Pasteurized Milk Essay Essay Example

Purified Milk Essay Example Purified Milk Essay Purified Milk Essay Millions and 1000000s of individuals drink cow’s milk each twenty-four hours. Milk has become an obvious need in an extensiveness of peoples’ lives. Numerous individuals use milk for breakfast, for example, on grain. seting in their java or simply as a glass of milk with toast. At most food showcase shops. the picks are sans fat. one for every centum. two for every centum. what's more, entire milk. It is accepted that milk as a start of Ca prompts solid castanetss. in any case, this conviction has its disparagers and has gotten dubious. Advertisements, for example, â€Å"Got Milk† have conditioned us into accepting that we â€Å"need† it. Be that as it may, the vast majority of the clasp this cow’s milk is defiled with developing endocrines and pesticides. In add-on. purification decimates pretty much all the nutritionary incentive in cow’s milk. The disservices to soaking up cow’s milk far exceed the points of interest. Drinking milk causes expanding wellbeing employments. furthermore, may even take to an over-admission of Ca which can be simply every piece far from being obviously true as non bounty. In the late nineteenth century. a turning figure of powerful individuals all through the state accepted that American metropoliss had a milk work. Paper articles uncovered the unnerving conditions wherein cattles were taken care of slop. The situation was known as â€Å"the milk problem† . ( Group III ) Named after Louis Pasteur. sanitization is a method that requires warming the milk to slaughter bacteriums and forestall waste. It was presented for security grounds. but since of the way it exhausts the milk. purification has prompted numerous health occupations all through the universe. Sanitized milk is supposed to be a lot more secure than characteristic milk and deliver less wellbeing employments. Be that as it may, how might it be when rBGH is infused into cattles doing them to deliver somewhere in the range of 10s and 20 for every centum more milk? RBGH-rewarded enliven creatures have a 25 for every centum more prominent chance of creating mastitis ( a possibly creepy redness of the sack ) . a 18 for each centum more prominent chance of going barren. furthermore, a 50 for each centum more prominent chance of going square. ( Debating the Safety ) And in the event that one contemplates it. it is upseting to accept we drink the milk that originates from those cattles. Prostate and chest dangerous neoplastic maladies have been connected to ingestion of purified milk. essentially identified with increments in a compound called insulin-like developing elements. Milk ingestion can other than loan to significant aggregates of fat and cholesterin in our natural structures. ( Markoff ) Statisticss have other than demonstrated that low milk utilization during adolescence was related with a higher chance of low bone thickness taking to osteoporosis. However, measurements have other than demonstrated that unreasonably high milk admission during youth expanded the chance of low bone thickness! ( Kalkworf 257-265 ) Along with bone thickness. grown-up females in the U. S. are the greatest customers of milk known to mankind. however have the most noteworthy degrees of osteoporosis. ( Karpf ) Children grow up soaking up cow’s milk as segment of their commonplace life non cognizing that it is destructive to them and their future health. Cow’s milk can weaken a child’s capacity to assimilate Fe. Joined with the way that milk has for all intents and purposes no Fe of its ain. the outcome is an expanded peril of Fe need. Youngsters can other than hold responses to drain proteins that appear as respiratory employments and skin conditions. ( Markoff ) Cow’s milk proteins are a typical reason for fuss. what's more, presently the American Academy of Pediatrics has presumed that there is grounds that cow’s milk may great loan to adolescence beginning diabetes. Similarly great as diabetes. meatiness has become an occupation in the United States. Utilization of sanitized cow’s milk has added to this because of the serious extent of packed fat in it. ( Kalkworf ) Osteoporosis can be brought about by non satisfactory Ca. yet, other than by unnecessarily much Ca. That is on the grounds that one time bones become immersed with too much Ca the capacity to retain more is repressed. The same number of children develop they begin demoing characteristics of osteoporosis and it is from precarious Ca degrees. Sanitized cow’s milk is an extremely regular supplement start of Ca. Be that as it may, there are other supplement beginnings than milk and dairy stocks that give Ca. Nourishments, for example, verdant green veggies. nuts. beans and seeds. fish and shellfish. furthermore, addendums all are a start of Ca. Calcium beginnings, for example, Spinacia oleracea. benne seeds and Prunus dulciss have considerably more Ca than milk. ( Jamerson ) Humans are the solitary well evolved creatures that drink another animal’s milk. There are numerous other milk choices, for example, soy. Prunus dulcis and coconut. One ground that cow’s milk is non each piece great as a bastioned choice is that milk contains lactose doing it increasingly acidic. Roughly 75 for every centum of the world’s populace is lactose prejudiced. which implies that they can't to the full condensation dairy stocks. Lactase is the chemical expected to process milk sugar. what's more, a great many people quit bring forthing it around the age of 5. ( Calcium and Milk ) Another ground cow’s milk is non acceptable is its nutritionary worth. When cow’s milk is sanitized it murders bacteriums yet it other than wrecks the fortifying nourishments. expanding sugars and fats and changing proteins into unnatural amino acids that are not exactly sound. subsequently bring forthing less Ca. ( Mercola ) Ever since we were youthful. we accepted that milk was beneficial for us and our folks at any point let us know. â€Å"Drink your milk. so you grow up to be solid and sound. † beyond any doubt Ca constructs solid castanetss. in any case, it doesn’t imply that the entirety in cow’s milk needfully does. Because of purification. cow’s milk is said to hold less Ca. ( Mercola ) It is as often as possible contended that sanitized cow’s milk is a lot more secure than other milk because of the brutal passing of bacteriums and pesticides. Of class. many would see the advantages ; by the by. purification murders the great bacteriums and a significant part of the nourishments to gracefully a fortifying eating regimen. ( Debating the Safety ) Opposing positions guarantee that cow’s milk assists cut with bringing down the peril of osteoporosis. Truth be told. they go each piece far as asserting that it will completely thwart osteoporosis and help reinforce castanetss. On the different manus. measurements show that buyers of milk have a more noteworthy chance of osteoporosis. ( Karpf ) Cow proprietorship and the numerous assets cattles give have been a segment of our history for quite a long time. Cow’s milk has been a column in the human eating regimen. For the vast majority of this clasp it was common milk that was expended. what's more, it was non until the last hundred mature ages that sanitization came into show. By this clasp. milk as a crucial in our eating regimen had been built up. so doing it more secure by executing hurtful bacteriums appeared to be an extraordinary idea. Be that as it may. soaking up sanitized cow’s milk has prompted a mind boggling exhibit of health occupations, for example, high cholesterin. diabetes. fuss. lactose narrow mindedness. furthermore, osteoporosis. There is disagreement over the aggregate of Ca truly in cow’s milk. what's more, regardless of whether or non ingestion of cows’ milk adds to osteoporosis. In spite of the fact that doing drain more secure to soak up. sanitization is said to bargain the nutritionary estimation of milk. what's more, henceforth substitute Ca beginnings ought to be thought of. Cow’s milk really does non gracefully the advantages that the â€Å"Got Milk† ads would wish us to accept. â€Å"Calcium and Milk: What’s Best for Your Bones and Health? † Harvard School of Public Health. President and Fellows of Harvard College. n. d. Web. 22 Feb. 2013. . â€Å"Debating the Safety of Milk from rBGH-Treated Cows ( sidebar ) . † Realities on File Issues and Controversies. Realities on File. 12 Feb. 1999. Web. 14 Feb. 2013. . Gathering III. Edward F. . Dr. â€Å"Pasteurized V. Normal Milk: Which One Is Healthier for You amp ; Your Family? † Global Healing Center: Natural Health and Organic Living. Worldwide Healing Center. 28 Sept. 2009. Web. 23 Feb. 2013. . Jamerson. Ann. â€Å"Sources of Calcium Other Than Milk. † Livestrong. Request Media. 8 Sept. 2010. Web. 24 Feb. 2013. . Kalkworf. Heidi J. . Jane C. Khoury. also, Bruce P. Lanphear. â€Å"Milk utilization during youth and puberty. adult bone thickness. what's more, osteoporotic breaks in US grown-up females. † The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 77 ( 2003 ) : 257-65. Print. Karpf. Anne. â€Å"Dairy Monsters. † The Guardian. Watchman News and Media Limited. 12 Dec. 2003. Web. 11 Feb. 2013. . Markoff. Steven C. â€Å"Is Drinking Milk Healthy for Humans. † ProCon. N. p. . 6 Aug. 2009. Web. 11 Feb. 2013. . Mercola. Joseph. Dr. â€Å"Why You Shouldn’t Drink Pasteurized Milk. † Huffington Post. HuffingtonPost. 3 June 2010. Web. 21 Feb. 2013.

Spaniards in Southwest America :: essays research papers

The Spanish started their development to Southwest America in the late sixteenth century. Starting there on, their impact both on the Native Americans and the earth was specialist. The objective of the Spaniards with respect to the Native Americans was to change them â€Å"into charge paying Christians.† This is rather than the possibility that their objective was to kill the Indians structure the Americas. Thusly, the Spaniards took numerous Indians with the goal that they may plant their religion in the Natives and to utilize them as modest work. This drove numerous Indians to get familiar with the traditions and language of the Spaniards so they might to flourish in the Spanish culture. Therefore, a few Natives procured Spanish, which was the primary wellspring of their Hispanicization; this was the thought of Indians turning out to be included by the Spanish society. Besides, Indians bit by bit learned abilities, acquired land, and at times discovered Hispanic mates, hence facilitating their Hispanicization. They presently started to live in a Spanish way and mix into the base of the Spanish cultural stepping stool. This â€Å"acculturation† of the Native Americans was rather than the models of early English colonization. Spanish objectives and plans tried to include the Indians with the goal that they may live in their general public regardless of whether at the lower end of it’s stepping stool. English settlements saw the Natives as savages and sought them for slave work or to assault their ladies. They didn't plan to bring the Indians into their general public as the Spaniards did as such all through this time.      Spanish impact was not just obvious through the Native Americans; the southwest district of America had additionally encountered its effect. The Spaniards bringing of creatures and utilization of land quickly and enormously changed their condition. Cows and ponies brought by the Spanish broadened well across northern New Spain. Accordingly, these munching creatures straightened verdant zones and stuffed down soils, which separated the terrains. Through these worn out ways of touching, water had the option to follow. Overgrazing in any case, left vegetation rare and soils dissolved. Besides, bottomless prairies and untamed life vanished with these patterns, some transforming into deserts. Terrible horticulture rehearses additionally added to such new development. The Spaniards set to change their condition had not understood the significant negative results their activities would have.      â€Å"Racial immaculateness, a prerequisite for tip top status in Spain and its American settlements, demonstrated less fundamental to upward portability on the boondocks than in center zones of the realm.

Overcoming Physical Challenges :: Personal Narrative Essays

Beating Physical Challenges  I'm 17-years of age and I sense that I'm about twice my age. I have had an odd youth and have experienced a ton. The explanation is because of a few ailments I have. I incline toward calling them physical difficulties as opposed to debilitations or anything like that.  I would need to state this all began when I was 11-years of age. My legs just began giving me inconvenience. I was experiencing a great deal of difficulty doing my moving and implement classes in light of the fact that my knees continued feeling like they were jumping out. I overlooked it for some time, however in the end it came to be excessively so I needed to go see a specialist. After my test, my primary care physician determined me to have sublexing patellas, which implies my kneecaps jump strange. This was only the start of my difficulty.  About a year later, my muscles began to decay in my legs and I lost all muscle tone. I was crushed genuinely and truly. I could not walk anymore, so I was placed in a wheelchair. With this I lost my physical portability as well as my fantasies about being an expert artist. My mother remained steadfast and took me to see the best specialists she could discover and this drove me to the Shriners' Hospital in Montreal, Canada. Here is the place I got my first beam of expectation. When I left I was strolling with a walker and afterward only a stick. They resembled marvel laborers. I gradually restored my muscle tone, yet it was a long procedure and now and again I just wanted to surrender. I had numerous supporters who helped me and invigorated me the and mental fortitude I required.  I figured this would be a conclusion to my clinical issues, yet then one summer I quit relaxing for no justifiable explanation. My mother resuscitated me and afterward I was taken to the specialists to discover I had gained costochronditis, which is the aggravation of the muscles close to your sternum. My breathing difficulties proceeded and they additionally chose to give a few drugs a shot me, however none worked, so we let things go.  At that point exactly when I thought my life was drifting back to typical for the normal 13-year-old, I again experienced another clinical conclusion. This time I was determined to have fibromyalgia, which influences all the muscles and bones in my body and clarifies a portion of my previous difficulty.

Cormac McCarthy Biography free essay sample

The two competitors and fans accept that crowd support (e. g. , cheering) is one of the top effects on a groups achievement, especially at home when the group is prevalently strong, potentially adding to announced home-field advantage (Courneya Carron, 1992). However there are hardly any test examinations of whether unmistakable kinds of crowd input effectsly affect competitors execution of specific athletic abilities. In this investigation, school competitors played out a natural undertaking in their separate game (pitching, free toss giving, hitting a golf ball) n front of crowds who cheered, Jeered, and stayed quiet, contingent upon the allocated condition. B-ball players free toss execution was unaffected by crowd condition, yet Jeers hurt execution for baseball pitchers, and Jeers and cheers brought about more terrible execution for golf players. Crowds or fans can affect execution, however effect may rely upon sport, the particular game aptitude, and explicit crowd conduct. Suggestions for understanding the job of crowds and home-field advantage are thought of. We will compose a custom article test on Cormac McCarthy Biography or on the other hand any comparative theme explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page There are various elements that can impact a competitors execution during a game other than the competitors expertise. Competitors must act before packs in each game, and groups express their emotions about competitors exhibitions by, for example, cheering (supporting them) or Jeering (debilitating them). The nearness of such a group of people may influence group and individual competitor execution. Social assistance has been portrayed as the impact of eyewitnesses on singular execution (Butler Baumeister, 1998; ZaJonc, 1965). By and large, examine shows the nearness of at least one onlookers can improve execution if the aptitude is simple or all around learned, however execution may diminish if the errand is troublesome or new (Cottrell, Wack, Sekerak, Rittle, 1968; Forgas, Brennan, Howe, Kane, Sweet, 1980; Strauss, 2002a; ZaJonc, 1965). For instance, in perhaps the soonest concentrate on social help, Travis (1925) found that members occupied with an interest rotor task performed essentially better (made less following

How to Stop Being Lazy and Unproductive

How to Stop Being Lazy and Unproductive Happiness Print How to Stop Being Lazy By Jodi Clarke, MA, LPC/MHSP twitter linkedin Jodi Clarke, LPC/MHSP is a licensed professional counselor and mental health service provider with over 20 years of experience in the field. Learn about our editorial policy Jodi Clarke, MA, LPC/MHSP Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on May 31, 2018 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on October 14, 2019  Westend61 / Getty Images More in Self-Improvement Happiness Meditation Stress Management Spirituality Holistic Health Inspiration Brain Health Technology Relationships View All We all have periods of time when we feel less energetic and struggle to find motivation. It is common to feel this way on occasion but, when these moments start becoming more frequent or last for longer periods of time, we might start seeing ourselves differently. Our goals become less important, we find it difficult to feel inspired and we might start wondering if we are capable. We may even start calling ourselves lazy. Our Ideal Self We all have a sense of who we want to be, how we want to behave, goals  we want to accomplish, and how we want to show up in the world.  Ideal self  is a concept in psychology that refers to the image we carry in our minds of what our best self would look, act, and feel like. Our ideal self is often an image of productivity and our achievement of certain goals, healthy behaviors, and more. Unfortunately, our busy lives dont often allow for much reflection on our ideal self and it seems to get lost in the shuffle, tucked away somewhere with our childhood answers to What do you want to be when you grow up? Youre Not Alone If you feel lazy or unproductive at times, you are certainly not alone. Research has found that only 8%  of people who set a New Years resolution actually achieve their intended goal. In fact, 1 in 4 people dont make it past their first week before throwing in the towel! What happens that makes it so difficult to hang in there, stay productive, and work toward our desired goals? There are many things that can get in the way of our productivity and achievement of goals, leaving us to see ourselves as lazy. Sometimes the obstacles are situational or related to timing and opportunity, while other times we may be creating the obstacles ourselves with our approach, our mindset, or our methods. Old Habits Die Hard In order to make real progress and quit our old lazy patterns, we need to recognize what might be influencing our inability to reach our goals or leaving us  feeling less productive than we would like to be. So, what you might think of as lazy, may just be a matter of switching up your approach and getting rid of old, unhelpful habits that have kept you from feeling productive and achieving your goals. Here are several such habits that can prevent us from reaching our goals. If anything on this list looks familiar, dont worryâ€"you are far from alone: Making your  goals too big or complicated. We all want to reach the pinnacle, but we might grossly underestimate how much effort and time it takes to get up there. If we give up after a few hours, its not because we are lazy but because we may have realized we miscalculated the amount of time and effort involved.Expecting yourself to be perfect. When we are working toward a goal we expect the road to be smooth and consistent when, in reality, the path toward our goal is most likely going to be full of twists, turns, and setbacks.Listening to your inner critic. If the term lazy is part of your self-talk, there are likely more negative and critical statements that come from your inner critic on a regular basis. You may even bring out your inner critic in an attempt to motivate yourself. What happens? Your critical voice focuses on all of your flaws and shortcomings, rather than any existing strengths and positive attributes that could help you move forward.Listening to criticism from o thers.  As we learn  about ourselves and the world through our experiences, we are receiving feedback from others that helps to shape our self-concept.  When someone important to us has called us lazy in the past, it can really impact how we see ourselves even into adulthood. We may also hear people criticize our efforts in our adult life, leaving us to feel self-doubt or discouragement.Not creating a plan of action. When we find inspiration and become excited about a new goal, we can forget the importance of creating a plan. Our excitement for the goal can cause us to move fast and with a lot of passion, but turn into a sense of being overwhelmed and feeling aimless. What to Start Doing Fortunately, there are plenty of achievable steps you can take to turn things around or stay on track with your goals: Create small, attainable goals. You can still desire to reach the pinnacle, but break that huge goal down into smaller goals that will help you feel more accomplished and motivated to continue climbing. As you consider the big picture, remember the key steps that will be needed to get there and write them down. If needed, break those down into even smaller or shorter-term goals.  Take time to develop a plan. Sit with yourself for a moment as you reflect on your desires and goals, considering those small and attainable steps you will need to accomplish in order to get there. Be realistic about the amount of effort, time, money, help or other factors involved in meeting this goal. Going into the process with an action plan will help you feel more confident and peaceful, as well as give you something to refer back to when you feel discouraged or have a setback.Focus on your strengths. If you are used to an inner critic that focuses on your flaws and shortcomings, you will find great ben efit in taking inventory of your strengths. Do you find it hard to think of any personal strengths? Consider any challenge you have been through and reflect on what personal strengths you used to get through that experience. If you still find it difficult to identify strengths, ask friends or family what they see as your greatest strength. You can also find strengths assessments online, such as the Values In Action inventory.Celebrate the small victories. Celebrating your victories as you accomplish the small goals, or even as you overcome setbacks, can help you continue moving forward. The pride we experience in meeting our goals can help reinforce more positive self-talk. We experience increased self-efficacy with each accomplishment, which can help us find long-term success.Recruit support. It is okay to ask for help along the way. We thrive when connected to important people in a positive, healthy way. Allow those important support people to be a part of your experience. You may want them to celebrate with you along the way or may want to turn to them in times of need when you experience a setback or obstacle. Finding reassurance and encouragement from important people in our lives can help us develop greater resiliency. Your Physical Health Our feelings of laziness can also be influenced by how we are taking care of ourselves physically. We can learn new goal-setting habits and work to challenge our negative thought patterns, but we also need to consider what we are doing for our bodies. Taking care of our physical health can help set the stage for increased energy which, in turn, can allow us to put these other positive changes into action. Food What we eat plays a significant role in how energetic we feel. When our schedules dont allow much time for food planning and preparation, we might find ourselves reaching for quick options on the go, options that offer little nutritional value to help us maintain adequate energy levels. Foods higher in protein, for example, can help our bodies to maintain more stable blood sugar levels and keep us from feeling drastic ups and downs in our energy throughout the day. Examples of food and drink  that can help increase energy include: AlmondsSalmonBananasYogurtOatsDark Leafy GreensChickenWater Examples of food and drink to  avoid if you want increased energy include: French friesCandyBreadSugary drinksDonutsDessertsAlcohol Although sugary foods can give us a temporary boost of energy, it is very short-lived and can leave us feeling as if our energy levels have bottomed out. The timing of our meals and snacks can impact our energy levels as well. Eating smaller meals through the day can help us maintain steady levels of energy, compared to eating larger, heavier meals that often leave us feeling  tired. Exercise When we are tired and feeling lazy, the last thing we likely want to do is exercise. However, moving our bodies can help increase our energy levels and overall feelings of productivity. Research has shown that even just low to moderate levels of exercise can have a significant impact on our energy levels, helping to reduce fatigue.   Ways to incorporate more exercise can include: Walking your dogJogging with a friendHiking with a groupAttending a group fitness classTrying a new yoga class Sleep Our sleep patterns can greatly impact our energy levels. If you tend to feel lazy, you might think you are getting too much sleep at night or find yourself taking extended naps during the day. Creating a healthy sleep routine can help you maintain a consistent sleep schedule and, in turn, help you feel more balanced and energized to take on tasks and feel more productive. If you are a night owl or a napper, this transition could take some work. However, being able to start your day with increased energy, and being able to maintain your energy levels through the day, make the sleep routine worthwhile. What to consider in your sleep care routine: Try to go to bed at the same time each nightAim for 8 hours of sleep per nightLimit screen time at least an hour before bedLimit caffeine after lunchtime Stress Management Being constantly overscheduled, with demands placed on us in multiple areas of our lives, can leave us feeling physically and emotionally drained. In these moments we can find it difficult to take active  steps and make decisions because we are exhausted. Feelings of exhaustion can leave us feeling as if we are lazy when we are actually stressed and overwhelmed. According to the American Psychological Association, some helpful ways to manage your stress include things like: Incorporating  exercise and movement into your dayFinding reasons to smile or laughIncreasing  your social supportPracticing  meditation or prayer daily Boundaries A significant element of stress management is making sure we are using our time wisely. It can be easy to say yes to our co-workers, our spouse, our children, and friends. So easy, in fact, that you may find yourself unable to actually fulfill all of what you have committed to. Look at where you are spending your time, take inventory of unfinished tasks on your to-do list, consider where you can politely say no so that you can use that time for things that need your attention and energy. If the idea of setting boundaries is new to you, the first couple of steps would include giving yourself permission to do it and to start with small things. You may be afraid of how people will respond to you and that is okay. Remember that your goal here is to improve self-care, increase energy and feel empowered to tackle the tasks and goals that are important to you. Creating  time for yourself is key and setting small boundaries around your time will help you do just that. Dont Get Distracted With Comparison Lastly, when we feel lazy it is natural to look around and think everyone else is getting it right except you. Dont allow yourself to get caught in the distraction of comparing yourself to others. Remember, our inner critic is a roadblock to our productivity and can keep us feeling stuck. Allow yourself to show up differently in your life and remember that the journey is uniquely yours. Taking small steps toward better self-care, increased energy, improved goals, and healthy boundary setting can help you stop feeling lazy in no time. Prioritizing and taking consistent action steps are the key to long term change and there is no better time than now to take those first steps.

How to Stop Being Lazy and Unproductive

How to Stop Being Lazy and Unproductive Happiness Print How to Stop Being Lazy By Jodi Clarke, MA, LPC/MHSP twitter linkedin Jodi Clarke, LPC/MHSP is a licensed professional counselor and mental health service provider with over 20 years of experience in the field. Learn about our editorial policy Jodi Clarke, MA, LPC/MHSP Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on May 31, 2018 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on October 14, 2019  Westend61 / Getty Images More in Self-Improvement Happiness Meditation Stress Management Spirituality Holistic Health Inspiration Brain Health Technology Relationships View All We all have periods of time when we feel less energetic and struggle to find motivation. It is common to feel this way on occasion but, when these moments start becoming more frequent or last for longer periods of time, we might start seeing ourselves differently. Our goals become less important, we find it difficult to feel inspired and we might start wondering if we are capable. We may even start calling ourselves lazy. Our Ideal Self We all have a sense of who we want to be, how we want to behave, goals  we want to accomplish, and how we want to show up in the world.  Ideal self  is a concept in psychology that refers to the image we carry in our minds of what our best self would look, act, and feel like. Our ideal self is often an image of productivity and our achievement of certain goals, healthy behaviors, and more. Unfortunately, our busy lives dont often allow for much reflection on our ideal self and it seems to get lost in the shuffle, tucked away somewhere with our childhood answers to What do you want to be when you grow up? Youre Not Alone If you feel lazy or unproductive at times, you are certainly not alone. Research has found that only 8%  of people who set a New Years resolution actually achieve their intended goal. In fact, 1 in 4 people dont make it past their first week before throwing in the towel! What happens that makes it so difficult to hang in there, stay productive, and work toward our desired goals? There are many things that can get in the way of our productivity and achievement of goals, leaving us to see ourselves as lazy. Sometimes the obstacles are situational or related to timing and opportunity, while other times we may be creating the obstacles ourselves with our approach, our mindset, or our methods. Old Habits Die Hard In order to make real progress and quit our old lazy patterns, we need to recognize what might be influencing our inability to reach our goals or leaving us  feeling less productive than we would like to be. So, what you might think of as lazy, may just be a matter of switching up your approach and getting rid of old, unhelpful habits that have kept you from feeling productive and achieving your goals. Here are several such habits that can prevent us from reaching our goals. If anything on this list looks familiar, dont worryâ€"you are far from alone: Making your  goals too big or complicated. We all want to reach the pinnacle, but we might grossly underestimate how much effort and time it takes to get up there. If we give up after a few hours, its not because we are lazy but because we may have realized we miscalculated the amount of time and effort involved.Expecting yourself to be perfect. When we are working toward a goal we expect the road to be smooth and consistent when, in reality, the path toward our goal is most likely going to be full of twists, turns, and setbacks.Listening to your inner critic. If the term lazy is part of your self-talk, there are likely more negative and critical statements that come from your inner critic on a regular basis. You may even bring out your inner critic in an attempt to motivate yourself. What happens? Your critical voice focuses on all of your flaws and shortcomings, rather than any existing strengths and positive attributes that could help you move forward.Listening to criticism from o thers.  As we learn  about ourselves and the world through our experiences, we are receiving feedback from others that helps to shape our self-concept.  When someone important to us has called us lazy in the past, it can really impact how we see ourselves even into adulthood. We may also hear people criticize our efforts in our adult life, leaving us to feel self-doubt or discouragement.Not creating a plan of action. When we find inspiration and become excited about a new goal, we can forget the importance of creating a plan. Our excitement for the goal can cause us to move fast and with a lot of passion, but turn into a sense of being overwhelmed and feeling aimless. What to Start Doing Fortunately, there are plenty of achievable steps you can take to turn things around or stay on track with your goals: Create small, attainable goals. You can still desire to reach the pinnacle, but break that huge goal down into smaller goals that will help you feel more accomplished and motivated to continue climbing. As you consider the big picture, remember the key steps that will be needed to get there and write them down. If needed, break those down into even smaller or shorter-term goals.  Take time to develop a plan. Sit with yourself for a moment as you reflect on your desires and goals, considering those small and attainable steps you will need to accomplish in order to get there. Be realistic about the amount of effort, time, money, help or other factors involved in meeting this goal. Going into the process with an action plan will help you feel more confident and peaceful, as well as give you something to refer back to when you feel discouraged or have a setback.Focus on your strengths. If you are used to an inner critic that focuses on your flaws and shortcomings, you will find great ben efit in taking inventory of your strengths. Do you find it hard to think of any personal strengths? Consider any challenge you have been through and reflect on what personal strengths you used to get through that experience. If you still find it difficult to identify strengths, ask friends or family what they see as your greatest strength. You can also find strengths assessments online, such as the Values In Action inventory.Celebrate the small victories. Celebrating your victories as you accomplish the small goals, or even as you overcome setbacks, can help you continue moving forward. The pride we experience in meeting our goals can help reinforce more positive self-talk. We experience increased self-efficacy with each accomplishment, which can help us find long-term success.Recruit support. It is okay to ask for help along the way. We thrive when connected to important people in a positive, healthy way. Allow those important support people to be a part of your experience. You may want them to celebrate with you along the way or may want to turn to them in times of need when you experience a setback or obstacle. Finding reassurance and encouragement from important people in our lives can help us develop greater resiliency. Your Physical Health Our feelings of laziness can also be influenced by how we are taking care of ourselves physically. We can learn new goal-setting habits and work to challenge our negative thought patterns, but we also need to consider what we are doing for our bodies. Taking care of our physical health can help set the stage for increased energy which, in turn, can allow us to put these other positive changes into action. Food What we eat plays a significant role in how energetic we feel. When our schedules dont allow much time for food planning and preparation, we might find ourselves reaching for quick options on the go, options that offer little nutritional value to help us maintain adequate energy levels. Foods higher in protein, for example, can help our bodies to maintain more stable blood sugar levels and keep us from feeling drastic ups and downs in our energy throughout the day. Examples of food and drink  that can help increase energy include: AlmondsSalmonBananasYogurtOatsDark Leafy GreensChickenWater Examples of food and drink to  avoid if you want increased energy include: French friesCandyBreadSugary drinksDonutsDessertsAlcohol Although sugary foods can give us a temporary boost of energy, it is very short-lived and can leave us feeling as if our energy levels have bottomed out. The timing of our meals and snacks can impact our energy levels as well. Eating smaller meals through the day can help us maintain steady levels of energy, compared to eating larger, heavier meals that often leave us feeling  tired. Exercise When we are tired and feeling lazy, the last thing we likely want to do is exercise. However, moving our bodies can help increase our energy levels and overall feelings of productivity. Research has shown that even just low to moderate levels of exercise can have a significant impact on our energy levels, helping to reduce fatigue.   Ways to incorporate more exercise can include: Walking your dogJogging with a friendHiking with a groupAttending a group fitness classTrying a new yoga class Sleep Our sleep patterns can greatly impact our energy levels. If you tend to feel lazy, you might think you are getting too much sleep at night or find yourself taking extended naps during the day. Creating a healthy sleep routine can help you maintain a consistent sleep schedule and, in turn, help you feel more balanced and energized to take on tasks and feel more productive. If you are a night owl or a napper, this transition could take some work. However, being able to start your day with increased energy, and being able to maintain your energy levels through the day, make the sleep routine worthwhile. What to consider in your sleep care routine: Try to go to bed at the same time each nightAim for 8 hours of sleep per nightLimit screen time at least an hour before bedLimit caffeine after lunchtime Stress Management Being constantly overscheduled, with demands placed on us in multiple areas of our lives, can leave us feeling physically and emotionally drained. In these moments we can find it difficult to take active  steps and make decisions because we are exhausted. Feelings of exhaustion can leave us feeling as if we are lazy when we are actually stressed and overwhelmed. According to the American Psychological Association, some helpful ways to manage your stress include things like: Incorporating  exercise and movement into your dayFinding reasons to smile or laughIncreasing  your social supportPracticing  meditation or prayer daily Boundaries A significant element of stress management is making sure we are using our time wisely. It can be easy to say yes to our co-workers, our spouse, our children, and friends. So easy, in fact, that you may find yourself unable to actually fulfill all of what you have committed to. Look at where you are spending your time, take inventory of unfinished tasks on your to-do list, consider where you can politely say no so that you can use that time for things that need your attention and energy. If the idea of setting boundaries is new to you, the first couple of steps would include giving yourself permission to do it and to start with small things. You may be afraid of how people will respond to you and that is okay. Remember that your goal here is to improve self-care, increase energy and feel empowered to tackle the tasks and goals that are important to you. Creating  time for yourself is key and setting small boundaries around your time will help you do just that. Dont Get Distracted With Comparison Lastly, when we feel lazy it is natural to look around and think everyone else is getting it right except you. Dont allow yourself to get caught in the distraction of comparing yourself to others. Remember, our inner critic is a roadblock to our productivity and can keep us feeling stuck. Allow yourself to show up differently in your life and remember that the journey is uniquely yours. Taking small steps toward better self-care, increased energy, improved goals, and healthy boundary setting can help you stop feeling lazy in no time. Prioritizing and taking consistent action steps are the key to long term change and there is no better time than now to take those first steps.