Helpful uses of your mobile telephone.

March 8th, 2010

Have your mobile telephone security marked with your office address, it might not stop your mobile being stolen but if it does get recovered at a later date it will help the police to know where it came from and perhaps break up a bigger gang who are selling these telephones off and are actually “targeting” mobile phone users.

Have it on silent if you are in a secluded area and be especially wary when coming out of the underground as this is where most mobiles are stolen from as they tend to “bleep” when you come out and get a signal.

Try not to walk around texting with your head down or crossing a busy road.

If you do need to text, stand with your back against a wall, or at least pay attention to your surroundings without being oblivious to everyone and everything.

It’s when you’re not paying attention that incidents can and do happen.

Emergency uses for your mobile telephone.

The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112.

If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile; network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly this number 112 can be dialled even if the keypad is locked.

Try it out.

Have you locked your keys in the car?

Does your car have remote keyless entry?

This may come in handy someday.

Good reason to own a cell phone:

If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their mobile phone from your cell phone.

Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button on your key fob, holding it near the mobile phone on their end.

Your car will unlock.

Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you.

Distance is no object.

You could be hundreds of miles away and if you can reach someone who has the other ‘remote’ for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the boot.)

Did you know that your mobile telephone has Hidden Battery Power?

Imagine your mobile battery is very low.

To activate, press the keys *3370# your mobile will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery.

This reserve will get charged when you charge your mobile next time.

How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone?

To check your Mobile phone’s serial number, key in the following digits on your phone:

* # 0 6 #
A 15 digit code will appear on the screen.

This number is unique to your handset.

Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. If your phone gets stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code.

They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless.

You probably won’t get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can’t use/sell it either.

If everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones.

Best wishes,

Garth Delikan

The Lifestyle Guy – Personal Empowerment Coach

I Don’t Have any Pockets in My Suits or Outfits I Hear You Cry!

March 2nd, 2010

As a youngster I’m betting you’re Mum and Dad probably told you a million times about carrying all your valuables in your handbag or in one place.

I know it’s very difficult and probably a tad inconvenient not to carry everything in one place but it really does make sense to at least try and distribute valuables more evenly about your person.

The amount of workshops that I have given and the regretful comments that people have made because they just didn’t follow this simple rule.

It also never fails to amaze me how many of the ladies I see and meet in beautifully tailored and fitted suits and yet they don’t seem to have a single usable pocket which makes it even more difficult.

Do try to distribute your goods about you, remember, if your handbag gets snatched your entire life is literally in there.

Purse, credit cards, keys to your home, probably mobile telephone, which is then a “double whammy” because you’re now unable to make any calls and chances are you have no change because it’s all in your handbag as well.

Worse still, if you do keep everything in your handbag what’s to stop your assailant rushing straight around to your home because chances are that you’ll have something in there with your address (like a driving licence) and ransacking your home as well, “triple whammy”.

Then perhaps finding your car keys and taking that as well “quadruple whammy”.

Find a way to distribute your belongings it makes sense and finally if you do find yourself confronted and  there is no way out don’t be hero, simply hand over your bag immediately using strong body language and disengage from the situation, brushing forcefully past your assailant if necessary.

Goods can always be replaced, you can’t!

Best wishes,

Garth Delikan

The Lifestyle Guy – Personal Empowerment Coach

In a Dangerous Situation, Shouting, Screaming and Swearing Could Be Very Advantageous!

February 26th, 2010

Don’t be afraid to use your voice, it’s one of your most potent weapons!

An assailant is looking for a “victim” an easy target, someone to be intimidated.

Just ensure that you are not that person.

If you are cornered or threatened use your voice forcefully and don’t be afraid to scream and shout (in fact in my presentations I wholeheartedly endorse the use of “profanity” or swear words) as this will again serve to highlight your situation and again just to illustrate my point, I’d like you to cast your mind back  to a time when you where walking down the street and lo and behold there was a couple of people having a right old barney!

Now you’re not going to tell me that you just walked by and ignored it completely, are you?

Of course not, you might not have stopped but I bet you had a good old look to see what was going on

You didn’t actually do anything but you did have a look, its only human nature to be nosey!

Use that natural nosiness to your own advantage and draw attention to yourself as soon as possible.

If you do get into the unfortunate situation of being accosted accosted and really do feel that your personal safety is being threatened, this is not a time to be shy and retiring.

Everything hinges on you acting instantly and without hesitation, this is your split second advantage so use it.

And I don’t mean just shout as if you were angry and having an argument with someone you know, I’m talking about a full on “bellow” here, straight from the lungs, and ideally if you’re able to – scream and shout directly into their faces as this will also have an incredibly disorientating effect on them and also serve to confuse them momentarily giving you that split second to get to a place of safety!

The senses can’t withstand a full on assault and chances are that they will back off momentarily.

If you’re wrong it doesn’t matter, you can always apologise later (that’s if they haven’t run off in complete fear and confusion first) but if the situation is real it could make all the difference and protect you from real harm.

REMEMBER! I am only advocating buying yourself a split second or at most two to three seconds, but that could be all the time it takes for you to get to a place of safety.

Best wishes,

Garth Delikan

The Lifestyle Guy – Personal Empowerment Coach

What Difference If Any Could Carrying a Personal Attack Alarm Make to My Safety?

February 22nd, 2010

Buy one and if possible go on a course and learn how to use it or better still book me for a two hour workshop within your company at a time to suit you, usually the lunch hour or immediately after work or if you get enough friends and colleagues together we could arrange a workshop.

There’s no point having one if it’s kept at the bottom of your handbag and you have to search to locate it and worse still, don’t know how to operate it effectively.

It’s not going to stop you being attacked but it can help to disorientate or distract your assailant buying you those precious seconds to get to a place of safety.

Once it goes off don’t think that anyone will to help you, most people just don’t do that but the sound of the alarm going off will serve a double purpose.

It will deter or distract your assailant, and it will also generate a terrific noise so that even if no one comes to your aid at least you’ve created a “stage” for yourself and people will look so you won’t feel as alone.

I’m not advocating that you carry it every second of every day but if you are out and about or in unfamiliar territory or even out shopping in a busy area it would make sense to have it to hand.

If you’re carrying a handbag, attach it to your wrist and then to your bag. If you’re not carrying anything, have it in your pocket or if you are feeling particularly vulnerable, carry it in your hand ready to use at a moments notice.

The great thing about modern alarms is not only are they very noisy but they also have a powerful flashlight attachment. This can be used if you are going back to a parked car in the dark.

You could also use to momentarily “blind” your assailant by shining it in their eyes, set off the alarm and screaming as loud as you possible can, run as fast as you possible to a public place or a place of safety.

Best wishes,

Garth Delikan

The Lifestyle Guy – Personal Empowerment Coach

How Can Our Body Language Give Us Away and make Us Potential Victims?

February 15th, 2010

55% of any message we give out is “unconscious” and we are constantly giving out these signals on a regular and daily basis and other people are “reading” our body language all the time.

Think about it. How many times do you make a judgement on someone you’ve just met, whether it be positive or negative based on the “signal” that they are giving off?

It’s automatic, something you just do without even thinking about it.

People are telling other people more about themselves and the state of mind that they are in than they actually think they are and are doing it all day, everyday.

It’s time to become aware!

Stand straight with your head held high,  not only will this benefit your overall posture but it will enable you to see where you’re going and spot any potential danger signs. This doesn’t mean that you have to be paranoid every time you go out but it does make you aware.

If you constantly walk around in a “slouched” position, head low and generally not paying much attention to your surroundings, what kind of signal do you think you’re sending out?

How many times do you just walk around with your head filled with other things? When you’re in a rush how many times have you taken short cuts that you know you shouldn’t and worse still, justified it to yourself so that you could save yourself two or three minutes.

If you’re walking down the street oblivious to everything apart from your mobile telephone or busy texting as you’re walking along you’re a target.

Try to be aware at all times, stand erect, walk straight, don’t necessarily look people straight in the eyes but let them know that you know that they are there. Try not to take isolated shortcuts no matter how tempting across waste ground, dark alleys or parks and try to stay in public view.

But most of all, Pay attention!

Best wishes,

Garth Delikan

The Lifestyle Guy – Personal Empowerment Coach

Every time I Pick Up the Newspapers or Turn On the TV it Seems That Someone Else Has Been Attacked

February 12th, 2010

The best way to cut the risk of attack is by taking sensible precautions as part of your everyday lifestyle..

My Awareness workshops ingrain these precautions and give you the self confidence to protect yourselves, and also work incredibly effectively within the corporate world as team building events as well as boosting team morale!

If all this sounds as though it would be beneficial to you, then you’re in luck!

Over the next few days I will be giving you my top ten safety tips and by the time we’re finished you will be feeling more self confident than ever before as I’m all about teaching safety through “awareness” and not getting into that situation in the first place but I will show you how to use some very effective and funky moves should the need arise to buy yourself those precious few seconds and getting to a place of safety.

It’s all about recognising the “signs” and being aware of the “signals” that you might be “subconsciously” putting out there without even realising you’re doing it.

With so much “sensationalised” media coverage nowadays concerning “street crime” and particular “teenage knife culture” and attacks against individuals, it’s no surprise that there is a certain amount of justified fear and paranoia surrounding personal safety.

The truth is that violent crime against individuals are indeed very rare but there is a real fear that you or one of your loved one’s will be attacked and the way to “combat” this fear is by taking sensible and commonsense precautions that most people already do almost without realising it and making them ingrained as part of your everyday life, it’s just something that you do automatically.

Being sensible and taking precautions doesn’t have to equate to paranoia!

Best wishes,

Garth Delikan

The Lifestyle Guy – Personal Empowerment Coach

Some Useful Tips for Weight Gain

February 8th, 2010

Try to have at least 6 eating points in the day.  Divide your food intake into 3 meals and 3 snacks each day.  Plan this the day before, and ensure shopping trips make provision for lots of appealing foods and snacks.

Always prepare foods or snacks for work, and keep a supply of non-perishable, high-energy nibbles in your desk drawer in a tin or container.

Always start the day with breakfast, which will start the metabolic process and encourage you to eat earlier in the day.  Choose a breakfast that is particularly appetising, as breakfast can often be difficult for low calorie eaters.

Eat larger portions that you normally would, but don’t eat to excess.  Research shows us that we eat more when variety is involved.  Normally more is eaten if there is a significant variety in food type, or meal components differ significantly.  Ensure meals are sufficiently variable on the plate with lots of different food types.

Try to have two or three course meals, which will encourage more consumption.  This does not have to mean elaborate, lengthy meals it may simply take the form of a starter such as cheese, and finishing with a sweet desert.

Supplement your food intake with nutritious drinks such as smoothies, milk shakes and yoghurt drinks.  Make a fruit smoothie each day, and drink it throughout the day, or purchase commercial meal replacement drinks and use “in addition” to meals.

Use high energy or protein bars as snacks.  Experiment with different flavours and brands to find one that suits your taste.  Try commercial weight gain powders as used by bodybuilders and athletes and mix with whole or semi skimmed milk.

Snack on calorie dense natural foods such as dried fruit, nuts & seeds, cereal or fruit bars and sports nutrition bars. Use avocado and olives. Add dried fruit, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and chopped nuts to cereals and yoghurt.  Canned fruit in syrup, dried fruits, fruit nectars

Rather than simply drinking water, mix it 50/50 with a fruit juice.  Be adventurous and try tropical and exotic fruit flavours and keep trying new mixtures.

Activity is vital as is a structured weight management programme!

In terms of activity the best type for putting on weight and maintaining a strong healthy body with a sturdy muscular frame and strong bones is resistance training i.e. weight training or weight lifting but always under the supervision of an instructor or gym if just starting to exercise again.

All activities such as walking swimming badminton jogging and aerobics will provide a healthy frame and a healthy lifestyle.

And if you are trying to gain weight do not indulge in excess cardio work as this will only burn off the extra weight you are trying to gain.

Best wishes,

Garth Delikan

The Lifestyle Guy – Personal Empowerment Coach

If You’re Underweight and Would Like To gain Weight, You Have To Incorporate It Into a Healthy Lifestyle

February 4th, 2010

The essence of weight gain requires that the body be in overall energy surplus for a sufficient period of time to activate the adipose tissues (fat storage sites) to promote the uptake of excess energy (dietary calories) and convert it into stored energy as body fat.

Additional body fat may also lead to an increase in lean body mass, as the bones muscles and supporting tissues increase in density and size to accommodate the heavier overall body mass.  This increase in weight may not always occur straight away, particularly in lean individuals, which is why a sustained effort to gain weight may be required.

At this moment in time, the systems of energy regulation (weight control) are not fully understood.

For-instance, why is it that some people can be in significant energy surplus (eating more calories than they are expending in physical activity and bodily functions) for long periods of time and not gain weight, whilst others are extremely efficient at storing almost all available excess energy, and are inclined to put on weight readily.

Clearly there is a genetic influence on weight gain, and individuals need to adopt eating and lifestyle habits accordingly to maintain a healthy bodyweight and or appropriate levels of body fat.

Therefore the principal of eating for weight gain is clearly to ensure that the body is in energy surplus for the majority of the time.  The aim should be to prepare a strategy to ensure that adequate food is available at all times, and that time management and planning allow for sufficient breaks to take regular meals and snacks.

Where poor appetite is at the root of low bodyweight, the focus should be on selecting more flavoured or desirable foods, as well as paying particular attention to shopping, food preparation and snacking. Pay sufficient attention to food and meal times. Ensure there are always lots of freshly prepared delicious and nutritious foods at hand, in order to keep energy intake high.

When eating to gain weight it is important to continue to eat foods that are healthy and those that will provide an abundance of nutrients.  Aim to eat calorie dense foods, but don’t concentrate calorie loading around foods that are exclusively fat and sugar, such as sweets, ice cream, chocolate, sugary drinks etc, as this may also introduce too many undesirable substances such as artificial flavourings, colourings and preservatives.

These foods are important and convenient additional sources of energy when on a weight gain regime, but they should not constitute the bulk of calorific intake.

Best wishes,

Garth Delikan

The Lifestyle Guy – Personal Empowerment Coach

Functional Foods: Cholesterol Lowering Spreads

January 27th, 2010

Cholesterol is an essential component of cell membranes and a basic component of a number of important molecules in the human body. However, a raised level of cholesterol in the blood may increase an individual’s risk of developing coronary heart disease, which is the biggest cause of premature death in adults in the UK.

Blood cholesterol levels should ideally be below 5.2 mmol/l. However, not all scientists agree that ‘the lower the better’ applies to cholesterol levels. Furthermore, it may be unwise to attempt to lower cholesterol levels in healthy children.

Cholesterol is made in the body and also present in the diet.

Dietary cholesterol also contributes to blood cholesterol levels, the main sources being offal, egg yolks and shellfish. Dietary cholesterol has less impact on blood cholesterol levels than saturated fatty acids intake. So a weight management programme identifying and reducing these sources makes sense.

How can blood cholesterol be influenced?

Making dietary changes can usually lower raised blood cholesterol levels. The most effective dietary change is to reduce intake of saturated fatty acids. The major sources of these in the UK diet are cakes, biscuits and pastries (11%); oils and spreads (22%); fatty meats and meat foods (22%); and traditional dairy foods (27%).

Lifestyle changes such as being more physically active and losing excess weight are very important too.

These new products contain plant sterols or plant stanol ester. These ingredients are naturally occurring substances found in many grains such as wheat, rye and maize, and usually are present in the diet in small amounts.

Plant stanol ester and sterols have a similar structure to cholesterol and so have the ability to inhibit the absorption of cholesterol in the gut.

Therefore, these foods may be helpful for those with raised blood cholesterol levels, if the product is substituted for a standard product and eaten as part of a cholesterol-lowering diet and in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle.

As with many compounds that alter the metabolism of fat, one potential issue could be that such products also reduce the uptake of fat soluble vitamins present in the diet. This is because these vitamins require the presence of fat (from the diet) and bile produced by the liver for their absorption.

Not a magic answer

It is important to recognise that foods like these only address one risk factor for coronary heart disease. Cholesterol lowering foods should not be considered an alternative to a healthy balanced diet or a healthy lifestyle.

Probably the most effective ways of reducing heart disease risk are to give up smoking and be more physically active.

It is important to increase intake of fruit and vegetables to at least 5 portions per day. Fruit and vegetables and also beans, pulses and some grains (e.g. oats) contain soluble fibre that may help lower blood cholesterol levels.

In addition, the oils found in oily fish have been shown to have a beneficial effect on different factors in the blood and may be effective in reducing risk. It is also important to cut down on fat, particularly sources of saturated fatty acids by, for example, selecting leaner cuts of meat and lower fat dairy foods, and reducing intake of fried foods, pastries and biscuits. In other words the dietary message is one of balance and variety.

Best wishes,

Garth Delikan

The Lifestyle Guy – Personal Empowerment Coach

So..what can I expect?

January 19th, 2010

Once people find out what I do for a living it never ceases to amaze me that I always seem to get asked the same questions over and over again.

How do I get more focussed, how do I become more positive, I want to lose x amount of weight, I don’t know how to exercise properly or I hate the gym what else can I do, I’m really confused with all the nutritional advice out there, what’s good, what’s bad, do I avoid all fat, aren’t carbohydrates bad for me, how much protein do I need, why does starving myself make me fatter?

Since time immemorial these questions have been asked and answers seeked!

It’s only human nature after all to follow the path of least resistance to find the easy way.

In truth if you’re looking for an easy and painless route to lasting change there isn’t one, for only by beginning to feel uncomfortable with what you have and being willing and able to go through significant emotional change can you hope to make the lasting changes that you require.

This doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have to be fun though.

I started thinking about how I could put all this information into one succinct package, how I could put the “fun” into it.

I decided to put all my vast knowledge and skill into what I call the Lifestyle Guy Retreat, a wonderful place which will take you away from the rigours and stresses of everyday life, somewhere to relax, somewhere in the sun and importantly, somewhere to be with like minded people.

Here is where the magic begins, here is where major changes occur, here is where the new powerful you is unleashed.

Together we’ll embark on a journey of discovery and together we’ll discard anything that doesn’t need to be taken into your future.

Dumping emotional baggage is not only fun it’s incredibly empowering and it’s also very easy, it’s all done in one or two sessions and accomplished completely “content free”.

I’ll be showing and teaching you the most cutting edge techniques to make huge changes in your emotions, eating habits and physical appearance.

We’ll discover how to access any resource you need at any time, find out what your true values are and set goals accordingly so they follow your values and your true path of destiny.

It’s absolutely awesome to learn how to recognise and use body language, and how to build rapport with anyone easily and effortlessly.

No more having to be shy in front of strangers, during presentations or with work colleagues or friends.

Learn about how to use the hidden language patterns that make a successful person so confident and do all this in a fun and interactive way.

In short we are going to set you up for a life of magnificence!

You will be in one short week be the master or mistress of your own destiny and gain the life, mindset, strategies, tools and body you’ve always wanted!

You’ll be waking up in the mornings in a beautiful villa set in the Andalucian Mountains, surrounded by olive groves with the sun coming up over the terrace.

The beautiful pool is ideal for relaxing by and I’ll also take you through a daily guided workout routine that will fill you with unprecedented energy and begin to give you the body shape and you’ve always wanted for when you come back home.

Breathing is an oft neglected thing and yet can be one of the most invigorating and powerful things you can ever do.

I’ll be showing you some incredibly empowering breathing techniques to calm and centre the mind and body or alternatively give you unlimited energy.

You’ll be eating the finest foods and along the way I’ll be filling you with the knowledge that you need to change your eating habits forever.

I’ll tell you everything you wanted to know about proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, you’ll never need go on another diet again as we will change your attitude and thought patterns towards food forever.

Alongside all of this will be your own personal masseur to ease away any stresses and strains, aches or pains.

You’ll also be able to indulge yourself on the sun kissed terrace in the afternoons Hatha yoga class, a beautiful way to unwind the mind and release any lingering tensions in your body.

This is a time to become one with your true powerful self and become one with nature as you take in the breathtaking scenery.

There are trips out and a whole host of activities to be had or simply chill and relax by the pool or have a day on your own.

In short, you will come back home a changed person.

You will not only look different, you’ll feel different and you’ll be ready to embark on your new life adventure fully armed with all the knowledge and tools you’re ever going to need forever!

Remember…Destiny is not a matter of chance, take control of your own life now!

Garth Delikan

Personal Empowerment Coach