Articles from Coach Ruben

Why “losing weight” is a HORRIBLE goal

Why "losing weight" is a HORRIBLE goal. Millions of people engage in the battle of the bulge - trying to "lose weight" that they have gained for a variety of reasons. "Weight loss" centers are everywhere, including Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig and others. Medically supervised "weight loss" programs have expanded to include lap band surgery. And, weight loss is commonly used as part of the title of many books and articles. Yet, the problem has not gotten any better. In fact, it's gotten worse, with 70% of the American population being overweight or obese. What most of us don't realize, is that our brains are wired a particular way. There is a famous true story of a baseball pitcher - it was the bottom of the 9th inning in the 7th game of the World Series. The tying run was on first base, their best hitter was at bat. The manager came up to the mound and said "Whatever you do, do NOT throw low and outside!" Since the manager planted the image of "low and outside" into the pitcher's brain, guess where the pitcher [...]

By |2016-10-27T15:13:03-07:00December 17th, 2014|Categories: Articles, Coaching, Evolving Health, Health|0 Comments

Coach Ruben’s Food Pyramid

This pyramid provides a simple and effective way to look at food and get healthier. It combines the teachings of many of the greatest minds in the arena of holistic nutrition and helps us to focus on the most important factors. There are two major categories of foods - Life Promoting vs. Life Depleting. This corresponds with how food interacts with our central nervous system. Food or food substances affect us NEUROLOGICALLY and will trigger either the sympathetic nervous system (fight, flight, freeze, stress, survival) or the parasympathetic nervous system (peace, pleasure, rest, digestion, ease). This is rather dramatic and profound. This concept cuts through all the labels and the rhetoric of so many faddists who just want to make your money. If foods trigger the sympathetic system and we consume too much of them too frequently, then the body has no choice than to begin to exhibit DIS-EASE. And this is the true source of all chronic disease. Conversely, if we consume foods that trigger the parasympathetic system, then the body can HEAL ITSELF since the body is at ease and the immune system [...]

By |2016-10-27T15:13:03-07:00December 15th, 2014|Categories: Articles, Evolving Health, Health, News|0 Comments

8 Steps to Making a Powerful Request

Eight Steps to Creating a Powerful Request        “Ask, and you shall receive.”  Sounds good – but how do I ask?  Many times we may ask for things, but if we don’t know how to ask, we tend to get shot down and get less than we want.  Following these steps will empower you to ask by creating a context or framework that will support your request. While there are no guarantees, with practice, using this approach will provide greater success. What is/are your commitment(s)?  It may be your commitment, and even stronger could be a shared commitment.  For example, “we are committed to providing extraordinary customer service and having our business be successful.” Given this commitment, what’s not working?  What’s the breakdown?  What is the problem, issue, concern, worry, frustration, etc. that fundamentally is inconsistent with the commitment?  Be concise. What are the facts?  Just the facts – nothing else.  Provide objective information about what’s not working. If possible, provide data, charts, etc. Give verifiable information on what’s so, on what happened. What is the impact?  Provide insight as to how this breakdown is [...]

By |2016-10-27T15:13:07-07:00May 18th, 2012|Categories: Articles|0 Comments

Seven Sufficiency Questions

There are several steps to creating sufficiency.  What Lynn Twist talked about in her book The Soul of Money, is that it’s necessary to generate, distinguish and make known, not only to ourselves but to others, the power and presence of our existing resources and our unique contributions.  We have to first be willing to step away from our individual and survival consciousness. Then, figure out what we each have to offer, what are our resources that we can contribute, and share it with others - get it communicated.  It’s very important to do this – we can’t hold back.  Everybody has to be willing to share.  This is how we create sufficiency. This is the way to get access to sufficiency and you’re going to do a very powerful exercise.  First, you’ll need to answer the following questions.  Write at least three answers for each question. What are you passionately committed to? What do you love about your life? What do you love to do and enjoy doing? What are you really good at (skills)? What accomplishments are you most proud of? Who do [...]

By |2012-03-12T09:00:37-07:00March 12th, 2012|Categories: Articles|0 Comments

On What’s So

What’s so is always just what’s so. What’s so doesn’t care what you think, feel, intend or wish; it will not bend. You can be freaked out or driven over what’s so, and it won’t change what’s so. If you’re late for an appointment, getting freaked out about it won’t have you arrive any earlier. If you’re having a bad day, being freaked out won’t change what’s so. That which you seek will not bring you satisfaction – aligning with what’s so will. When you’re upset, you’re never upset over what’s so. What’s so is just what’s so, and you’re upset. If your house burns down and you get upset, does it bring your house back? What’s so doesn’t care if you’re upset; it’s up to you how you handle what’s so. There is no confusion in what’s so. When you don’t know you just don’t know – there is no confusion there. There’s nothing right or wrong about what’s so. What’s so is always open to different interpretations. There’s always just what’s so, and then you have an interpretation. What scares you isn’t what’s [...]

By |2010-04-02T05:12:00-07:00April 2nd, 2010|Categories: Articles|1 Comment

Four Levels of Coachability

By Ruben J Guzman, MPH In having trained and developed champions in swimming, water polo, fitness and business over the last 30+ years, I have noticed that there are four distinct levels of coachability. No one is born being coachable – it is a learned process. And, it requires a partnership with a committed coach. Here are the four levels: Not coachable. These people listen to one voice and one voice only…their own little voice. They are simply not open or receptive to coaching from someone else. They already know everything they need to know. And, you know who these people are. Selectively coachable. These people do what the coach asks them to do…when they agree with it! The rest of the time they’re listening to their own little voice. Reluctantly coachable. This is fairly rare. These people do everything the coach asks them to do, whether they agree with it or not. However, their little voice is often the voice of doubt – “I don’t know if I can do this,” “I don’t know if this will work,” “I don’t know if he knows [...]

By |2010-04-02T04:45:54-07:00April 2nd, 2010|Categories: Articles|0 Comments

Five steps to making a Powerful Apology

Just saying you’re sorry does not constitute an apology. Especially if you repeat the behavior. Saying you’re sorry and doing it again begins to fall on deaf ears. An apology goes far beyond just saying you’re sorry. It begins by saying that you are sorry, and also that you take complete responsibility for your actions. And there’s more. Next, you need to validate the other person’s feelings. As human beings, we all have feelings, and it is important that we accept and validate the other person’s feelings. Feelings are neither right or wrong. However they are valid. Next, you need to acknowledge the impact of your behavior. What you did had an impact on you, on the other person, and potentially on many other people. There’s usually a ripple effect. It’s important to acknowledge and get present to this impact. Next, you need to communicate what’s missing. This is where you stand inside of “there’s nothing wrong, but there is something missing.” What’s missing is comprised of three parts. First, what’s missing as a mindset, attitude, way of being or paradigm of thinking? Second, given [...]

By |2016-10-27T15:13:07-07:00April 2nd, 2010|Categories: Articles|2 Comments

Living an Extraordinary Life – The Five Powerful Practices

Living inside the realm of the extraordinary, we view ourselves from a rare and exceptional point of view. We honor our word, our promises, our agreements, and our commitments. We operate from the principles of responsibility, generosity and integrity. We constantly practice the following powerful practices as a way of life. Acceptance This is where we accept others, just the way they are, with no judgment. This is the basis of powerful love, for anything else is operating from fear. Acceptance is unconditional respect. However, it does not necessarily mean we condone unacceptable behavior. Regardless of the behavior, we accept the person. Apology This goes far beyond simply saying “I’m sorry.” Apology begins with saying “I’m sorry,” but then taking complete responsibility for the impact of your behaviors on others – the ripple effect. The next step in an apology is to communicate what you see is missing in both your mindset and your behaviors. Then you complete the apology with a promise and a total commitment to change. The practice of apology is therefore ongoing in fulfilling on your promises and commitments. Forgiveness This [...]


Why do we struggle?

So, why do we struggle and perpetuate this insanity of doing the same things over and over, hoping for different results, yet not really getting anything to substantially change? How is that we, perfectly intelligent human beings, continue to struggle and suffer? It just doesn't make any sense. We should be happy, shouldn't we? The paradoxical thing is that we SAY we are committed to being happy. Yet we continue to tolerate life and circumstances that are certainly NOT workable or optimum, and we continue to be unfulfilled, struggle and suffer. Dan Millman, who wrote The Way of the Peaceful Warrior, says "Life is not suffering. It's just that we will suffer as long as we hold on to our attachments, instead of letting go and just going for the ride." We always win what we are truly committed to, even if we haven't declared what we are committed to. We need to consider that at a subconscious level, we are committed to struggling and suffering. In fact, we are attached to struggling and suffering. It's not a conscious act. No one in their right [...]

By |2010-04-02T04:36:01-07:00April 2nd, 2010|Categories: Articles|0 Comments

Three types of complaints

First type of complaint You see a problem. You state a complaint. “I don’t like this!” You see that you can take action to resolve the problem. You then take action. You resolve the problem. This has been a purposeful complaint. Second type of complaint You see a problem. You see that you cannot take action to resolve it. You do see that there is someone who can resolve it. You effectively communicate and state your complaint to that person (powerful request). That person then takes action. The problem gets resolved. This has been a purposeful complaint. Third type of complaint You see a problem. You do not care to take action to resolve the problem, nor do you care to communicate with the person who could responsibly resolve it. You state your complaint to anyone who will listen and agree with you. The problem does not get resolved. You continue to complain for the sake of complaining. (this means anything longer than 5 minutes) You are engaged in gossip, blaming, shaming and trying to impose guilt. This type of complaint has no purpose, whatsoever! [...]
