With a fresh start to the New Year I wanted to add some new features to the newsletter. I've brought two new people into the Ready Force family to contribute articles on a regular basis. It is my distinct pleasure to introduce Lynn Ravazzini, a nutritionist extraordinaire, and Starr Brown, an amazing personal trainer. Both of these unique individuals understand nutrition and fitness at levels that far exceed my humble capabilities, which is why I wanted to bring you their pearls of wisdom regarding nutrition and fitness.

As always, I will continue to look for new and improved ways to serve and inspire those of you choose to spend your time with us each month. I value your input and comments, so please keep them coming and we will do our best to serve your needs.

Waste Your Money on a Wellness Professional!

This article highlights my wife, Peggy's, experiences working with a nutritionist, Lynn Ravazzini, and a personal trainer, Starr Brown. If you have ever wondered if working with a wellness professional was worth the money, read this article to find out! The link is: www.readyforce.net/circle /articles/wellness/2007/01/13. Enjoy!

It's time to announce the winner of our Ready Force Talk the Talk contest. Many of you submitted excellent comments in our Forum section on a number of topics, and I thank you for your contributions and thought provoking comments. In 2006, Kenny distinguished himself and a prolific writer, sharing many aspects of his training and preparation as a warrior. I happen to know Kenny personally and have watched him quite literally transform himself, both physically and mentally, over the last year. Below you will see one of Kenny's contributions.

Kenny's contribution centers around an on-going Forum discussion we had regarding having to spend hours and hours working out vs. the value of spending just a few minutes each day doing mainly bodyweight exercises right from the comfort of our own homes. And now, Kenny's words of wisdom:

I will tell you folks that Kenny is living proof that a simple workout will yield amazing results. Stop making things so complicated and just get moving. Just a little effort consistently will help you realize your fitness desires!

Thank you Kenny, and congratulations on being selected. I will get an autographed copy of my book, The Warrior's Mantra, to you as soon as possible and you have free reign to contact me anytime for a one-on-one on any Ready Force topic of your choice.

Remember, you can access the Talk the Talk section by going to the Ready Force website and entering the Forum section. There is a simple sign up process and you will have access to any topic you want. Post your own topics, sound off, it's your Forum! I will respond personally to anything you want, so let fly!

The following text is taken from an amazing book; Gates of Fire, by Steven Pressfield, an epic novel of the battle of Thermopylae. During this battle, a Spartan force of 300 held off the Persian force of 2 million for 6 days, buying precious time for the main Spartan forces to assemble and do battle against overwhelming odds. These 300 were led by their own King who fought side by side with his men to the bitter end. All 300 were killed, but in the history of man I'm not aware of any battle sacrifice or stand greater than this. In the end, the Persian army suffered such significant losses against the main Spartan forces that they were ultimately defeated. In this fine book, Pressfield describes the great Spartan King's leadership to the Persian King who only watched the battles from a position of total safety. His words define what it is to be a true leader of the highest caliber and the lessons to be learned and applied to our personal lives are priceless. And now: The Gates of Fire.

Are you listening? I have a challenge for you as you begin this New Year. Reflect upon these words. Think deeply about their value and worth in your own life. How can you apply them to your current situation? How can you become a better leader, husband, wife, mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter? Can you imagine the world we could create? Warriors always seek to better themselves. Will you take this challenge and make 2007 your greatest year? I will tell you this, I will walk by your side and support you in any way I can in your efforts. I believe in you!

A New Year. A New You! Dynamic Strategies to Improve Your Health & Body Composition. By Lynn Ravazzini, Owner: Nutrition Within, Lynn4nutrition@sbcglobal.net:

It's New Year's resolution time again! And for many of us who may have indulged a little more than we planned to over the holidays, it couldn't have arrived at a better time. But before you set a generalized resolution to "get healthy" or "lose weight," know that there are better ways to make-and keep-a resolution.
• 1. Set specific, reachable goals. Create an objective that can be tracked over a period of time, such as reducing your body fat by a certain percentage (according to a healthy, attainable goal). Although you may be more motivated by appearance issues, an unhealthy percentage of body fat is a main contributor to a variety of serious chronic illnesses, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Just a small percentage decrease in body fat can greatly reduce your risk to these diseases.
• 2. Create a plan to reach your goal. Establish a plan that is tailored to your personal goals or your chances of success will fall greatly. Consider it a road map for your destination-an outline of how you plan to get to your goal. This is the area where so many people fall short and continually fail to achieve their resolutions.
• 3. Ask me for help. Whether you are interested in losing fat, eating better, getting fit, or simply improving your health, my office can create a program for you. And programs supervised by healthcare practitioners have a much higher rate of success. Which means that you have a greater chance at keeping your healthy resolutions!

A New Lifestyle: My office offers easy-to-follow diet and exercise suggestions that can be customized to fit your needs and health goals. Designing and monitoring your program is also a simple, 3-step process:
• 1. Determine your current health status and identify any problem areas.
• 2. Create a program that addresses your personal strengths and weaknesses and allows you to go at a pace that your schedule allows.
• 3. Track your progress and modify the plan as needed.

Additional Support: Another key aspect of the program is targeted nutritional support. We may recommend medical foods that are specifically designed to support your health and address your concerns. For example, we may suggest a medical food that contains a scientific blend of nutrients that has been shown to help manage conditions associated with poor blood sugar management, abdominal obesity, high cholesterol, and/or high blood pressure. The importance of the nutritional aspects of any healthy lifestyle program cannot be overlooked.

Succeed Where Others Fail
• A recent study reported that 68% of resolutions are broken within three months. By the end of the year, that number increases to 85%. The good news is that there are programs that have a high success rate, even years down the road. Sound too good to be true? It's not!
• I encourage you to embrace this new beginning and take that first step to better health by scheduling an appointment at my office. This year, resolve to spend many more years celebrating the holidays with your friends and family.

Snowmobile for Fitness...Part I by Starr Brown, Owner FEEL Fitness, www.feel-fitness.com:

As many people focus on Changes they wish to make in themselves for the New Year, I propose we choose carefully how to approach those changes. I have found that most success with change comes when people become more aligned with their own true interests and intents and do not focus on accomplishing a change that is society and culturally designed and driven. As this pertains to our fitness resolutions, successful change most often comes when our proposed fitness goals are centered on a commitment to perform activities that one truly enjoys.

Much propaganda is given to working out in a gym three days a week to achieve the perfect body. Many people feel the pressure to work out in a gym to meet their fitness goals only to later find themselves with monthly dues automatically deducted from their bank account and their workout bag and shoes accumulating dust in the closet. Despite their most earnest effort to meet their fitness resolution, they soon find that the method of achieving these goals is no longer stimulating and they are no longer involved any fitness activities. To buy into a societal form of workout to meet your specific fitness goals is a recipe for failure.

Successful changes in fitness come when one aligns his/her own unique personality interests with a specific form of body movement. This can mean gently walking in the woods, snowshoeing, stretching, bowling, biking and yes even snowmobiling is an excellent core and upper body workout. The point is to find what body movements you enjoy and pursue them with passion and enthusiasm. When people ask me what is the single best form of workout a person can do? The answer is always - whatever You will Do! Consistent, frequent movement of your body with activities that you really enjoy is the key to achieving fitness results.

Best wishes for your 2007 personally enjoyable and consistent body movements.

This month's mantra is:

"I am empowered to make positive change."

Welcome to a New Year! This is the time for fresh starts. What does this mean to you? Most of us make a resolution toward positive change in some way. Most of us never meet our goals. Why? Simple, we don't have the clarity of vision and discipline of mind to accomplish the goals we set for ourselves. This month, take this mantra to heart and empower that which you wish to change! The greatest challenge any warrior can take is the exploration of self.

Now, sit or lie back comfortably. Take three deep breaths, pausing after you inhale and then exhale fully and completely. After you have taken your first three breaths, just breathe normally. Close your eyes and let any tension you may be holding in your muscles just begin to melt away. After you center yourself and you feel your breath quite down, repeat the mantra; "I am empowered to make positive change" to yourself for the next five minutes. See yourself accomplishing the changes you have set for yourself and believe with all your soul.

As many times as you can throughout your day, stop what you are doing, take one deep breath and repeat this mantra. You can do this when the phone rings, or when you look at your watch, or anytime you feel the need to just slow down for a brief moment and focus. The power of setting a positive intention throughout your day should not be underestimated. It can literally change your life. Make this short time commitment everyday and begin on the path of empowering yourself to survive.

Well, that's all for now.

Stay trained, stay tactical, stay safe!

Rodger.