away. After all, working Monday – Friday hoping to get to the weekend so I could sit on my ass and do nothing wasn’t very appealing.

When I discovered network marketing, I fell in love. It’s one of the last stands of the emerging entrepreneur to take hold of their dreams, apply systematic business models and win! Network marketing equates to franchising for the everyday man. The greatest aspect of NM is that there are systems in place, fantastic products in all kinds of genres and leaders willing to help and foster success. Network marketing gave an average girl like myself the ability to go from 0 – millionaire almost overnight.

Now…it wasn’t like I won the lottery. I had to work, but it was applying myself to what was already working. I observed those getting great results, modeled their actions and then figured out how to do it even better and broader taking straight to #1.

Combining network marketing with my love of teaching, John and I built a huge organization of leaders, also getting fantastic results. We continued in the industry for 7 years.

And, now we’ve expanded our businesses to include training, education for home business entrepreneurs and marketing sytems…all of which give anyone the benefit of our personal mentoring and experience to catapult their results to #1.

When I was a teacher, I would work 10 hours and it felt like 40. Now, sometimes I’ll work 16 hours crafting products, helping leaders, training at events or consulting network marketing companies on their sales systems…that 16 hours fells like 4. Why? That’s the benefit of doing what you love to do. It becomes a passion.

The reality is this. Never before has self-reliance been as critical to a person’s ability to thrive than right now with this new economy. Network Marketing gives a person an avenue to quickly learn how to become an entrepreneur, learn from highly successful people and develop a business that is profitable and gives them autonomy. It’s making a different in the lives of millions of people who otherwise wouldn’t have the extra income or even the amount of income they require to survive and live a prosperous life. I love helping individuals and companies develop their success stories, and so work is play.

To your success!

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Make a Smilebox scrapbook

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Whenever I’ve got a new project, it’s always a bit exciting to know that I might be learning something new. So, today, when I was charged with creating the Holiday Message from UWS, I was thrilled to get to work.

First, I went to my favorite: Smilebox.com. This is such a fun program and very easy to use.

Then…I got to work putting the pictures into the template and was just about done. But, when I looked at the UWS logo all by itself it looked a bit…ummmmm BORING!

So, I opened up my Adobe Photoshop program and added some nice red text. Then I thought how cool it would look if the globe in our logo was wearing a santa hat.

Here’s where we get into something new. I’ve never done that before and am not all the proficient in Adobe Photoshop. But, I got onto istockphoto.com and downloaded a nice santa hat on a white background. I tried inserting it onto our logo in Photoshop but the white background was creating a problem. See what I mean?

It doesn’t look very good. So, I spent about 15 minutes playing around with some of the Adobe Photoshop tools and discovered the lasso tool. This is awesome. I simply “lassoed” the santa hat and dragged into on my logo. The santa hat fit perfectly and I created an awesome entrance picture to our holiday greeting. More than that, I felt awesome looking at what I had just created.

I giddily ran to John and told him he had to come see what I made…he was totally in awe and through it was great.

So, check out the entire card…it’s an awesome holiday message from our homes to yours!

(And…let me know what you think of the Santa Hat!)

Make a Smilebox slideshow

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Change is an interesting thing. On one hand, it brings about a tremendous amount of fear as we step into an unknown. On the other, it brings about a tremendous amount of excitement.

It’s like the first time you get on a roller coaster. You can hear everyone screaming and laughing and it looks like the most exciting thing in the world. But as you get in the seat, the security bar comes down and you being to roll, there’s a feeling in your gut, of “Oh gosh, what have I gotten into?”. But every second of the ride, brings more confidence, more excitement and even more thrill. The more you ride the roller coaster, the more comfortable you get. You get to a point where you ride with your eyes open, your jaw relaxed and maybe, for you very brave souls, your arms high in the air, giving all your security to the slab of metal across your lap.

Over time, that first roller coaster ride can even become a bit of a bore and you venture onto the latest and greatest roller coaster…the one that’s faster, has more loops and is a whole new thrill.

And, so is life. With any endeavor, there comes a point where you’ve experience all there is to experience. And while you can still enjoy the ride, the thrill is no longer there. Now it’s time for a new loop, a faster coaster and great momentum.

As I step into my new position as a trainer and education in the sales field, this is exactly what I’m experiencing. The last 7 years I have experienced with Liberty League and Polaris Media Group have been quite exciting. I’ve learned a lot, gained tremendous experience in the industry and have helped a lot of people find the success they have been seeking their entire lives. We’ve developed leaders who have in-turn helped thousands more to achieve their goals and reach for their dreams. I’m grateful for the experience and joyful for all the friends I have made in the process.

It’s never easy to leave the safety and familiarity of what is comfortable. But, by staying comfortable, one will never experience what they are ultimately capable of…their potential. And so, it is with great vision for the future, that I am extending my reach beyond Polaris Media Group in partnership with John, my husband, Gene Braxton and Tony Rush to provide much needed leadership and education to entrepreneurs. Starting with the expansion of Unified Wealth Solutions and the development of NorthStar Connect, we will be helping individuals to build their current network marketing businesses and achieve the success they desire.

We are expanding John Lavenia Seminars with a free event in Melbourne, Australia on December 12, 2009 and in two weeks will be adding the launch of MarketEzee Technologies to our adventures.

It’s an exciting time of creation and motivation, of inspiration and collaboration. We are grateful to everyone who has empowered us and assisted us in moving forward and to everyone we’ve been able to help. And, we are excited for the expansion of our reach to help thousands more experience the great rewards and freedoms of entrepreneurism.

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I had an interesting experience yesterday driving in Los Angeles traffic. Now, normally, I avoid rush hour. Working from home affords me that flexibility. But, I had an appointment yesterday and rush hour was inevitable.

As I was heading north on the 5 about to merge into a lane to enter the 134, the traffic was intense. I put my signal on and began to look for a space to get into the lane so I could get on the 134. The driver’s in the lane were staying bumper to bumper as to not create a space for entrance.

So, I slowed down and was looking at a man in the SUV next to me to signal to him. He was gripping his steering wheel and intensely inching forward. Finally, he gave in and looked my way. I flashed a big smile and a wave and he allowed me in.

And so I began to let the other cars waiting in as well.

Here’s where it got interesting.

The guy behind was madly honking. The cars I let in were hugging the bumpers of the cars in front of them now trying to prevent the other hapless drivers from securing a spot in line.

These cars, who were benevolently granted space, were now part of the problem. Was all the energy, concern and attention they were putting forth really worth a few extra seconds that they might shave off their commute? Was endangering lives worth all this nonsense?

As I gleefully continued to let the drivers in, despite the angry honks of the guy behind me, I realized the perfection of this example.

We have a choice in every situation to be cause or to be effect. For the drivers who merged into the lane and then became effect of the contagion of the angry drivers, they became effect. I observed the drivers as they first attempted to gain access to the lane and the frustration they felt as they were being stopped and blocked from entrance. Then, when I created the space to let them in, they took on the same behaviors that they were obviously not pleased with when they were experiencing it.

A real position of power is to remain at cause and true to purpose and principle. It’s not of value to anyone to continue on the negative behaviors of others or to react in a way that says, “Well you did it, so now I’m going to do it.”. Or, even more significant, to say “Well, I don’t like what you did.” and then to do it. Instead, we have the ability to say, “OK…I didn’t like the way you were being, so I’m going to hold true to how I think you should have been. I am going to serve as an example to you and others.”. That is leadership and power.

With that, there’s the potential to add value to someone’s life and experience and to leave any situation better than when you arrived.

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Munchkie Dresses Up

Halloween is one of the most fun holidays. Getting dressed up, giving little kids candy, and of course the opportunity to torment my dogs for my personal pleasure with cute little costumes. I had a blast last night. I donned my pirate wench costume, put out all the decorations and had the biggest bag of candy. I drove John a bit crazy when I kept asking him when the trick-or-treaters would be arriving. “It’s still early” he replied at 5pm. Finally, around 7:30 they started to arrive. They were soooooo cute, little witches, goblins and scarecrows. There were a cute little cowboys, a family that all came dressed up (sooo fun!). By time 9:00pm rolled around, I was beat, the candy was all gone and the dogs were worn out from their barking at every glow stick that meandered down the road.

Can’t wait until next year!

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Uncle Sam: Your New Doctor?

So, I rarely, if ever, talk politics. Mostly because I believe that people have different opinions and every opinion is very real and true for the person.

But, when it comes to the new Healthcare “Reform” bill, the absurdity of the actual bill has inspired me to speak up.

Yes, America does need Healthcare Reform. But like most “reform” that seems to occur here, it’s about rewarding the lazy, unproductive and downright criminal members of our society while punishing the productive, successful, contributing members of our society. Yes, there are some good people who are simply experiencing a downtime in their life that will benefit, but at what cost?

America was founded on many great principles, of which one is the right of individuals to prosper. Our entire society and all the comforts we enjoy is based on the drive and ingenuity of the American Entrepreneur. If you are an American and haven’t taken the time to study and know your rights as laid out in the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, I invite you to do so now. The only way for YOU to protect YOUR RIGHTS, is to know them.

We’re goal setters, dreamers, motivators and action takers. We take risks and push forward through adversities that most people think are insurmountable. Entrepreneurs are LEADERS.

We contribute to society in a powerful way, providing jobs and possibilities for people so they can flourish too.

We dream of the rewards…contributing to a better society, financial growth, travel with our families, being able to pay for college. It’s the Entrepreneur’s drive that is responsible for all the paychecks that people enjoy cashing (unless of course you work for the government).

Destroy the Entrepreneurial Spirit, take away the ability for someone to create personal growth and financial reward and the result is economic destruction. Study any civilization that attempted a move towards “socialism” and you’ll see the inevitable failure and destruction that resulted. Yes…the lazy and weak did benefit, but they remained even lazier and weaker. And, the drive and forward-bound spirit of the entrepreneur disappears. Which means, no more paychecks, no more industrial advances, no more technological wonders, no more developments that advance society. It all disappears.

And so we are headed with this proposed healthcare reform. Yes…healthcare reform is needed. But there are better solutions than taxing the rich, yet again. If you reward non-production, you get non-production. If you punish production, you also get non-production. The answer is to reward production and punish non-production.

How about an exchange program for welfare recipients. You can drive down any street and see weeds growing through sidewalks, grafitti here and there, garbage on the roads, elderly who need help and farms that are in desperate need of an extra hand or two. In Detroit, houses are falling over…what if all the laid-off workers had a job to do, like paint a house this is in disrepair and weed the yard?  They’d again be contributing and feeling much better about themselves. In exchange they would be compensated and receive government healthcare. How about rewarding industriousness? An individual could propose a project and the costs and the goverment could award “mini-grants”, enabling the individual to be self-sufficient, complete the project and experience the rewards that come from producing.

Want to end illegal immigration? Get rid of welfare! Take the welfare money and establish some really great, educational day cares and housing subsidies where kids can go for free and let the welfare moms and dads get jobs. Even at minimum wage they’d be making more than their welfare check and they’d be productive. If all the jobs are filled with American’s, illegal immigrants wouldn’t have anything to come here for…

Except of course for the FREE HEALTHCARE that will be guaranteed to ALL INHABITANTS OF THE UNITED STATES, whether they are here illegally or not. Yes…you heard it.

Which brings me back to healthcare reform. The current bill is FILLED with violations on our rights. Freedom to Choose, means Freedom to Choose which doctor, which medicine, which hospital. And…it doesn’t mean that as an employer, I should be bound to put my employees into the Public Healthcare System instead of choosing a better policy for them. Or, that I should have to pay for Healthcare for even Part-time employees AND their families…it’s absurd. The cost alone would cause me to have to fire my part-time employees, leaving them jobless. The current bill is FILLED with penalties (taxes) to be assigned to employers who don’t want to use the Public Healthcare System or are so productive that they raise their revenues about $500K or $1Million.

So, now…we’ll have employers (entrepreneurs) trying NOT to increase revenues because those revenues will only be lost to taxes. And, if you, as a business owner, would like to give your employees better healthcare than the proposed Public Healthcare system, you’ll pay a special punishment tax for doing so.

And…you’ll be responsible for paying the Public Healthcare insurance premiums for ALL of your employees, including PART-TIME employees AND THEIR FAMILIES until their children are 26!

What else will be gone?

• Your right to choose your doctor.
• New advanced treatments for cancer and other diseases.
• Elective procedures….do you really need that knee surgery or could you hobble along a little longer.
• Advanced care for the elderly. When some government worker decides it’s your time to go, your medical procedures will not be approved.
• Your right to choose a better plan.
• Your right to choose your prescription drugs.
• Just get released from the hospital and not feeling so good…your right to be re-admitted as theirs a hefty penalty to the hospital for re-admitting patients too soon.

That’s just the beginning. You can get the facts here.The Healthcare Bill: What’s In It…a SHOCKER!

So…to provide limited healthcare for the current uninsured, you’ll have to give up your rights to good insurance so that we can all be limited. Rep. Mike Rogers stated: “We are going to punish the 85 percent of Americans who have private health insurance so that we can try and fix this problem of the 15 percent who don’t,” he said. “It makes no sense to me that we would abandon American ingenuity.”

Here’s an example. While many people know that Canada has socialized healthcare, what many people don’t know is what it means for people. My friend was pregnant and at 4 months she was substantially larger in the belly than an average mom at that term. She lives near Vancouver. So, her doctor wanted to schedule an ultrasound so that he could check for twins. The next available time for her in the socialized system: 4 months. So, she’d get her ultrasound at 8 months pregnant…far beyond when any abnormalities or problems would be detected. So, she drove down to Seattle and paid cash for an ultrasound. Sound like good healthcare to you? Another friend of mine in Canada had to wait 2 years for knee surgery to repair an tear in the cartilage in her knee from playing soccer. Since she was “young”, they didn’t feel the urgency to do it and she suffered with it for 2 years before getting the much needed repair. The result? Arthritis developed in the knee and she can no longer play soccer.

So, what if instead of punishing the entrepreneurs and making the productive members of society suffer, the government tapped the entrepreneurs and said, “Hey, how can we help you create more jobs?”. Obviously levying more taxes isn’t the answer…anyone remember the Boston Tea Party and the reasons America was founded in the first place? If the government helps the small business, instead of suppressing it, entrepreneurs would gain regain their full creative and industrious spirit.

SIGN THE PETITION NOW

YES! HEALTHCARE REFORM IS NEEDED. But, the current bill is not reform…there are better ways. Consider this: if doctors didn’t have to pay such high insurance premiums, the costs could be lowered (how about reforming the malpractice insurance industry!). If doctors weren’t so easily sued, they wouldn’t be so apt to order tons of unnecessary tests to cover their butts. How about limiting malpractice suits? If the pharmaceutical industry didn’t have it’s hand in the pot so much giving doctors incentives to push drugs, which cause side effects, which require medical treament, the cycle could be broken. It’s no wonder that the US Pharmaceutical Industry invested $80 million towards Healthcare “reform”…they’ll come out a big winner by pushing even more pills on new customers (http://web2.sys-con.com/node/1149466). It’s already the most profitable industry globally with $845Billion in Annual Revenues and growth every year…even during the “recession”…guess that’s because people need more ‘happy pills’.  Let’s regulate the pharmaceutical industry. If ordinary people weren’t being enticed to go the doctor through psychological manipulative pharmaceutical commercials to get happy pills and irritable bowel syndrome solutions, medical care costs could be reduced.

Here’s a really novel idea: If the USDA and FDA actually did something productive and regulated the quality of food so people were getting proper nutrition, instead of loading up with saturated fats, nitrates, corn syrup, biological hormones from meats, pesticides and empty calories, the healthcare industry would be massively reformed. If kids weren’t pushed toxic lunches and Coca-Cola, they could grow up healthy and strong.

How about looking outside the box of tax the productive people to actually handle the problem of an unhealthy society! Can we get a politician who actually cares about HEALTH and understands what it means to promote “Health” care?

While this commentary is obviously my opinion, the facts are the facts. The greatest thing about America, is we get a say…AS LONG AS WE USE OUR VOICE.

Get the facts and decide for yourself. Here’s some resources for you. Take action. Let your representative know you want Healthcare Reform that is going to empower the entrepreneur, not punish them.

Healthcare Reform Mandate: Punish Employers, Kill Jobs

The Healthcare Bill: What’s In It…a SHOCKER!

Healthcare Reform Needed but Let’s Not Punish Job Creators

How Healthcare Reform Could Kill the Markets Rally:

Michigan Businesses Urged to Study Costs and Affects of the US Healthcare Reform Package:

One Million Americans Come Out Against Healthcare:

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Read the Bill

5 Freedoms You Lose with the Healthcare Reform Bill

How can you be informed and confident in your ability to make decisions? Get the Know for Yourself DVD…it’s an eye opener! Order Now.

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I’ve been in business for 7 years and the entire time I’ve consistently gotten this question…”How do you do it all?”. I’m known for my frequent adventures and travels, while at the same time running a very successful business, staying up-to-date with contacts and handling all my “wifely” responsibilities. There’s a very simple system to all that I do and I’ve shared these tips with many people, so I hope you find value in them as well.

The great news is there’s a ton of tools available to anyone who really wants to maximize their time. I try to keep my “work time” to about 20-30 hours per week. This 20-30 hours is highly productive and I produce a lot. Much of it is spent “on-the-go”. The rest of my time I spend doing things that I find fun and rewarding. That may be snowboarding, riding my Harley, hiking with John, walking my dogs or taking courses/seminars that help me improve my skills, increase competence and achieve success.

So, what can you do to get more done in less time, increase your production and income and have lots of time for fun?

If you want the flexibity of a “mobile” business and maintain productivity while on-the-go, first decide what your standard operating practice will be. Keep in mind that a productive “mobile” business doesn’t mean that your the not-so-smart driver swerving into the lane next to you because your texting while driving…what it means is that you have order to your life.

Personally, I find that I can get easily overwhelmed by the constant in-flow of media and communications that come my way in a given day. Sometimes I can get as many as 200 e-mails in a day, not to mention Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Blog comments, etc. So, to handle everything and eliminate any overwhelm, I set specific times for specific tasks. That gives my day a really nice flow without much stress. I check voicemails and e-mails twice per day and respond immediately. I have a separate time for social networking. It typically takes about 3 weeks of consistent action to establish a new habit, so don’t be surprised if it feels a bit awkward at first.

Tip 1: Establish your routine.
Tip 2: Schedule your times.

When checking e-mails or voicemails, make sure you have time to respond. If you use the “only touch it once” rule, you’ll save yourself a tremendous amount of time. I used to spend so much time looking at e-mails and listening to voicemails and then leaving them in my in-box (if you just chuckled…GOTCHA!). All that does is duplicate the amount of time you spend on them because you’ll have to read them again and listen to them again to finally decide what to do with them. So, when you read it or listen to it, handle it.

Tip 3: Touch it once and handle it.

That means….file or delete once you are complete!

Having a mobile business, also means you need the right equipment. That means a good phone that has all the bells and whistles and a good computer…as well as the ability to sync them both together so that your not duplicating calendars, contacts, etc. Personally, I prefer Apple. I was a PC person for years, but it actually hindered my productivity b/c of the difficulty in syncing everything given computer and phone updates. I was always having problems so I switched.

I now use an iMac (just got it), MacBookPro, iPhone and Time Capsule. With MobileMe, when I check an e-mail and delete it, it deletes it from my desktop and laptop too. My calendars are all synced. With Time Capsule I’m able to back everything up and communicate between machines. Plus the iPhone is so friendly to mobile entrepreneurs. I’m able to update my social network sites, blog with it, take notes, record meetings for later transcription, do my banking via the phone, enter contacts that will sync later and much much more.

Tip 4: Get the right equipment…it’s an investment in sanity!

My final tip is to outsource. I read a great article in Fortune Small Business one day about a very successful entrepreneur. She said that she calculated out what an hour of her time was worth. Anything that she could pay someone to do for less, she outsources so she can focus on creating the vision of her company and keeping the company producing. Great advice. So, I did the same.

My best investment was an assistant. I’ve had a personal assistant for 5 years and quite frankly, can’t even imagine what my life would without her. She schedules my appointments (scheduled my dogs vet appointment today), picks up, opens and sorts my mail, pays the bills, does the filing, runs errands, sorts e-mails, ships out John’s books and handles all the odds and ends of my life. She’s amazing. My former assistant was also amazing, but she became a full-time mom.

I use Elance a tremendous amount, as well as Craigslist, to out-source projects and small jobs. I have a cleaning lady who comes and handles out home.

This leaves me time to focus on vision and expansion. It also gives me lots of time to do the things I want to do. I’d much rather be snowboarding than opening and sorting through mail or grocery shopping. In the beginning I was a bit hesitant to hire anyone because of the obligation of being responsible for paying them. But, it actually made me more responsible and my business became more productive. Now I have several employees and am about to bring on another.

Tip 5: Outsource whatever you can.

Follow these 5 tips and you’ll find that operating your business or job on-the-go, with order, will help you get more done in less time and give you time for the things you really want to do with the people you really want to do them with.

And definitely, let me know about the results you experience implementing these tips.

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One of the things I love to do is look at fun, inspiring and uplifting videos. Anything funny and that has dogs in it is also a plus. I find this keeps my mood, spirits and energy up throughout the day. In my “video watching” adventures, I’ve noticed quite a few people who have found a “calling” and a new business venture out of their desire to have fun and share fun with others.

Take for example this gentleman who began sharing the adventures of the unlikely friendship between his two dogs: Ramses and Pedro…a Doberman and a Chihuahua. As he was sharing some of the fun and amusing antics of his two beloved and wonderful dogs, it also spurred an opportunity to make some extra cash. The videos are hilarious as Pedro the chihuahua runs the roost. Ramses is a loving doberman with patience while this little guy bosses him around. Truly goes to show that it’s all attitude!

There are many great sayings that if you follow your heart and your passion, money will follow. You could actually create an entire new career out of doing something you love! Use your gifts and your creative spirit to increase your prosperity and add value to the lives of others.

Check out this video:

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With our ever-changing lifestyles and around-the-clock schedules, who really has time to eat right?? But less face it, food is our fuel and without the right fuel, we can run ourselves down fast..and being tired is no fun at all. You can’t concentrate at work, you exercise less, and getting out of bed takes a lot of effort. It’s a miserable way to trudge through life. But did you know that having more energy may be as simple as choosing the right foods?

From my research what I found is the key is to focus on low-glycemic foods (because they release energy slowly) that are high in complex carbohydrates and low in excess fats. Iron is also very important because it produces red blood cells that carry blood to exercising muscles. A first step is to eliminate “quick-fix” foods that contain simplex carbohydrate foods, like candy bars and soft drinks, which spike your energy level before it plunges quickly. Next, it’s extremely important you start incorporating these 10 foods into your diet (atleast according to Health & Nutrition Magazine).

Daily:

1. Whole grains. They’re high in fiber (which can help slow the breakdown and absorption of sugar) and complex carbohydrates. They also contain antioxidants similar to those in fruits and vegetables. Additionally, they reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Adults should eat 6 to 11 servings of whole grains per day. Examples include whole grain breads, pastas, and rice.

Breakfast

2. Oatmeal. According to the American Dietetic Association, oat products are some of the best sources of soluble fiber. You can combine oatmeal with raisins, honey, and yogurt for extra flavor and energy.

3. Bananas. This fruit is packed with potassium, which helps your muscles contract. One per day prevents stiffness that comes from sitting at a desk.

4. Orange Juice This drink is ideal for the morning and is extremely high in vitamin C, which helps you get the most iron out of other foods.

Meals

5. Pasta. When athletes “carbo-load” before a game, they usually eat a big plate of spaghetti. It’s extremely high in complex carbohydrates and low in calories, fat, and sodium.

6. Salmon. This fish is high in protein, and its high concentration of omega-3 fats and B vitamins can boost your cardiovascular health.

7. Beans. A small, powerful vegetable packed with protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, beans can be used in creative ways. Add them to soups, burritos, pastas, and dip spreads. In 2005 the Department of Agriculture recommended that Americans eat three cups of beans per week.

Snacks

8. Dried fruit. These high-energy, low-fat snacks are easy to pack and almost never go bad. Try a medley of apricots, figs, and raisins. However, be aware that some commercially packaged dried fruits contain sulfur dioxide, which has been shown to increase your risk of asthma.

9. Almonds. Ounce-for-ounce, this is the most nutrient-dense nut. Research has shown that adding two ounces of almonds to your daily diet increases your intake of vitamin-E and magnesium.

10. Yogurt. Quick, easy, and delicious, yogurt is available in a variety flavors. One cup of low-fat yogurt contains almost 13 grams of protein and 17 grams of carbohydrates-just what you need for great energy.

This a quick and efficient way to jump start your new Day that doesn’t take a lot of planning ahead!

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