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How Kenney the Tabletop Gamer Lost 120 Pounds and Found His Voice (Literally).

Source https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/how-kenney-the-tabletop-gamer-lost-120-pounds-and-found-his-voice-literally/

“There’s no way that’s the same person, right?”

Admittedly, that’s what I first thought when I saw Kenney’s before and after photos. There was just NO way that this Tony Stark looking dude on the right was the same person as the man in the other photo, right?

And then I saw his other photos. And then I heard his story.

And then I teared up.

Shut up I’m not crying, you’re crying.

Today, we’re going to be talking about Ironma—-Kenney Frazier, an IT systems administrator from Alabama, a gamer, and an opera singer who has had one of the most dramatic transformations I’ve ever seen. It’s no exaggeration to say that Kenney clearly saved his own life. Not just in terms of life expectancy, but also quality of his life.

Kenney is a proud member of the Nerd Fitness Academy who made some key changes in his life that helped him succeed. We’re going to dig deep into those major and minor changes Kenney made and how you can be like him!

After years of struggle, starting and stopping, a switch flipped and he has lost over 120 pounds in the past 15 months.

Here’s his origin story.

A First Aid Kit for When Life Falls Apart

Source http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tinybuddha/~3/2rK1AlI-AG4/

“What if pain—like love—is just a place brave people visit?” ~Glennon Doyle

It’s one of life’s greatest paradoxes: When life is easy, everything seems easy. When life is hard, everything seems hard.

This one keeps coming back to me and I keep trying to figure it out. Why do we end up in these spirals of “all good” or “all bad”? How can we get out of the “all bad” faster next time we get trapped? How can we help ourselves get out of there?

I’ve had periods in my life when all seemed lost. When I haven’t been able to fathom ever getting out of bed with ease again. When I’ve thought my current situation would go on forever or I’ve been convinced that suffering was my destiny.

My struggles have often been linked to physical illness. With six different autoimmune diagnoses, I truly felt my life was over. Before even turning thirty years old my life prognosis was far from optimistic.

I call this period, and others like it, the black hole. I managed to get out of there at that time via some major lifestyle changes, involving my body, mind, and spirit.

But I’ve also realized that, most of the time, it’s the internal, silent struggle that challenges us the most. And, sure, I’ve visited there again in the recent five years, a…

Source http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tinybuddha/~3/2rK1AlI-AG4/

“What if pain—like love—is just a place brave people visit?” ~Glennon Doyle

It’s one of life’s greatest paradoxes: When life is easy, everything seems easy. When life is hard, everything seems hard.

This one keeps coming back to me and I keep trying to figure it out. Why do we end up in these spirals of “all good” or “all bad”? How can we get out of the “all bad” faster next time we get trapped? How can we help ourselves get out of there?

I’ve had periods in my life when all seemed lost. When I haven’t been able to fathom ever getting out of bed with ease again. When I’ve thought my current situation would go on forever or I’ve been convinced that suffering was my destiny.

My struggles have often been linked to physical illness. With six different autoimmune diagnoses, I truly felt my life was over. Before even turning thirty years old my life prognosis was far from optimistic.

I call this period, and others like it, the black hole. I managed to get out of there at that time via some major lifestyle changes, involving my body, mind, and spirit.

But I’ve also realized that, most of the time, it’s the internal, silent struggle that challenges us the most. And, sure, I’ve visited there again in the recent five years, a…

Why I No Longer Depend on Anyone Else for Happiness, Fun, or Excitement

Source http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tinybuddha/~3/qJ_6Kof026I/

“Never put the key to your happiness in someone else’s pocket.” ~Unknown

It was Saturday night. I sat, at my breakfast bar in my apartment, alone and in semi-darkness. Only one small lamp was turned on in the corner.

I was fuming, confused, and most of all, sad. I sprang off the breakfast barstool and began to pace. There were so many emotions circling around in me I had to keep moving in an effort to release them.

I spun around and looked at the clock above my kitchen—it was almost 7pm! He had said he was going to be there by 6pm.

Why was he not there? Did he not know I was depending on him? Didn’t he know I had planned my schedule to be there in time to hang out?

I didn’t have any other plans and felt stuck waiting in limbo. Where was he? I felt the emotions rising toward my throat as they bubbled up and threatened to explode.

I picked up my phone and called my boyfriend, trembling with frustration as the phone rang. He picked up on the third ring.

I had been waiting to hang out with him after work all day. I had imagined us meeting on time at 6pm and having a great evening together.

In my head, I had imagined us going out for a bite to eat and then maybe catching a new movie at the theatre or going t…

Source http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tinybuddha/~3/qJ_6Kof026I/

“Never put the key to your happiness in someone else’s pocket.” ~Unknown

It was Saturday night. I sat, at my breakfast bar in my apartment, alone and in semi-darkness. Only one small lamp was turned on in the corner.

I was fuming, confused, and most of all, sad. I sprang off the breakfast barstool and began to pace. There were so many emotions circling around in me I had to keep moving in an effort to release them.

I spun around and looked at the clock above my kitchen—it was almost 7pm! He had said he was going to be there by 6pm.

Why was he not there? Did he not know I was depending on him? Didn’t he know I had planned my schedule to be there in time to hang out?

I didn’t have any other plans and felt stuck waiting in limbo. Where was he? I felt the emotions rising toward my throat as they bubbled up and threatened to explode.

I picked up my phone and called my boyfriend, trembling with frustration as the phone rang. He picked up on the third ring.

I had been waiting to hang out with him after work all day. I had imagined us meeting on time at 6pm and having a great evening together.

In my head, I had imagined us going out for a bite to eat and then maybe catching a new movie at the theatre or going t…

Shellfish Industry, Scientists Wrestle With Potentially Deadly Toxic Algae Bloom

Source https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/01/04/575345282/shellfish-industry-scientists-wrestle-with-potentially-deadly-toxic-algae-bloom?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=thesalt

Bangs Island Mussels worker Jon Gorman sets juvenile mussels onto a rope that will be their home for the next year as they grow to market size.

After decades with no sign of a lethal neurotoxin, the algae that produces it is now plaguing the warming waters of the Gulf of Maine, forcing unprecedented closures in shellfish harvesting.

(Image credit: Fred Bever/Maine Public Radio)

Source https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/01/04/575345282/shellfish-industry-scientists-wrestle-with-potentially-deadly-toxic-algae-bloom?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=thesalt

Bangs Island Mussels worker Jon Gorman sets juvenile mussels onto a rope that will be their home for the next year as they grow to market size.

After decades with no sign of a lethal neurotoxin, the algae that produces it is now plaguing the warming waters of the Gulf of Maine, forcing unprecedented closures in shellfish harvesting.

(Image credit: Fred Bever/Maine Public Radio)

U.S. Bakeries Grab A Slice Of A Latin American Tradition: 3 Kings Cake

Source https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/01/05/575737940/u-s-bakeries-grab-a-slice-of-a-latin-american-tradition-3-kings-cake?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=thesalt

A rosca de reyes cake on display at a bakery in Mexico City. The cake is the signature dish of Three Kings Day celebrations in many parts of Latin America.

In some Latin American countries, Three Kings Day — Jan. 6 — is a bigger deal than Christmas. As the U.S. Latino population grows, so does interest in the holiday’s signature cake, rosca de reyes.

(Image credit: Jam Media/CON/LatinContent/Getty Images)

Source https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/01/05/575737940/u-s-bakeries-grab-a-slice-of-a-latin-american-tradition-3-kings-cake?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=thesalt

A rosca de reyes cake on display at a bakery in Mexico City. The cake is the signature dish of Three Kings Day celebrations in many parts of Latin America.

In some Latin American countries, Three Kings Day — Jan. 6 — is a bigger deal than Christmas. As the U.S. Latino population grows, so does interest in the holiday’s signature cake, rosca de reyes.

(Image credit: Jam Media/CON/LatinContent/Getty Images)

Tricare Changes You Need to Know

Source: https://www.aarp.org/health/health-insurance/info-2018/tricare-changes-fd.html

by Brittany Hackett, AARP, January 3, 2018|Comments: 0. TRICARE changes
you need to know about. Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Getty Images. Tricare beneficiaries
include 2.2 million retired service members and 1.4 million active duty service
members. Big changes are here for Tricare, the military’s health care program for
 ……

Source: https://www.aarp.org/health/health-insurance/info-2018/tricare-changes-fd.html

by Brittany Hackett, AARP, January 3, 2018|Comments: 0. TRICARE changes
you need to know about. Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Getty Images. Tricare beneficiaries
include 2.2 million retired service members and 1.4 million active duty service
members. Big changes are here for Tricare, the military’s health care program for
 ……

Manifest Your New Year’s Resolutions Starting Now

Source http://www.sonima.com/meditation/mindful-living/dreams-come-true/

Why do people tend to break their New Year’s resolutions? My guess is that the mind takes over. In a sense, it’s like your mind is competing against itself. Your conscious mind tells you make a resolution because it recognizes that there is something you want to change, stop doing, or achieve in the coming year. Perhaps, in 2018, you’re going to pay attention to your health, make more money, or learn to repel negativity. Problem is, your subconscious is used to doing things the old way. Which is why most people tend to subconsciously fall short of putting their best intentions into practice―at least, not for the longterm.

What can you do to prevent this cycle from happening yet again this year? Consider the following two mindfulness techniques―applicable to anyone in any situation―to help improve your odds of success.

Step #1: Visualization

One of the most powerful things you can do is use visualization from the moment you make the resolution. Don’t wait to start; do it now. Here’s how: Close your eyes and visualize, in your third eye area, an image or a little movie of yourself already having achieved your resolution.

For example, if you want to stop smoking, imagine yourself living a smoke-free life―whatever that may look like for you. If you want to run a marathon, picture …

Source http://www.sonima.com/meditation/mindful-living/dreams-come-true/

Why do people tend to break their New Year’s resolutions? My guess is that the mind takes over. In a sense, it’s like your mind is competing against itself. Your conscious mind tells you make a resolution because it recognizes that there is something you want to change, stop doing, or achieve in the coming year. Perhaps, in 2018, you’re going to pay attention to your health, make more money, or learn to repel negativity. Problem is, your subconscious is used to doing things the old way. Which is why most people tend to subconsciously fall short of putting their best intentions into practice―at least, not for the longterm.

What can you do to prevent this cycle from happening yet again this year? Consider the following two mindfulness techniques―applicable to anyone in any situation―to help improve your odds of success.

Step #1: Visualization

One of the most powerful things you can do is use visualization from the moment you make the resolution. Don’t wait to start; do it now. Here’s how: Close your eyes and visualize, in your third eye area, an image or a little movie of yourself already having achieved your resolution.

For example, if you want to stop smoking, imagine yourself living a smoke-free life―whatever that may look like for you. If you want to run a marathon, picture …

Tired of Waiting? How to Thrive When Your Life Feels On Hold

Source http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tinybuddha/~3/Z5My3_PWads/

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” ~Johann Wolfang von Goethe

Silence. Not a word.

Another day is over. The news you were waiting for didn’t arrive.

Everyone else around you keeps moving. They know where they’re going.

You don’t. You watch the days go by and think of all the things you could have done. You feel like you’re wasting your time.

It seems pretty pointless. You’re not where you want to be.

Sometimes we have to wait. You left one job, but the next one is not yet here. You want to go back to the soccer field, but your injury is not yet healed. You’re stuck in a city you just want to leave behind. Or you just simply don’t know what to do next.

In May, my husband and I moved across the world from Germany, my home for over twenty-five years, to Canada, his home country. We had already applied for permanent residence for me months before we came.

Give it a few weeks and it will arrive, we thought. Then I could start looking for a job. Start my career. Move forward.

Weeks became months. August came and I was still hopeful. I checked the mailbox every day. Maybe to…

Source http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tinybuddha/~3/Z5My3_PWads/

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” ~Johann Wolfang von Goethe

Silence. Not a word.

Another day is over. The news you were waiting for didn’t arrive.

Everyone else around you keeps moving. They know where they’re going.

You don’t. You watch the days go by and think of all the things you could have done. You feel like you’re wasting your time.

It seems pretty pointless. You’re not where you want to be.

Sometimes we have to wait. You left one job, but the next one is not yet here. You want to go back to the soccer field, but your injury is not yet healed. You’re stuck in a city you just want to leave behind. Or you just simply don’t know what to do next.

In May, my husband and I moved across the world from Germany, my home for over twenty-five years, to Canada, his home country. We had already applied for permanent residence for me months before we came.

Give it a few weeks and it will arrive, we thought. Then I could start looking for a job. Start my career. Move forward.

Weeks became months. August came and I was still hopeful. I checked the mailbox every day. Maybe to…

‘Tis The Season To Be Mindful About TBI

Source: http://www.brainhealtheducation.org/tis-the-season-to-be-mindful-about-tbi/

Living with TBI is full of challenges for daily living. Here are some problems experienced by an engineer and what he did about them: Physically—I dropped tools and parts out of my left hand because it got weak easily. Mentally—my working memory had completely malfunctioned and I had a short attention span. Visually—I saw everything in double

Read More…

Source: http://www.brainhealtheducation.org/tis-the-season-to-be-mindful-about-tbi/

Living with TBI is full of challenges for daily living. Here are some problems experienced by an engineer and what he did about them: Physically—I dropped tools and parts out of my left hand because it got weak easily. Mentally—my working memory had completely malfunctioned and I had a short attention span. Visually—I saw everything in double

Read More…

Myzone Named IHRSA 2018 Associate Member of the Year

Source http://www.clubindustry.com/news-central/myzone-named-ihrsa-2018-associate-member-year

Club Industry was not involved in the creation of this content.
CHICAGO, IL – Myzone, a wearable technology solution that rewards effort, has been named the IHRSA 2018 Associate Member of the Year. This award, which is presented annually, recognizes…

Source http://www.clubindustry.com/news-central/myzone-named-ihrsa-2018-associate-member-year

Club Industry was not involved in the creation of this content.
CHICAGO, IL – Myzone, a wearable technology solution that rewards effort, has been named the IHRSA 2018 Associate Member of the Year. This award, which is presented annually, recognizes…

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