Movement Monday: Take Action Now!

Welcome to Movement Monday!  This started as an email I sent weekly to my customers and clients designed to motivate continued action to achieve a desired goal throughout the week.  My mission is to provide the "want to" when it comes to reaching YOUR goal because the "how to" is different for every body and every goal.  When you are constantly seeking the truth, you will find exactly what you need.  Each email contains a subject, practical suggestions or encouragement surrounding the subject and powerful quotes that support the weekly theme.  After a big shift in my life, I am motivated to share my email with everyone!  My email subscribers will still receive an abridged version with a link to the full details here.

We are nearing the end of the month I like to call "No Excuses November" and guess what?! So many people are making excuses about why this isn't a good time to focus on their health.  Especially this week, Thanksgiving week, where most Americans will literally eat themselves into a coma and Thursday and then stress themselves out racking up debt in the spirit of giving.  Sounds a little absurd when put this way, but it's true.


"You can't build a reputation on what you're going to do." -- Henry Ford

Many of us are stuck in the same cycle, year after year, vowing to miraculously make a drastic change at the beginning of the year only to find themselves making excuses again in "No Excuses November!"  The thinking that says, "I will start building my ideal future tomorrow, or next week, or next month, or next year," is fatally flawed.  The future you are going to live is the one you are creating right now at this very moment.

The reality is that every moment counts!  If you truly value what it is you have in this life, you understand the importance of living for today; not tomorrow.  It's important to understand that the results you obtain are a direct byproduct of the actions you take.

"Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it." -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

This is a perfect week to start something new.  Today is the perfect day to take action on what you've been wanting for yourself, but have just been pushing it off into the future.  The fact that it's a major holiday week means in the US means your schedule will most likely be different than any other week in the year.  Use this change in your weekly routine to change something in your life.  Here are a few ways you can use this week to your advantage.

Eliminate distraction.  This may seem like a challenge if you are visiting family or family is visiting you, but you'll be the best house guest or hostess if you keep your own needs in mind.  Schedule time to collect your thoughts.  Take a walk, or schedule 5-10 minutes to yourself, even if it means taking a longer than normal shower.

Gain clarity.  It's hard to take action on what it is you want if you really aren't sure what it is you want.  If you've been holding off on taking action for a while, you probably have a million dreams and ideas of what it is you want.  Take time to write them down and get clear on what is a good fit for you.

"Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage." -- Dale Carnegie

Set priorities.  Often times, there is so much to do, and we have so many great ideas, that we struggle to take massive action on any of them.  We feel overwhelmed with the changes we may feel we need to make.  Instead of targeting everything at once, focus on making 1-3 changes at a time and stick to it.

Avoid perfectionism.  Maybe we think that we can’t move forward with something without it being absolutely perfect. Many people falsely believe the perfect time to do something is somewhere in the future and this future never happens because it doesn't exist.  The perfect time to start is now!  Change is incremental.  Understand that you may not get it right the first time, but you won't know what works for you until you start.  So start now so you can find what will work for you.

Thanksgiving week is a great time to continue to move your life in the direction you want it to go.  I want you to benefit from this week and the biggest benefit of taking action now is the boost it will bring to your confidence.  Our inaction creates doubt and uncertainty. When we don't take action, we start listening to others about why something won’t work.  Lack of action causes us to tune in to the voice in our head that has become a breeding ground for doubt, fear and uncertainty. We become too afraid of focusing on the wrong thing or worry what will happen if we fail, not realizing that we are guaranteeing failure by not taking action now.

Movement Monday: How We Lose our Balance

Welcome to Movement Monday!  This started as an email I sent weekly to my customers and clients designed to motivate continued action to achieve a desired goal throughout the week.  My mission is to provide the "want to" when it comes to reaching YOUR goal because the "how to" is different for every body and every goal.  When you are constantly seeking the truth, you will find exactly what you need.  Each email contains a subject, practical suggestions or encouragement surrounding the subject and powerful quotes that support the weekly theme.  After a big shift in my life, I am motivated to share my email with everyone!  My email subscribers will still receive an abridged version with a link to the full details here.

This is a continuation of last weeks message, cause my goal is to KISS - Keep It Short & Simple!  I want you to create movement... THIS week... TODAY!  OK?!  So check out last week's blog if you missed it - Is Balance a Mission Impossible? 

I personally have moments where I spend more focus in certain areas of my life and let others go.  I may have a few weeks where my nutrition is spot on, followed by weeks where I'll skip out on planning and prepping to spend focus on other areas.  Luckily, my body and my mind will literally get tired of missing out on their required nutrients, my workouts and energy will suffer and I get right back on track!

"Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance and order and rhythm and harmony." -- Thomas Merton

Many times, however, we don't really recognize when we're off track, because of the gradual slide.  If you've never really taken the time to really get in tune with your body and know what it feels like to feel good, you don't really get what it feels like to not feel good.  If you have gotten to that point, where you feel invincible, powerful and strong, you don't realize that you're not until you're in desperate need of change. 

So, how is it that we get out of balance in the first place?  The idea is that if you watch for the actual cause of the problem you can catch yourself before you "hit rock bottom," or get to that dreaded place that's difficult to return from.

Perfectionism: I was once a perfectionist.  Burnout changed that for me.  I realized I was striving for the impossible and wasn't really having fun.  Since perfection can never be reached, more time is spent trying to be perfect than actually accomplishing tasks which just makes you tired.  If you are a perfectionist, take time to figure out what it is you're trying to prove because the only person who should care about what you're doing is you!

Control: So many people mistakenly think that tasks will just get done faster, or correctly if they do it themselves, but there comes a point where this is no longer true.  Control freaks often don’t trust others to help them accomplish the task at hand; therefore, they spend time micromanaging or just doing the work themselves. They work long hours because they need to do it themselves.  True, it may take additional time showing someone else the way you prefer it done, but if you allow someone else to make that task their main focus, you will soon find that they will find even better ways to get it done.  You've gotta just let it go!

Escaping: It is so easy to get out of balance when you're running from something difficult.  Grief (a death or major event) and loss (the end of a relationship) are two examples of this. If not checked in time, it can be extremely unhealthy.

"Balance, peace, and joy are the fruit of a successful life. It starts with recognizing your talents and finding ways to serve others by using them." -- Thomas Kinkade

Recognition or a badge of honor: Some people just don't realize how big their ego is and what how much it needs to be fed.  When you're putting in extra time just to hear someone give you kudos, you should question yourself.  When you do things for the right reasons and with the right perspective, it will work out alright.  Recognize what's truly important to you and plan your days and life accordingly.

There are many other ways that people can get out of balance, but if the activity is hurting yourself or others, you should do some serious self examination and determine if you are being honest with yourself over your true motives and make sure you are creating the life you want to be proud of on your last day.  How do you want to be remembered?

This is the third in a series of posts about getting it ALL DONE!  Fall is a great time to evaluate what you're doing right now to get it all done!  With kids back in school, most parents have more mission critical activities and responsibilities.  These are the kinds of activities and responsibilities that tend to cause us to feel overwhelm and will lead to burnout if left unchecked. Since I don't know anyone that wants to feel drained and exhausting for their holidays I'm focusing my next online fitness challenge opening October 31st and running through the first day of Winter.  I want you to find YOUR balance so you can learn to get it fALL DONE!

Cauliflower is the New Carb

Who new Cauliflower could be such a trickster?  I've seen many uses for cauliflower on social media, but was always a little skeptical if I could really 'secretly' replace it for some of our starchy staples.  My go-to taste-tester, my teenage son, has grown up sampling many of my food experiments, both good and not so good.  He's typically a good sport and will not only give most things a try, but give me his honest opinion.  He was cool with my Roasted Garlic Faux Mashed Potatoes and even had seconds, but when my dad, who is a super stubborn carb-lover enjoyed them too, I knew I should explore a few more ideas.

I really wanted to try cauliflower pizza crust, but I was only searching halfheartedly because I was warned it was a ton of work and a lot of time for a single meal.  Although I enjoy being in the kitchen, my schedule does not allow for wasted kitchen time.  Plus, some of the pictures I saw of others pizza on the cauliflower crust really didn't look all that appetizing.  I really wanted my son to enjoy a slice or two and I knew that would not happen if it didn't look like a regular pizza.

So, I searched the internet and came up with this recipe: The Secret to Perfect Cauliflower Pizza Crust.  The title alone made me take a look, because it sounded like exactly what I was looking for.

Showing off the Sous Chef

Plus any opportunity to chop up things in my lovely food processor is exciting.  I highly recommend making the investment, if you haven't already.  It saves a tremendous amount of time.

'Riced' Cauliflower

If you don't have a food processor and want to quickly 'rice' your cauliflower, use a large cheese grater.  Just watch those fingers as you get close to the end!

Boiling the cauli-rice is quick and simple.  Straining it is not if you don't have the right sized strainer.  I ended up buying a super-sized strainer after making this crust because I knew I would make it again and saving time is a must!










If you peeked at the recipe link, you'll know the secret is right here; squeezing the cauli-rice dry.  The cauli-rice will be super hot, so if you have those rubber oven-mitts, use them.















Finally mix up your crust.  The recipe link used goat cheese.  Since I'm not a big fan, I used fresh grated Parmesan.

Crust Ingrediants

Raw crust

The crust was easy to mix and then press into my heart-shaped pizza pan.  You want to keep it pretty thin.  Mine was about 1/4 inch.

Voila!  I LOVE this crust!!

Baked crust

Most importantly, my teen did too!  Here's the pic from my social media post recreating an old Valentine's Day photo.  I know the nutrients in this year's heart crust far out-weight those in the past.  I truly know how to LOVE my family!  XOXO

EX FIX Chicken - Sweet Potato - Kale Soup

Cold weather causes me to crave soup.  Now that Fall is is full effect and the weather is starting to get a little cooler I want to perfect a few soup recipes to ensure I stay on track when I'm hiding under a few layers..

Right now in Texas, where I live, the cooler temps just means the outdoors are starting to become enjoyable again.  I won't need to start bundling up for at least another month.  But for my mom, who lives is in Colorado where I grew up, the outdoor temperatures are beginning to get down right chilly.  Especially in the morning and evening. People start pulling out their layers to deal with the wide range of temperatures throughout the day.

Regardless of where you live, as temperatures start to drop, nothing warms you better than a delicious bowl of soup!  Sure, nothing warms you like a tasty mug of hot cocoa, but hot cocoa is simply a treat, not a meal.  This tasty nutrient rich soup will warm your soul and keep you on track during the fall and winter months.

EZ FIX Chicken - Sweet Potato - Kale Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
  
• 3 C Cubed Cooked Chicken breast (I doubled my Green Chile chicken and added the 2nd batch to the soup)
• 1 Large sweet potato, cubed
• 3 C Kale chopped
• 4 C Chicken Broth
• 4 C Water
• 1 tsp. Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 2 tsp. Cumin
• 1 tsp. Basil
• 1 tsp. Oregano
• 1 tsp. Marjoram
• 2 tsp. Thyme
• ½ tsp. Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

Directions:

1. Cook onions in olive oil in a large stock pot.. ( I used a crock pot on low overnight for this batch)
2. Add remaining ingredients
3. Bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat and Cook until potatoes are tender.

To serve: 

Pour 2 Cups in your favorite soup bowl or mug and ENJOY!

FIX proportions: 2 Cups = 1 Red, 2 Green, ½ Yellow, 1 ½ teaspoons

FIX n' Shred Hatch Green Chile Chicken

Green Chile Pork Taco w/ Coleslaw

Here's Round 2 of my Hatch Chile love!  I don't know what it is I love about 'em.  Maybe it's because they're only around once a year that makes them special, but I find all kinds of tasty dishes to make with them.  This one is no different, except it is so easy to make, and so versatile, I anticipate this becoming a staple in your weekly meal prep.

Pork for team dinner

I first started out making a couple batches of Hatch Chile Pulled Pork in the Ninja.  The first batch was for my son's high school football team dinner.  It was so tasty and involved nearly zero prep, but I was a little sad that all of it was left with the team.  I really didn't expect the 9 pound pork shoulder to make it back home but I hoped it would.

Roasting chiles (plus red peppers)

Truly, it was only 1/8 of the what was necessary to feed the team, so I simply had to make another batch two days later for another football gathering in my home.  It was a hit!  After two rounds of pork, I figured the recipe should work with chicken too.  I bet it will work with a beef shoulder as well, but I have yet to try.  If you try it out, let me know how it turns out, please.  

As I share this delicious simple recipe with you, heed my warning.  Commit the seasonings to memory as this will become a weekly or bi-weekly staple in your house.  It is that SIMPLE and SO TASTY!

If you don't have hatch chiles available or want to save more time, grab 2 7 oz. cans of diced green chiles.  Total prep time with already roasted and peeled chiles is less than 10 minutes.

FIX n' Shred Hatch Green Chile Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 Ninja (recommended) or crock pot
• 3 pounds Chicken breast (can put in frozen)
• 1 Onion, sliced thin
• 3/4 C Pureed Roasted Hatch Green Chiles, peeled and seeded. (~8-9 fresh chiles)
• 1 tsp. Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
• 1 tsp. Dried Oregano
• 1/2 tsp. Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1/2 Cumin
• 1/2 Cayenne Pepper
• 1/2 Dried Sage
• 1 Hand Mixer

Directions:

1. Place the onions in the pot
2. Top with chicken
3. Top the chicken with green chiles and spices
4. Cook on low for 8-10 hours
5. Shred with hand mixer on low setting.

To serve: 

Night 1 Dinner

Add to corn tortillas with coleslaw for tacos, mix in soup, serve on top of salad or with veggies.  The first night I enjoyed with faux garlic mashed potatoes and green beans for a super delicious dinner.

FIX proportions: 1 Red.

Enjoy!

Mustard-Glazed Cod

Mustard Glazed Cod Dinner

Eating healthy doesn't mean boring!  Eating is an experience to be enjoyed.  This quick and easy cod dish is a great start to experiencing a healthy dinner.

I got this recipe from the TeamBeachbody Meal Planner that is available at the Club Membership level.  I then modified it to fit the 21 Day Fix portions.  This recipe was so easy and delicious that it will make it back in my meal prep rotation soon.

Mustard Glazed Cod

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 3

Raw cod fillets

Ingredients:

• 1 lbs cod, raw
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon basil, dried

Directions:

Glazed cod before cooking

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Rinse fish and pat it dry with a paper towel.
3. Lightly coat a shallow baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
4. Place fish in prepared pan, tucking under any thin edges.
5. Combine olive oil with lemon juice, mustard and basil.
6. Pour sauce over fish, and bake for 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2 inch thickness of fish or until fish flakes easily with fork.



Cooked, flaky cod

7. When ready to serve, place fish on serving plate and spoon sauce over top.

Servings: 1/3 fish is 1 Red and 1 teaspoon.

I enjoyed this dish with 1 Green of sauteed asparagus and 1 Green of Zoodles (zucchinni noodles).  Total meal was 1 Red, 2 Green and 2 teaspoons.


To get your own copy of the 21 Day Fix and join an upcoming group, go to: 21 Day FIx Deal

Hatch Chile Mini-Quiches

I absolutely LOVE New Mexico Hatch Green Chiles!  Not sure what made them so special to my palate, but when it's there harvest time in late July/early August, I can't help but come up with new dishes or try out new recipes that include them.

Finely chopped green chiles

So, last week, one of the dishes I created was Hatch Green Chile Mini-Quiches.  Since I track my nutrition using 21 Day Fix containers these can easily be converted and they contain a lot of veggies.  I also happened to be going through my monthly clean eating challenge at that time, so I also had to ensure the ingredients followed the rules of the challenge.  If you'd like to join one of my free clean eating challenges, head on over to www.techifitness.com/nutrition and add your name to my contact form or find me on Facebook - Kara Henson or Facebook - Techifitness.

OK, we really came here for the recipe right?!  I'm so glad you did.

Hatch Green Chile Mini-Quiches 

9 Farm Fresh Eggs
3 C Spinach, chopped
1 C white or yellow onions, diced
3 TBSP chopped cilantro
2-3 roasted New Mexico Hatch Green Chiles (about 1 C), finely chopped
Himalayan Pink Sea Salt (to taste)
Ground Black Pepper (to taste)
Oregano, Marjoram, Chives (fresh or dried, to taste)
Red Chile Powder (opt.)
3 Chicken Sausage Patties (or any lean breakfast sausage), crumbled

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees    
2. Chop veggies and add to bowl
3. Beat eggs add to bowl
4. Add seasonings and mix well (I love eggs with tons of flavor so I use a lot!)
5. Add in sausage crumbles

Scoop ~1/4 C into muffin tins, coated with cooking spray or lined with foil tins.  I detest cleaning muffin pans, (probably because I only have cheap pans), so I always use foil tins with the paper liner removed.

Bake at 350 degrees for ~25 minutes.

Makes 1 dozen or 6 servings.  Each serving is 1 Red, and 1 Green.

More green chile recipes coming soon!  I'd love to hear what you make with your green chiles.  Share a link to the recipe or share your pictures here or on Facebook!  Show me some green chile love!

Plan for Success

By far, the way you eat determines your success in any weight loss regimen.  Even if you're goal is not weight loss, who isn't looking for improved health?  Isn't that the goal anyway?  Improved health means improving the way you feel and the way you look.  That's a complete WIN!

I used to be a person who would workout hard so I could eat anything I wanted.  During my initial weight loss journey, this was fine.  I knew eventually I'd have to start focusing on my eating.  At the time, I didn't understand that focusing on my eating did not mean a diet.  I go into my former struggles in "Getting Fixed", so I won't go into it all again.  Bottom line - you can't out exercise a bad diet.  Plus, when you set your goal for wellness, you will eat in a way that gets you to your ideal weight.

So the biggest deterrent from eating well, is time.  As a single parent to a busy athletic teen,  a full time engineer and a fitness coach, I know a little about managing a busy schedule.  It takes more time to prepare fresh foods than it does to dump something from a can or a box.  However our bodies were not designed to eat the convenient and processed foods.

I know I've done this before.  I started out with the greatest intentions by buying fresh fruits and veggies.  I get everything home and in the refrigerator.  Then, my week gets busy and the prep time scares me.  The fear of getting all that food chopped, cooked and onto the table for myself and my family would allow me to block it out.  Before I knew it, the food would go bad.  What a waist of money!  I've actually heard people say that they just eat out because they waste the food the buy for their homes.

There's no skirting around the issue, but following a nutritious eating plan will take a little bit of planning.  As I always tell the people I work with,  "No one ever plans to fall.  But you can fail to plan."  I find that when I don't plan, I don't get as many fruits and cruciferous vegetables into my meals.  These are the foods that provide you with the biggest bang for your buck in your health improvement effort.  They are packed with so many vitamins, minerals, fiber, you name it.  Plus with their generally lower calorie content, you can eat a lot more, helping to keep you satisfied throughout the day.  I will tell you what how I plan to keep my eating on track and avoiding last minute restaurant food runs.  I hope some of these tips will benefit you and give you ideas of how you can "plan for success," for you and your family.

Create a Meal Calendar

Planning your meals ahead of time can help you shop.  A smart planner will plan to use foods that are on sale and to save on prep time, use foods that can be cooked once and then combined in different recipes.  Baking or grilling chicken for one dinner can then be used in a casserole for another dinner and chicken salad for a couple lunches.  The same goes for the veggies you buy for a recipe.  I used to have a hard time using up celery.  I'd make a recipe that would use 2 stalks of celery and then may not ever get to them again.  Planning meals and snacks that help you use up all the ingredients you buy requires a little extra time, but will save you money in the long run.  

I created this meal planner from a template in Microsoft Excel.  I would get suggestions from family requests, websites or recipes I want to try.  I even add my meals where I plan to dine out with friends.  If you need some help planning your meals, TeamBeachbody has access to meal planners for $2.99/week.  You can get access to this site by going to getfit.techifitness.com, clicking 'Join' and choosing the 'Club Membership.'  There are plenty of other sites that also gives you access to meal planners, as well, but this is the only one when my coaching is included at any level of membership.

Finding ways to use up all your fresh ingredients leads me to my next tips, because they provide more options to ensure you have healthy food available when you need it.

Washing, Cutting and Packaging Fruits and Veggies is a Part of the Shopping Process

This one is a relatively new one for me, but it has proven to be help me out the most.  When you think of getting your fresh fruits and veggies ready for use, just like shopping and unloading the groceries, you are more likely to use them up and you are more likely to grab them in a crunch.  In addition, you are less likely to buy too many of them. 

Always wash any fruits and veggies that you bought before putting them in the refrigerator.  For fruits and veggies I plan to take to work with me that week or want my son to grab as a snack, I package it up in a single serving size.  This way, when I'm packing my meals for the day, I can grab and 'toss' into my lunch bag.  Also, I've noticed that my son will grab grapes quicker when they're washed and in a sandwich bag, than if they are just washed and in the original bag.

Chopped Peppers added to single serving bags

Before you start, make sure you have plenty of containers or sandwich bags (or larger) on hand to package up your fresh fruits and veggies.  If they are being used for a recipe you'll make later, go ahead and package them up right then.  It'll make your recipe prep that much faster.  You'll feel like one of those chefs that are displaying their recipes on the News & Talk Shows.

Prepare Extra and Package It Up! (Freeze if necessary)

I try to double any recipe I'm making for dinner, unless it's for the first time.  This helps me cook once and eat twice.  Plus, if there is a dish you and your family really enjoys, you know that you will not have to fuss over it the second time, which actually makes it taste even better.  Dishes that freeze well include enchiladas, soups and chili, casseroles, stewed tomatoes and so many others.  For your best results, minimize the air in the container and do not freeze longer than 3 months.


When it comes to breakfast, don't be afraid to cook a huge pot of oatmeal or other breakfast cereal and place a single serving into containers.  This really helps getting out of the house in the morning go a little smoother.  My son will grab his "oatmeal circle," as he calls it since the oatmeal is stored in a round container.  He also knows that his containers are the larger 1 C serving while mine is the smaller 1/2 C serving.  I also either boil up eggs for the week, peel them and store in a huge Ziploc bag.  These will not last longer than about 5-6 days.   To change things up, I'll make scrambled eggs (4-5 whites/1 full egg) with the veggies I prepped earlier.  I'll make more than one serving so it will last a couple days.  The same goes for bacon (any kind),  and sausage.  It is easy to pop these in the microwave to heat up a fast hot breakfast before dashing out to start the day.

Go Ahead and Roast Up Those Veggies

Just like I cook up a large quantity of oatmeal, I like to roast many of the veggies I will eat during the week.  Roasting veggies is a nice change from steamed, stove top cooked or microwaved.  You get a wonderful flavor.  It's also something you can do it bulk based on what is on sale.

Cinnamon-Coconut Roasted Sweet Potatoes

 You can roast almost anything! I've tried broccoli and cauliflower, to potatoes (both white and sweet), to peppers, onions, green beans and my latest favorite, baby Brussels sprouts.  Plus you can change up the flavors in so many different ways depending on your tastes.  In the sweet potatoes I have pictured that day I chose to rub coconut oil and them and sprinkle with cinnamon.  This was an idea I learned from a friend.  Sweet potatoes are also super tasty with olive oil, garlic and a little bit of sea salt.

Roasted Green Beans

I saw celebrity fitness trainer Chris Powell talk about roasting green beans on one of his episodes last year.  Roasting green beans turn a vegetable you might normally eat with a fork into finger food.  Here, I toss in olive oil and add marjoram, oregano and sea salt.

I started roasting baby Brussels sprouts just recently as they are more tender over the larger variety.  I love to add garlic and onion and toss in olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, oregano and marjoram.  You can really use any of your favorite seasonings with these.  Pictured are some Red Peppers I purchased that were on sale.  It is easy to add these to a breakfast taco or with eggs for breakfast.  I can also add these to any other veggie with my dinner.or on a sandwich for lunch.  Roasted red peppers add a twist to almost any dish!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts plus Red Peppers

When making a shift towards healthier eating remember to think small.  Think of making small changes over time.  Creating healthy habits help your success in the future.  The better you get at planning, the more likely you are to make it stick!