Building blocks: Notes from Session 3 at TEDSummit

Michael Shellenberger suggests that the future of clean energy should involve nuclear energy — despite our deep-seated worries about the technology. Photo: Bret Hartman

What are the tools we’re using to build the future? Session 3 speakers go deep on what’s next in finance, energy, business and the structures we live in.

The next generation of trust on the Internet. For many online transactions, we rely on middlemen like banks and government to establish trust — but these systems face growing issues like hacking, exclusion and data privacy. Blockchain, “a vast distributed ledger run on millions of computers,” promises to upend all that, establishing trust not through big institutions but through “cryptography and clever code,” says technology communicator Don Tapscott. When blockchain technology matures, Tapscott believes, “For the first time in human history, people can trust each other and interact peer-to-peer,” and the power of that changing interaction could help us address the social inequality that’s at the heart of today’s anger, extremism and protectionism, not by redistributing wealth but by predistributing it.

Don Tapscott imagines a future of relationships powered by blockchain. Photo: Bret Hartman

 

The digital continuation of an old story. “There is a new technological institution that will fundamentally change how we exchange value, and it’s called the blockchain,” says researcher Bettina Warburg. But while blockchain technology is new, its intention is actually quite old, building on the ancient human search to lower uncertainty about each other so that we can exchange value. Blockchain helps us lower uncertainty in three important ways, by helping us: 1. know who we are transacting with, 2. have transparency in our transactions, and 3. have recourse when our transactions go wrong. There’s still a long road ahead of us before blockchain can become a reality, Warburg cautions, but “we need to start preparing ourselves, because we’re about to face a world where distributed, autonomous institutions are going to have quite a significant role.”

The new nuclear choice: Joseph Lassiter challenges us in the audience to view the energy crisis from a new point of view beyond the privileged choices available to the developed world. While developed nations like the US and many in Western Europe can afford cleaner energy sources, much of the developing world, China and India in particular, will use whatever energy sources are available that can improve the quality of life for as many of their citizens as possible, and do it quickly and cheaply. For these booming countries to adopt a renewable energy source, it’s going to have to pass what Vinod Khosla has called the “Chindia Test”:  it must be viable, scalable and effective without subsidy or mandate. Right now, wind and solar power do not pass that test, but Lassiter believes “new nuclear” power can, if people are willing to get past their historical apprehensions. We now have the ability to make and regulate nuclear power sources such that they are safer and cheaper than they have been in the past; now we have to make the choice to pursue it.

Going nuclear for clean energy. We’re in a clean energy revolution, some would think. Actually, it may be the opposite. According to Michael Shellenberger, a climate policy expert, the percentage of electricity from clean energy is declining, with nuclear taking the biggest hit  across the board. Nuclear is very low-carbon and can provide a lot of power, but three pervasive fears surround it that stand in the way of wide-scale generation: safety, waste and weapons. Turns out that nuclear is one of the safest renewable energies, doesn’t produce much waste — and the correlation between countries that invest in nuclear energy and in nuclear weapons isn’t strong. With many of the world’s richest nations taking down nuclear reactors instead of building them, we’re at risk of losing four times more clean energy than was lost over the past 10 years. In other words, “We’re not in a clean energy revolution, we’re in a clean energy crisis.”

The Beautiful Business Bureau? Any numbers of better-business bestsellers will tell you how to do things right. But writer Tim Leberecht does not tell you how to do things right — he wants to tell you how to do things wrong. The argument that he lays out in his 2015 book The Business Romantic is that businesspeople focus too much on our computerized rivals and their growing ability to complete tasks correctly. Instead, he argues that as human beings we have an ethical, philosophical and even fiduciary duty to not waste time trying to one-up our computers and, instead, do what we who are “only human” do best — be gloriously fallible. Not that he actually wants you to screw up. Leberecht would prefer that we focus on what he calls “creating beauty” — creating situations and environments that help balance out the obsession with bottom-line success, an obsession that can damage or even destroy a company’s culture. And of course, he has a list. (You knew he had a list.) 1. Do the unnecessary. Don’t just go the extra mile — do a 10K run, too. Companies need to cultivate the idea that they are more than a spreadsheet. (Key quote: “When you cut the unnecessary, you cut everything.”)  2. Create intimacy. Even in temporary settings, tear down barriers that keep workers apart. (Key quote: “Never underestimage the power of a ridiculous wig.”) 3. Stay incomplete. Single-minded focus on one goal has its plusses, but allows no room for deviation, flexibility, introspection and more. (Key quote:”Beautiful companies keep asking questions.”) 4. Embrace ugliness. As an old saying goes, good judgment comes from experience — and experience comes from bad judgment. By openly acknowledging our flaws, they have less power to harm us. (Key quote: “The first step towards beauty is a huge risk — the risk to be ugly.”)

How bad architecture added fuel to the fire in Syria. Marwa Al-Sabouni is a young architect in Homs, in Syria. Speaking to us over Skype, she talks about her ruined home city … and looks at how Syria’s once tolerant and multicultural society gradually was separated by colonialist powers into single-identity enclaves divided by class, race and religion. This separation, she believes, is one root cause of the terrible and destructive war in Syria.   

How women win wars: Twelve years ago Julia Bacha observed the valiant actions of young women in the village of Budrus, who stepped up to help save their community from become the site of an Israeli-Palestine separation barrier. This inspired her to investigate the role of women in nonviolent and violent conflicts worldwide. Bacha found that nonviolent campaigns were 100% more likely to succeed than their violent counterparts — and that the greatest indication of whether or not a group would chose to adopt a policy of nonviolence was their ideology toward women in public life. Organizations with women in leadership positions were much more likely to succeed. Our perception of the number of women involved in Middle Eastern conflicts is likely skewed, Bacha says, because the western media underrepresents their extent and importance. The first Palestinian Intifada, she reminds us, featured many women in prominent organizing positions. (The U.S. also erases the women of its own history, like Septima Poinsette Clark of the Civil Rights movement.) Bacha asks us to investigate how our own attitudes towards women will influence the conflicts of the future, their casualties and whether or not they are won.

Filmmaker Julia Bacha explores the hidden role of women in modern conflict. Photo: Bret Hartman

Jazz turned upside down. An impassioned jazz performance to close out Session 3 starts with “Upside Down,” in which pianist Laila Biali plays an upbeat, walk-in-the-park-on-a-sunny-afternoon melody on the piano while singing, “You turn me upside down / when daylight comes / the dreams leave me spellbound.” As drum and a standing bass accompanied, Biali played a faster and faster tempo, exuding joy with each note, building to a time-shifting crescendo. She then transitioned to a slower, more reflective tune, “Joy,” muting the strings and then releasing the power of this rhythmic anthem.

from TED Blog http://blog.ted.com/building-blocks-notes-from-session-3-at-tedsummit/
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Abuse, Trauma, And Healing Through Yoga: J. Brown Talks With Anneke Lucas, Founder Of Liberation Yoga Project

Anneke Lucas is a survivor. When she was six years old, she was sold into a child sex-trafficking ring. By age 12, she had witnessed and experienced what you hope no one would ever have to in their entire life time. In a recent episode of his podcast series, J. Brown talks with Lucas about her […]

from YogaDork http://yogadork.com/2016/06/28/abuse-trauma-and-healing-through-yoga-j-brown-talks-with-anneke-lucas-founder-of-liberation-yoga-project/
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From 1984 to 2016: TED Talks about interfaces to our technology

Over the past 10 years, TED Talks videos have tracked our ever-tighter relationship with technology — including the tools we use to access it, our interfaces … from keyboards and mice to magic wands and sensory vests. For our guide to this evolving field, we start with MIT Media Lab founder Nicholas Negroponte’s talk from the very first TED, in 1984, in which he makes five predictions about how our relationship to technology will change. Let’s roll through all five:

1. In his talk, Negroponte asks the question that TED speakers have been trying to answer ever since: “Can it be a little bit more pleasurable to deal with a computer?”

To set the scene, remember that in 1984 you looked at computers via a TV screen, and as Negroponte reminds us: “TV was designed to be looked at from eight times the distance of the diagonal. So you get a 13-inch, 19-inch, whatever, TV, and you should multiply that by eight, and that’s the distance you should sit away from the TV set.” Over the next decades, we saw engineers and designers steadily remove that distance between the individual and interface.

In 2009, Pranav Mistry described his quest to make interfaces from our screens more tangible in our physical environments.

He describes a device that would replace television, bringing images much closer to our bodies. “I actually thought of putting a big-size projector on my head. I think that’s why this is called a head-mounted projector, isn’t it? I took it very literally, and took my bike helmet, put a little cut over there so that the projector actually fits nicely. So now, what I can do — I can augment the world around me with this digital information.” Is he predicting the virtual reality headsets that we would see in 2015? No — he’s working on a way to augment our senses: “I realized that I actually wanted to interact with those digital pixels, also. So I put a small camera over there that acts as a digital eye. Later, we moved to a much better, consumer-oriented pendant version of that, the SixthSense device.”

The functions of SixthSense sound a lot like some of the goals of now-ubiquitous devices like iPhones and activity trackers: “You can carry your digital world with you wherever you go. You can start using any surface, any wall around you, as an interface. The camera is actually tracking all your gestures. Whatever you’re doing with your hands, it’s understanding that gesture.” We’re slowly removing that barrier between human and machine that Negroponte described earlier with TVs.

In 2015, Nonny de la Peña described the power of virtual reality as an opportunity for storytellers and readers alike: “What if I could present you a story that you would remember with your entire body and not just with your mind? My whole life as a journalist, I’ve been compelled to try to make stories that can make a difference and maybe inspire people to care. I’ve worked in print. I’ve worked in documentary. I’ve worked in broadcast. But it really wasn’t until I got involved with virtual reality that I started seeing these really intense, authentic reactions from people that really blew my mind.”

Without the separation between human and machine interface, “you get this whole-body sensation, like you’re actually there,” she says. Her stories introduced readers to a man falling into a diabetic coma while waiting in line for food at a food bank in Los Angeles, life in Syria during the civil war — and the night of the Trayvon Martin shooting. Her stories took on an emotional experience because they involved all of our senses.

2. Back in 1984, Negroponte described all the steps it took for a user to interact with information on a computer screen using a computer mouse, and our speakers offered some alternatives.

“When you think for a second of the mouse on Macintosh — and I will not criticize the mouse too much — when you’re typing, first of all, you’ve got to find the mouse. You have to probably stop, you find the mouse, and you’re going to have to wiggle it a little bit to see where the cursor is on the screen. And then when you finally see where it is, then you’ve got to move it to get the cursor over there, and then — ‘bang’ — you’ve got to hit a button or do whatever. That’s four separate steps, versus typing and just doing it all in one motion, or one-and-a-half, depending on how you want to count.” Negroponte was critical of how little we used our whole hands during this process.

Fast forward to 2015 and we’ve removed the mouse altogether; at TEDxCERN, Sean Follmer shows us a new touch-based interface that molds our input devices to our needs.

When we use the standard keyboard and mouse for everything from word processing to shopping to gaming, “it doesn’t allow us to interact, to capture the rich dexterity that we have in our bodies. We need new interfaces that can capture these rich abilities that we have and that can physically adapt to us and allow us to interact in new ways.”

A knockout moment in his demo: an interface that allows two people on a Skype call to reach out from the screen. A tool called inFORM “represents people’s hands, allowing them to actually touch and manipulate objects at a distance.”

3. What’s an exciting alternative to the computer mouse, Negroponte asks in 1984? Maybe, an early generation of touch screens.

“You could build a pressure-sensitive display. And when you touch it with your finger, you can actually, then, introduce all the forces on the face of that screen, and that actually has a certain amount of value. Let me see if I can load another disc and show you, quickly, an example …”

Ten years ago, Jeff Han demoed his breakthrough multi-touch screen at TED to gasps and two standing ovations.

As he describes the device, “It’s about 36 inches wide and it’s equipped with a multi-touch sensor. Normal touch sensors that you see, like on a kiosk or interactive whiteboards, can only register one point of contact at a time. This thing allows you to have multiple points at the same time. They can use both my hands; I can use chording actions; I can just go right up and use all 10 fingers if I wanted to.”

Stepping forward one decade, at TED2016, augmented-reality demos from Meta and Hololens presented new ways that users could interact with data.

Meta’s headset projected holograms, creating an augmented reality that displayed not only what was physically present in the environment, but layers of additional images and information. Meta’s Meron Gribetz presents their design strategy with the goal “To isolate the single most intuitive interface, we use neuroscience to drive our design guidelines, instead of letting a bunch of designers fight it out in the boardroom. And the principle we all revolve around is what’s called the ‘Neural Path of Least Resistance.'”

The second design principle he calls “touch to see,” allowing users to use gestures to move images and information projected before their eyes.

Alex Kipman described Microsoft HoloLens as “the first fully untethered holographic computer. Devices like this will bring 3D holographic content right into our world, enhancing the way we experience life beyond our ordinary range of perceptions.

4. Negroponte was excited about computers moving into classrooms. The next stage of education could be code, he predicted. This presented a whole new spectrum of how we could “measure intelligence.”

“You give a kid — a 3-year-old kid — a computer and they type a little command and — Poof! — something happens. And all of a sudden … You may not call that reading and writing, but a certain bit of typing and reading stuff on the screen has a huge payoff, and it’s a lot of fun.

In 2016, Reshma Saujani pushed us to think about the ways that coding in education also meant empowering our girls. The Girls Who Code founder showed how coding taught students to celebrate and learn from their mistakes in ways that traditional educational programs did not.

“I started a company to teach girls to code, and what I found is that by teaching them to code I had socialized them to be brave. Coding, it’s an endless process of trial and error, of trying to get the right command in the right place, with sometimes just a semicolon making the difference between success and failure. Code breaks and then it falls apart, and it often takes many, many tries until that magical moment when what you’re trying to build comes to life. It requires perseverance. It requires imperfection.”

Coding, as Negroponte predicted, created a new space in education for a different type of learning and creating. This turned out to be a game changer in education strategy.

5. In his closing point, Negroponte proposes technology that replaces interfaces altogether with different objects — to sometimes surreal effect.

“We were asked to do a teleconferencing system where you had the following situation: you had five people at five different sites — they were known people — and you had to have these people in teleconference, such that each one was utterly convinced that the other four were physically present. Now, that is sufficiently zany that we would, obviously, jump to the bait, and we did. And we actually went so far as to build CRTs in the shapes of the people’s faces. So if I wanted to call my friend Peter Sprague on the phone, my secretary would get his head out and bring it and set it on the desk.”

In 2014, James Patten introduced new ways for museum visitors to learn about science in interactive exhibits. “I built an interactive chemistry exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, and this exhibit lets people use physical objects to grab chemical elements off the periodic table and bring them together to cause chemical reactions to happen.”

“And the museum noticed that people were spending a lot of time with this exhibit, and a researcher from a science education center in Australia decided to study this exhibit and try to figure out what was going on. And she found that the physical objects that people were using were helping people understand how to use the exhibit, and were helping people learn in a social way.” There were opportunities for both more introverted and more extroverted learners to interact with machines to improve their experiences!

At TEDxSydney in 2015, Tom Uglow envisioned a world where users could interact with the internet all around them without using screens.

“Your phone is not very natural. And you probably think you’re addicted to your phone, but you’re really not. We’re not addicted to devices, we’re addicted to the information that flows through them. Reality is richer than screens.”

Imagine a forest where “children might have an opportunity to visit an enchanted forest guided by a magic wand, where they could talk to digital fairies and ask them questions, and be asked questions in return… I’m very excited by the possibility of getting kids back outside without screens, but with all the powerful magic of the Internet at their fingertips.”

Another version of this information without screens came from David Eagleman’s talk in 2015, where he unveiled a vest that added another dimension to human senses.

Our brains were not created to understand the scope of the entire universe, he says. “Now, what this means is that our experience of reality is constrained by our biology, and that goes against the commonsense notion that our eyes and our ears and our fingertips are just picking up the objective reality that’s out there. Instead, our brains are sampling just a little bit of the world.”

In a dramatic moment, he unveils the vest that processes data from the internet into patterns for our bodies to interpret, adding a new sense that could help “an astronaut being able to feel the overall health of the International Space Station, or, for that matter, having you feel the invisible states of your own health, like your blood sugar and the state of your microbiome, or having 360-degree vision or seeing in infrared or ultraviolet.” Maybe the next sense, the next interface would be further augmentations to our bodies, creating a true symbiosis between person and machine.

The machines we’ve encountered over the last few years help us connect between, feel more deeply, and interact more seamlessly with technology. It’s exciting to see how many of Nicholas Negroponte’s predictions came to fruition in ways he couldn’t imagine.

from TED Blog http://blog.ted.com/from-1984-to-2016-ted-talks-about-interfaces-to-our-technology/
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Meet some of the world’s most colorful idioms

Left: An idiom from Mauritian Creole: “Cook and pour!” It’s used to spur someone to do something quick and well. At right, a Thai idiom: “Cowness hasn’t gone, buffaloness intervened.” It’s used when an existing problem hasn’t been solved, but another problem emerged, causing the situation to turn even worse than before. Illustrations by Masahito Leo Takeuchi

“In a country with no dogs, cats are forced to bark.” This idiom in Georgian is colorful and cute — but what does it mean? According to Georgian translator Levan Lashauri: “When due to lack of qualified people, a task is given to, or done by, someone who is unable to do it properly.” (You know this idea will come in handy.) Cultural context is key to understanding some of the wisest and most pungent phrases in any language. Our volunteer TED Translators overcome this challenge all the time when they subtitle TED Talks — they build a cultural frame for speakers’ ideas with the words they choose to preserve meaning for viewers in their language.

This week at TEDSummit, 47 TED Translators are using idioms from their native languages to connect with Summit attendees. The idioms were illustrated by London-based artist Masahito Leo Takeuchi. His illustrations have been turned into stickers that attendees can collect from the translators they meet. Translators explain to attendees what the idiom means, oftentimes in exchange for a little song and dance, or an idiom in the attendee’s own language.

Check out the full set of idiom stickers, and watch this short video about how they’re connecting TEDSummit attendees.

This post first appeared on the TED Translators blog.

from TED Blog http://blog.ted.com/meet-some-of-the-worlds-best-idioms/
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Men’s and Women’s Coaching Grand Prize Winners, July 2016. We just surprised our latest winners with $125,000 in prizes!

See how we surprised Men’s and Women’s Coaching Grand Prize Winners, Javier and Alicia. Read how they transformed their bodies (and lives) this year. And meet the rest of the July 2016 Precision Nutrition winners.

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Every six months, in our Precision Nutrition Coaching program, we give away $125,000 to the men and women who have the best body transformations.

(Yep, that’s $250,000 every year.)

And, today, you’ll meet our latest winners.

These folks started working with us in July 2015 and, over the course of the last year, completely transformed how they look and feel.

They lost weight, gained strength, boosted their health, and inspired their friends and families.

Even better, they did it without diets, fads, or crazy workout routines.

Each person simply committed to our nutrition and exercise curriculum, stayed consistent, and used the accountability and support of a dedicated coach.

• Meet Alicia, our women’s $25,000 Grand Prize Winner
• Meet Javier, our men’s $25,000 Grand Prize Winner
• See photos of all July 2016 Women’s winners
• See photos of all July 2016 Men’s winners

$25,000 Grand Prize Winner: Alicia

Lost 49 lbs and 46 total inches!

• Age: 48 years
• Weight Lost: 49 lbs (from 181 lbs to 132 lbs)
• Total Inches Lost: 46 inches (from 219 inches to 173 inches)

“I just wanted off the diet-mobile.”

Alicia Kelley works in clerical support for a Chartered Public Accountant. Just as you’d expect, she’s detail oriented and understands the importance of numbers. But something in her life wasn’t adding up.

Through Weight Watchers and other plans, over the years Alicia had managed to drop unwanted pounds, but the weight always crept back.

If counting points and weighing portions was the answer, how come couldn’t she squeeze into her jeans? Why did she have to re-join Weight Watchers eight times? Why couldn’t she maintain?

At 48, Alicia was working, singing at her church, parenting three kids, and juggling other complicated family responsibilities. Sometimes the stress got overwhelming. She’d mindlessly swallow a bag of chips while preparing supper. She’d drink a quick glass of wine and then pour herself another.

“I just wanted off the diet-mobile,” she says. Yet it was tough to prioritize herself and her needs. Money was tight. Joining a gym seemed crazy. Weight loss never lasted. What was the use?

Then two things happened. A small financial windfall came into her family’s hands. And Lindsey Piattoly, a friend and colleague in her church community, lost 44 pounds, winning Precision Nutrition’s Grand Prize for Women.

If Precision Nutrition Coaching worked for Lindsey—somebody I know and trust and respect—maybe it can work for me, Alicia thought. So she begged her husband, Kevin, to let her use their windfall to sign up for coaching.

The day she joined, she suffered an injury. She couldn’t afford a class or a trainer, so she did her exercises at home in her room. This wasn’t a perfect start.

Yet she trusted the process. Her coach helped her modify workouts. Her teammates and the Precision Nutrition mentors offered ongoing support in the regular online meetings. Alicia discovered that her small, consistent efforts were paying off.

One day, about halfway through the 12-month program, it dawned on Alicia that she’d made significant progress. She might even have a chance of becoming a finalist. Maybe even a winner!

Why not me?, she thought. She stuck that mantra to her mirror. Every day, in a mindful, conscious way, she visualized her success.

Forty-nine pounds later, Alicia has gone from a size 14/16 to a size 6.

And she has more than paid back what she borrowed from the family savings: She’s given her kids a priceless legacy—a mother who moves with joy and energy, and who loves where life is taking her.

Most important of all, she’s learned to maintain her healthy habits.

As for the prize money, that’s going toward their first-ever family vacation. Not to mention a little home renovation: The dining room is about to become a home gym.

Want to get results like Alicia? Learn more about the Precision Nutrition Coaching Program for Women.

$25,000 Grand Prize Winner: Javier

Lost 60 lbs and 32 total inches!

• Age: 42 years
• Weight Lost: 60 lbs (from 245 lbs to 185 lbs)
• Total Inches Lost: 32 inches (from 269 inches to 237 inches)

“Write down those moments of recognition. Don’t let them slip away. The road to success is paved with failures.”

At the age of 42, Dr. Javier Coria had surpassed most of his teenage dreams. A highly trained physician working with oil laborers in southeast Mexico, he had meaningful, important work and the respect and recognition of his peers.

So why did he feel like a “poster boy for mid-life crisis”?

With most of his friends and his family still back in central Mexico, Javier’s days passed by in a blur of work, work, and more work. A few times a week, he went to the gym, but despite consistent effort, he wasn’t making progress. Instead, his weight kept climbing higher.

(The irony: Javier had completed postgraduate training in Sports Methodology and Bariatrics, and medical residencies in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine.)

On the outside, Javier remained warm, steady, and professional. But he was becoming more and more of a loner, and inside, he was miserable. Despite his education and professional success, every day felt like an exact replica of the day before, with no hope of change or improvement. He had devoted his life to helping others, yet his own life was slipping out of control.

As a long-time follower of Dr. John Berardi’s writing, Javier had often received informational e-mails from Precision Nutrition. Yet he had never seriously considered coaching. Now, the stairs made him winded and his knees ached. In his heart, he knew he was not living the life he was meant to live.

The pain of not making a change had become greater than the pain of making change. That, together with the lure of a $25,000 prize, was what finally convinced him to sign up for Precision Nutrition Coaching.

Support came from his Precision Nutrition coach, his colleagues at work, and from his parents, who cheered him on over the phone and recognized the changes he was undergoing.

Another mentor: Rudy Gotes, a world famous hang-gliding champion and pilot who helped Javier develop his own skill in the sport. The hours Javier spent hang gliding, navigating his small craft over the beautiful landscape below, nurtured an inner stillness and strength that helped him define his priorities and find his best direction.

Yet until he saw his final photos, he did not fully recognize the change he had undergone. In fact, just a few weeks before the photoshoot he was threatening to quit, and it was only the encouragement of his coach that kept him going.

“Maybe I didn’t go from zero to hero,” he laughs now. “But I lost 60 pounds in less than a year.” More than that, he developed healthy habits that he is taking with him into the future.

The key to all? Self-knowledge. “Keep a notebook,” he advises. “Write down those moments of recognition. Don’t let them slip away. The road to success is paved with failures.”

After his year of coaching, Dr. Javier Coria has big plans. Plans for sharing some of the lessons he’s learned in Precision Nutrition Coaching. Plans for a new kind of medical practice.

The prize money is a happy bonus. The biggest win is that he’s regained control over his life.

Want to get results like Javier? Learn more about the Precision Nutrition Coaching Program for Men.

Meet our other women’s winners:

Karen

$10,000 Women's Winner:

Age: 40 years

Weight Lost: 53 lbs (200 lbs to 147 lbs)

Total inches lost: 62" (256" to 194")

The past year has been a remarkable journey for me, not just of body but of mindset. I went from focusing on numbers on a scale and being stressed at the hurdles I knew I would face, to seeing the broader picture of lifestyle, mindful eating, and actually having fun for the first time in a long while. PN has helped me break down a seemingly unsurmountable goal into manageable pieces, and was there for me at each step. I have had an amazing support team in my PN coach, mentors and teammates, in addition to my family and friends. They have all helped me stay focused on showing up, doing 1% more, working on new habits and making a commitment to being healthy inside and out.

- Karen

Alisha

$10,000 Women's Winner:

Age: 62 years

Weight Lost: 44 lbs (180 lbs to 136 lbs)

Total inches lost: 40" (231" to 191")

The habit that has made the difference in my transformation this year is that of planning and preparation. By having my food ready, I have been able to overcome the 'Willpower Gap'. Many people think they can achieve their health goals by sheer willpower, but willpower fades. What gets us through is planning, preparation and habit. Thank you PN for helping me to practice this in my life. I feel happy, slim, and free!

- Alisha

Diana

$2,500 Women's Winner:

Age: 33 years

Weight Lost: 53 lbs (286 lbs to 233 lbs)

Total inches lost: 44" (287" to 243")

I still have a very long way to go and I'm still in the middle of one of the toughest years of my life... but... I worked on myself for the last year and made significant progress in a few areas, one of them healthy nutrition and moving more, to the best of my abilities. I got a huge amount of help by being part of the PN coaching program, which sometimes was more like my lifeline and anchor than 'just a program'. Even though life threw me a bucket of curve balls, focussing on basic habits like eating to 80 percent full, and the incorporated mindfulness that came with that, made all the difference for me. Thanks for the help and support allowing me to start a journey towards my best and most authentic me.

- Diana

Rachelle

$2,500 Women's Winner:

Age: 39 years

Weight Lost: 40 lbs (201 lbs to 161 lbs)

Total inches lost: 35" (256" to 221")

Because PN focuses on habits, I have successfully internalized life changes instead of merely following a prescribed program. I feel empowered at the grocery store, in the kitchen, and in the gym to make consistent, positive choices, as I focus on progress instead of perfection.

- Rachelle

Colleen

$2,500 Women's Winner:

Age: 39 years

Weight Lost: 33 lbs (183 lbs to 150 lbs)

Total inches lost: 35" (235" to 200")

My PN journey has been master class in loving self-care and becoming the best version of myself. It’s provided fuel and framework for me to deepen relationships with people I care about! It’s restored my spirit, my vitality and my confidence in my ability and worthiness to envision and create a life I love living!

- Colleen

Karen

$2,500 Women's Winner:

Age: 65 years

Weight Lost: 66 lbs (296 lbs to 230 lbs)

Total inches lost: 41" (292" to 251")

PN has been a lifesaver for me, not only losing weight but reducing most of my medication and lowering blood pressure, cholesterol and pre diabetic conditions. Through daily lessons and support from knowledgeable ,supportive, and intuitive coaching I have learned to nurture my body with natural foods, healthy movements, positive self image, and increased my passion for life.

- Karen

Mary

$1,250 Women's Winner:

Age: 57 years

Weight Lost: 19 lbs (163 lbs to 144 lbs)

Total inches lost: 17" (217" to 200")

I can describe PN Coaching in on word: 'FREEDOM'. I'm free from yo yo dieting and free from the latest diet fads. I now listen to my body. I get nourishment through good food and support through exercise!

- Mary

Kristin

$1,250 Women's Winner:

Age: 31 years

Weight Lost: 26 lbs (163 lbs to 137 lbs)

Total inches lost: 21" (210" to 189")

When I first started PN, I assumed that this would fail just like all the previous diets and plans I had tried. But PN breaks everything down into small manageable habits which have helped to transform me both physically and mentally! I am so grateful that I got to participate in this journey!

- Kristin

Maude

$1,250 Women's Winner:

Age: 46 years

Weight Lost: 53 lbs (237 lbs to 184 lbs)

Total inches lost: 47" (269" to 222")

I didn't know what to expect from PN. I truly believed that my metabolism was broken and wasn't convinced that anything short of bariatric surgery would work for me. PN was recommended and I decided to give it a try before I went for 'medical weight loss' or surgery. I was heading towards 240 pounds despite being very athletic. Yet I made a commitment to try it for a year and I’m so glad I did! They first helped me figure out why... then how... then what I needed to do. It wasn't easy and I had to tackle some real personal demons. But I had great support from my coach, Pam. As I worked through the habits, the weight started to fall off and I became more of myself. I started achieving milestones not only on the scale, but also in the gym, and then in my life. I still have a ways to go. But at 185 pounds I'm confidently on my way. And for the first time in a long time, excited about my fitness future.

- Maude

Steph

$1,250 Women's Winner:

Age: 39 years

Weight Lost: 9 lbs (124 lbs to 115 lbs)

Total inches lost: 5" (194" to 189")

PN gave me the structure, accountability, and support that I needed to overcome limiting beliefs about myself, find my place in a fit community, and improve my athleticism.

- Steph

Kandice

$1,250 Women's Winner:

Age: 34 years

Weight Lost: 45 lbs (250 lbs to 205 lbs)

Total inches lost: 40" (265" to 225")

Learning self care, learning what actually works for me to reduce stress, learning to listen to my body, and learning the kind of fitness I enjoy have been invaluable. I have developed skills through trial and error over the last year. But I have a great toolbox now and I know I will get to that healthy weight. I'm little awed by how far I've come and how truly simple and sustainable the process has been.

- Kandice

Elis

$1,250 Women's Winner:

Age: 35 years

Weight Lost: 22 lbs (170 lbs to 148 lbs)

Total inches lost: 25" (231" to 206")

I expected PN to change the foods I ate. What I didn't expect was for it to change the way I relate to food and eating. My cravings and stress triggers didn't magically disappear over the last year. But the program completely changed the way I relate to them. They aren't in charge anymore. I get to appreciate myself a lot more because of that.

- Elis

Amanda

$1,250 Women's Winner:

Age: 34 years

Weight Lost: 49 lbs (274 lbs to 225 lbs)

Total inches lost: 30" (290" to 260")

Precision Nutrition has guided me, through education, to inner and outer change and equipped me to be able to live the kind of life I want to live - an active, healthy, adventurous life with my family. I have learned to live deliberately with confidence reborn, getting active for the fun of it, and truly enjoying the flavor of healthy whole foods and the way they make me feel.

- Amanda

Juli

$1,250 Women's Winner:

Age: 52 years

Weight Lost: 13 lbs (149 lbs to 136 lbs)

Total inches lost: 22" (213" to 191")

While the physical changes I've enjoyed have been really rewarding, learning to break free from the destructive cycles of emotional eating and constant dieting has been life-changing. And most importantly, through the year's lessons and experiences I feel like I've finally found myself. Thanks PN!

- Juli

Meet our other men’s winners:

Andrew

$10,000 Men's Winner:

Age: 47 years

Weight Lost: 56 lbs (233 lbs to 177 lbs)

Total inches lost: 29" (250" to 221")

I thought I would be on blood pressure medication for life. I now have normal blood pressure and stopped taking medication. I've added years to my life and life to my years!

- Andrew

Adam

$10,000 Men's Winner:

Age: 45 years

Weight Lost: 62 lbs (266 lbs to 204 lbs)

Total inches lost: 42" (269" to 227")

PN has made an amazing difference in the way I see food and fitness, and how I approach life in general. It's allowed me to take simple and manageable steps to really change. It's been, by far, the best investment of time and learning in my adult life.

- Adam

Kristopher

$2,500 Men's Winner:

Age: 46 years

Weight Lost: 56 lbs (286 lbs to 230 lbs)

Total inches lost: 40" (284" to 244")

I've struggled with eating and fitness since seventh grade. The Precision Nutrition program has put me in charge of my body, and my relationship with food and fitness, for the first time in my life.

- Kristopher

Dan

$2,500 Men's Winner:

Age: 38 years

Weight Lost: 40 lbs (199 lbs to 159 lbs)

Total inches lost: 24" (241" to 217")

PN Coaching taught me the value of patience and the power of small, incremental changes over time. I'm now more motivated than ever to see where this journey takes me.

- Dan

Rich

$2,500 Men's Winner:

Age: 48 years

Weight Lost: 29 lbs (200 lbs to 171 lbs)

Total inches lost: 18" (245" to 227")

The biggest impact PN Coaching has had on me: It's increased my ability to possess a more open mindset. As an art teacher/artistic person, I've always considered myself to be pretty open minded. But when it came to fitness and nutrition, I tended to be more fixed minded with an 'all or nothing/black and white' approach. PN Coaching has helped me to see the 'gray areas' and to use these as learning experiences.

- Rich

Rob

$2,500 Men's Winner:

Age: 34 years

Weight Lost: 23 lbs (183 lbs to 160 lbs)

Total inches lost: 20" (235" to 215")

Over the course of the last year I focused less on the end results, and more on embracing the process, and enjoying the many different forms of progress I experienced on a day to day, week to week, and month to month basis.

- Rob

Greg

$1,250 Men's Winner:

Age: 56 years

Weight Lost: 20 lbs (166 lbs to 146 lbs)

Total inches lost: 13" (224" to 211")

I learned easy to follow habits that allowed for painless progress. I also learned that you don't need to suffer or feel deprived to get in shape

- Greg

Bevan

$1,250 Men’s Winner:

Age: 29 years

Weight Gained: 10 lbs (157 lbs to 167 lbs)

Total inches gained: 10″ (212″ to 222″)

First off, my mental acuity is firmly set to ‘brilliant’.
Second, confidence levels are at an all time high.
Third, I love the way I look.
I can’t tell you how much difference the whole process has made to me.

– Bevan

Rick

$1,250 Men's Winner:

Age: 67 years

Weight Lost: 25 lbs (187 lbs to 162 lbs)

Total inches lost: 8" (230" to 222")

Sure I’d like to be a ripped muscle man, but at 67 my real goal was to get healthier so I can enjoy my retirement. As I progressed through the PN program, I gained not only visible muscle mass, but also saw improvement in stubborn health parameters such as triglycerides (67 to 55) , cholesterol (211 to 188), HDL ratio (2.4 to 2.1), glucose (102 to 92) , and cardiac calcium score (31 to 13.8). I feel great and must admit that I’m also very happy that my waist size went from 36 inches to 32 inches

- Rick

Arash

$1,250 Men's Winner:

Age: 32 years

Weight Lost: 26 lbs (164 lbs to 138 lbs)

Total inches lost: 13" (221" to 208")

Any kind of success is built on good habits. PN coaching provided me the tools to establish positive, life-changing habits that I'll carry with me for a very long time.

- Arash

Meet a few hundred more Precision Nutrition clients

To view all the men’s and women’s finalists from the July 2015 Coaching Program, click one of the links below.

• July 2016 Precision Nutrition Coaching for WOMEN finalists
• July 2016 Precision Nutrition Coaching for MEN finalists

To view all the men’s and women’s finalists from all of our Precision Nutrition Coaching programs, click one of the links below.

• Precision Nutrition WOMEN’S Coaching: The Finalist Hall of Fame
• Precision Nutrition MEN’S Coaching: The Finalist Hall of Fame

Of course, if you’re interested in working toward a body or health transformation of your own, consider joining our next Precision Nutrition Coaching group. We’re opening up a few spots in the coming weeks.

Want to know more about Precision Nutrition Coaching?

Twice per year we accept new clients in our Precision Nutrition Coaching program, where we coach men and women to help them eat better, move more often, and improve their health.

The results, to date, have been nothing short of remarkable. Over 900,000 pounds of fat lost, and over 45,000 lives changed in the process.

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The post Men’s and Women’s Coaching Grand Prize Winners, July 2016. We just surprised our latest winners with $125,000 in prizes! appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

from Blog – Precision Nutrition http://www.precisionnutrition.com/winners-july-2016
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What is Apple Cider Vinegar with The Mother?

I use apple cider vinegar a lot. From making cleaning recipes to its many health benefits, ACV is a staple in our home.

For cleaning, any vinegar will do. In food or drink recipes though, I always use an organic and unrefined version of apple cider vinegar with “the Mother.”

Over the years, my mentions of “vinegar with the mother,” have gotten a lot of questions. Readers ask what “the mother” means and how to find it, so I wanted to fully explain exactly what it is and why it is important.

Here’s why:

What is Apple Cider Vinegar with The Mother?

In short, it is apple cider vinegar that still has the culture of beneficial bacteria that turns regular apple cider into vinegar in the first place. This is similar to the SCOBY (also called a “mother”) in Kombucha making.

Pasteurized vs. Unrefined & Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar

In ACV particularly, “the mother” is a complex structure of beneficial acids that seem to have health benefits. Unrefined vinegars have a murky appearance and typically still contain the mother culture. Clear and pasteurized vinegars typically do not contain the mother culture and don’t carry the same benefits.

Refined and clear vinegars are great for cleaning as they don’t leave residue. Raw, unfiltered and unrefined versions contain many more beneficial properties for culinary uses.

How Apple Cider Vinegar is Made

The word vinegar comes from the latin words vinum (wine) and acer (sour) and in essence vinegar is just that: sour wine.

Organic unfiltered vinegars have a long history of use, having been discovered thousands of years ago!

Folklore claims that Cleopatra once dissolved a pearl in vinegar and drank it in order to win a bet with Marcus Antonius (Marc Antony). She wagered that she could spend a fortune on a single meal. Vinegar is mention in the Bible and Hippocrates often recommended it for a variety of ailments.

Any carbohydrate or alcohol in theory can become vinegar. Carbohydrates are made into an alcohol through a process of careful fermentation.

The (non-distilled) alcohol in beer, wine or cider is exposed to air and a group of bacteria (acetobacter) that convert the alcohols into acetic acid.

In unfiltered organic apple cider vinegar, this beneficial group of bacteria and acids remains and creates the murky web-like “Mother.”

This type of vinegar gained commercial popularity in the 1930s:

In 1394, a group of French vintners developed a continuous method for making vinegar called the Orleans method. In this method, oak barrels were used as fermentation vessels and the vinegar was siphoned off through a spigot at the bottom of the barrel. About 15% of the vinegar was left behind which contained the “mother of vinegar” and its concentrated bacteria floating on top. A new batch of cider or wine was carefully added to the barrel and was quick started by the remaining vinegar. (source)

This is similar to the process for continuous brew kombucha, and at the time, it allowed these Frenchmen to satisfy the growing market for vinegars. They went on to create infused vinegars with herbs, spices, and fruits to meet the growing demand.

Benefits of The Mother in Apple Cider Vinegar

As with many things in nature, vinegar in its unfiltered, unadulterated and unrefined form has a variety of benefits that are lost when it is filtered and heated.

The acetic acid created in the secondary fermentation process is a component of the finished vinegar and has a host of benefits on its own. Certain medications contain acetic acid in concentrated form and studies have looked at the role of acetic acid in balancing blood sugar, blood pressure and dissolving cholesterol deposits in arteries.

More research is needed, but acetic acid in vinegar has a long history of use in alternative medicine.

Cleaning and Preserving

The high acid content in vinegar makes it a powerful preservative for food and it is often also recommended in cleaning for this reason. In fact, historically, vinegars were added to water to make the water more drinkable.

It is important to note that vinegar has some limitations as a natural cleaner and that it is not a registered disinfectant for disinfecting uses. A hydrogen peroxide based formula is a better choice and strong natural soaps (like this one) are better for degreasing.

Digestive Support

Digestive problems and acid reflux can often be from too little stomach acid rather than too little. Apple cider vinegar is a simple and really inexpensive remedy for low stomach acid. Personally, I’ve found relief from minor heartburn by adding 1 teaspoon of vinegar to water and drinking.

Immune Support

ACV also has a long history of use for immune support. According to legend, thieves during the bubonic plague survived by making an herbal vinegar with herbs like rosemary, thyme and lavender.

The “mother,” which provides immune boosting properties on its own, also allows the vinegar to get stronger over time and maintain its beneficial properties.

Beautiful Hair

The beneficial acids in the “mother” of apple cider vinegar are also great for hair, and this is one reason that ACV is often recommended as a hair rinse for conditioning hair and increasing shine.

For Healthy Skin

Unrefined Apple Cider Vinegar is also often used in skin remedies and beauty recipes. It can be used to help sunburns, skin rashes and mosquito bites (I typically dilute 50:50 with water).

Blood Sugar Balance

Unrefined apple cider vinegar, high in beneficial compounds, is also known for its ability to help keep blood sugar in check. It isn’t a wonder drug, but studies have shown that it can help lower blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity. (source)

Other studies have shown the benefits of ACV in helping improve cholesterol levels, and support heart health.

Apple Cider Vinegar with The Mother: Bottom Line

Apple cider vinegar with the mother is simply unrefined, unpasteurized and unfiltered ACV. The “mother” is a colony of beneficial bacteria, similar to a Kombucha SCOBY, that helps create vinegar through a secondary fermentation process.

Vinegar is high in acetic acid and other beneficial compounds. Unfiltered apple cider vinegar may have more benefits that filtered and heated types of vinegar (though those types can work well for cleaning).

Does your vinegar have a mother?

Continue Reading...What is Apple Cider Vinegar with The Mother?

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