The 7 Reasons We Fail & How to Rebound from Our Missteps

by Harvey Mackay

This article gives an explanation of the reasons why we fail. I know from personal experience, these form a lot of the assertions why we seem to fail in the face of success, and I have experienced each of these on certain occasions. Often, our fear of failure is the grounds we do. We watch little kids and see they don't seem to have that learned fear of failure. This is learned by each of us over time. Kids try and fail, but they don't let this discourage them. They keep trying until they succeed. It's only as we get older, we seem to discover it's easier to just stop... and this is the true failure. You see people do amazing things. These are the ones who have discovered what it is to keep trying. 

The following article attempts to put this into perspective. 

Where do your failures fit in?

As any successful person will honestly admit, failure happens, and we’ve all had our fair share of it. But from each failure, we learn two equally valuable lessons. One, that there was at least one reason we failed; and two, that we can rebound from that failure. So, why do we fail? And how do we fix it? According to Shiv Khera, author of You Can Win, failures most often occur for one of 7 reasons. And Harvey Mackay, best-selling author and business speaker, says each one can teach us something valuable, can show us how to avoid falling back into the same hole. Here are the most common failure-causing problems and their solutions:

1. Lack of Persistence: More people fail not because they lack knowledge or talent but because they just quit. It’s important to remember two words: persistence and resistance. Persist in what must be done and resist what ought not to be done. Try new approaches. Persistence is important, but repeating the same actions over and over again, hoping that this time you'll succeed, probably won’t get you any closer to your objective. Look at your previous unsuccessful efforts and decide what to change. Keep making adjustments and mid-course corrections, using your experience as a guide.

2. Lack of Conviction: People who lack conviction take the middle of the road. But what happens in the middle of the road? You get run over. People without conviction go along to get along because they lack confidence and courage. They conform in order to get accepted, even when they know that what they are doing is wrong. Decide what is important to you. If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing right and doing well. Let your passion show even in mundane tasks. It’s OK to collaborate and cooperate for success, but it’s not OK to compromise your values—ever.

3. Rationalization: Winners might analyze, but they never rationalize. Those who fail rationalize Image result for failure and have a book full of excuses to tell you why they couldn’t succeed. Change your perspective. Don’t think of every unsuccessful attempt as a failure. Few people succeed at everything the first time or even after several. Most of us attain our goals only through repeated effort. Do your best to learn everything you can about what happened and why.

4. Dismissal of Past Mistakes: Some people live and learn, and some only live. Failure is a teacher if we have the right attitude. Wise people learn from their mistakes—experience is the name they give to slip ups. Define the problem better. Analyze the situation—what you want to achieve, what your strategy is, why it didn’t work. Are you really viewing the problem correctly? If you need money, you have more options than increasing revenue. You could also cut expenses. Think about what you’re really trying to do.

5. Lack of Discipline: Anyone who has accomplished anything worthwhile has never done it without discipline. Discipline takes self-control, sacrifice and avoiding distractions and temptations. It means staying focused. Don’t be a perfectionist. You might have an idealized vision of what success will look and feel like. Although that can be motivational, it might not be realistic. Succeeding at one goal won’t eliminate all your problems. Be clear on what will satisfy your objectives and don’t obsess about superficial details.

6. Poor Self-Regard: Poor self-regard is a lack of self-respect and self-worth. People with low self-confidence are constantly trying to find themselves rather than creating the person they want to be. Don’t label yourself. You might have failed, but you’re not a failure until you stop trying. Think of yourself as someone still striving toward a goal, and you’ll be better able to maintain your patience and perseverance for the long haul.
 
7. Fatalistic Attitude: A fatalistic attitude prevents people from accepting responsibility for their position in life. They attribute success and failure to luck. They resign themselves to their fate, regardless of their efforts, that whatever has to happen will happen anyway. Look in the mirror every day and say, I am in charge. You might not have control over every phase of your life, but you have more control than you realize, and you are responsible for your own happiness and success. Your attitude determines your altitude, and you can turn “down and out” into “up and at ’em.”

Do you think there might be bias in the news?

This picture may explain a few things... 

 
if you had a hunch the news system was somewhat rigged and you couldn't put your finger on it, this might help solve the puzzle.

• ABC News executive producer Ian Cameron is married to Susan Rice, National Security Adviser. 

• CBS President David Rhodes is the brother of Ben Rhodes, Obama's Deputy National Security Adviser for Strategic Communications.  

• ABC News correspondent Claire Shipman is married to former Whitehouse Press Secretary Jay Carney.  

• ABC News and Univision reporter Matthew Jaffe is married to Katie Hogan, Obama's Deputy Press Secretary. 

• ABC President Ben Sherwood is the brother of Obama's Special Adviser Elizabeth Sherwood.  

• CNN President Virginia Moseley is married to former Hillary Clinton's Deputy Secretary Tom Nides.

Now you know why the media usually goes very easy on Obama's many errors. 
Do you think there might be at least a little bias in the news?

E15 gas... what you need to know.

Your car warranty may be at risk.
Be sure you are well informed before using it.

E15 Gas

Saudi Arabia court gives death penalty to man who renounced his Muslim faith

Nothing validates an idea, ideology, opinion, or religion like killing someone for saying they don't agree.

The Telegraph: Tuesday February 24, 2015

And now it could get even worse...

Update

Where do our biases come from?

Why do you believe the things you do? When did you start believing in them?
The reason we choose to think a certain way and then to evolve those things into a belief system is complex and doesn't always follow the truth based on facts, but they still become part of our way of thinking, and form our convictions. 
Check out this clip and consider yours.

The Psychology of Belief - Biases and the Brain.

The skinny on Adipose fat, and the most efficient way to shed it

This article comes from my personal trainer, Danny. We've been working together a little while now, and he has shown me better ways to get the most out of my training time and my body. We have had several conversation on the matter and why he does what he does for his clients. This may not work for everyone, but it works well for me. Enjoy.

We’re often told, most of us since our high school P.E. class, that a 25 minute workout is all we need to burn fat, but don’t think that you can get away with a low level workout to accomplish such a task. If you’re going to target only the Adipose fat, which is that fat we all want to get rid of, you’re going to be using way more sources of energy than just the fat you’re looking to burn and it can leave you feeling depleted.

Adipose fat is the tissue below the skin around the internal organs, stored beneath the subcutaneous fat layer, which gives us energy-the same fat that makes us nice and cushy. The body stores adipose fat for survival and uses it when energy is needed. Excess adipose fat is that fat that most of us are trying our hardest to shed. We don’t need all that fat for healthy body function, and that’s where the measurements for obesity come in.

---

One of the most effective ways to lose that adipose fat, without out depleting energy as well, is to sustain a perceived effort level in your aerobic workout that is between 5-6, on a scale from 1-10. So if 10 is the hardest you can push yourself, and 1 is the lowest you can push yourself, find yourself somewhere in between. Keep this consistency for up to 1 hour 3-4 times weekly.  Doing such a workout targets just adipose fat, but does not stress the body so much as to use up other energy resources, leaving you still feeling like you have fuel to accomplish all your daily tasks without interruption. You’re sure to notice results within the week-up to 2 lbs. every week, in fact. Don't forget one of the most important elements of your workout...the warm up and stretch!

In between these fat burning workouts, build up your muscles to help facilitate burning more body fat and keeping those pounds off. 

Bear in mind, there is going to be a point where you will have to change what type of aerobic workout you’re doing to sustain weight loss-oh the plateau. That’s when the Circuit workout comes into play.

 

The Neurology of Aging & Movement Longevity

By: Dr. Emily Splichal, DMP, MS, CES

You have probably read at least a dozen articles advocating the benefits of protecting cognitive function as we age. From exercise to crossword puzzles, there are many ways to keep your brain sharp as you age. But how much do you think about your peripheral nerve health and age?

Our ability to maintain an active lifestyle and participate in the hobbies we enjoy is just as dependent on a strong and healthy peripheral nervous system as it is to cognitive function. In this article we are going to explore the neurology of aging, how it affects all of us, and exactly what we can do keep our peripheral nervous system vibrant and healthy ensuring what I call "movement longevity".

The Nervous System: Comprised of both the Central Nervous System (CNS) (brain & spinal cord) and Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) (nerves & axons), our nervous system is responsible for coordinating voluntary and involuntary actions.

Our PNS is a complex network of spinal nerves and plexuses branching from the spinal cord. Traveling out from the spinal cord, it is the peripheral nerves which are sensitive to stimulation from the palm of our hands to the tips of our toes.

These peripheral nerves are sensitive input signals (afferent signals) which go back up to the CNS. The CNS then processes this input and sends an outgoing., action signal (efferent signal) back down to the PNS resulting in controlled, precise movements.

Movement Accuracy: To improve the accuracy and efficiency of each movement, our neuromuscular system is controlled by both a feed forward and feedback system or loop. Feed forward responses (aka pre-activation responses) are based on previous experiences or muscle activation patterns.  These responses are stored in an area of the brain referred to as the cerebellum – and occur before the completion of the movement. An example of a feed forward response would be activating the ankle stabilizers before foot contact.

Conversely, feedback responses (aka reactive responses) allow our neuromuscular system to adjust to errors, and auto-correct throughout a given movement. An example of a feedback response would be activation of ankle stabilizers when walking on an uneven terrain.

Age & Input Accuracy: Where the concept of neuromuscular control, movement efficiency and aging come together is through the accuracy of input signals as dictated by the peripheral nervous system. The more accurate the information coming in, the more precise our movements will be.

If we imagine someone who is older, we typically picture someone who is more frail and timid in their movements. We may note a delay in the correction of movement errors and often associate this delayed correction with an increased risk in falls.

With falls being one of the biggest concerns as we age, instability and decreased control can often be attributed to an aging peripheral nervous system. So, is there anything that can be done to protect the nervous system as we age so that we can maintain the movement accuracy of our younger years? Or, must we succumb to the inevitable process of an aging neuromuscular system?

The good news is there is absolutely something you can do to protect your peripheral nervous system from the aging process. It is called neuroplasticity through barefoot science. 

To fully understand this concept let's continue exploring the peripheral nervous system specifically as it relates to the plantar foot.

Plantar Proprioceptors: What's unique about the PNS and the foot is this is where the smallest nerve branches exist. Divided into both sensory and motor nerves, studies have shown that 3x as many branches off of the tibial nerve in the lower leg provide sensory function.

The peripheral nerves that have a sensory function to the skin are referred to as cutaneous nerves. In the bottom of our foot they are our plantar cutaneous receptors. These small nerves are responsible for processing information such as texture, skin stretch, vibration, deep pressure and light touch. All of the stimuli which allows us to maintain upright stance, manipulate uneven terrain and absorb impact forces.

Our ability to detect surface compliancy and impact forces is heavily dependent on vibration detection. The importance of this sensory input is demonstrated by the fact that 80% of our plantar  cutaneous receptors are sensitive to vibration!

If we go back to aging and the accuracy of input information for precise and controlled movements, vibration detection is of utmost importance.

How Aging Affects Our Ability to Detect Vibration: Studies have shown that as we age, our ability to detect vibration input is impaired. From decreased receptor density to increased input threshold, by the time we are age 70 our plantar foot requires twice the stimulation to create the same response. This means that we need to do everything we can to ensure accurate vibration input is entering our plantar peripheral proprioceptors.

Footwear & Impaired Vibration Input: One of the greatest inhibitors of vibration input are the shoes we love. Regardless of their fashion and functional benefits, footwear is not a natural feature of our nervous system or environment.

Our nervous system and the bare foot were not designed to decipher impact forces through footwear and cushion. This concept is now readily accepted within the running and minimal footwear industries. What can we do to offset the aging nervous system and maintain movement longevity in the unnatural shod environment in which we live?

Tips for Movement Longevity

Tip #1 – Keep blood sugar under control: Although we typically associated elevated blood sugar levels with diabetes, we can all experience fluctuations in our blood sugar levels (think Ben & Jerry's ice cream).

Elevated glucose in our blood stream is converted to AGEs (advanced glycation end products). The myelin that surrounds our peripheral nerves is sensitive to these AGEs. AGEs cause demyelination, or the destruction of the myelin sheath,  and disrupts signal transport.

The formation of AGEs stimulates an increase in oxidative stress, free radical formation and an increase in our pro-inflammatory markers. Essentially elevated blood sugar levels (even in a non-diabetic) causes aging and degeneration of peripheral nerves (with the foot nerves going first!).

Tip #2 – Consider Nerve Protective Vitamins: When I was in graduate school a big part of my focus was on vitamin supplementation and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Having spent so much time researching this topic I became a firm believer in the benefits of the appropriate vitamins in protecting nerve health as we age.

Everyone can benefit from nerve protective supplements – especially if we consider that elevated blood sugar levels (even in a non-diabetic) can start to damage our peripheral nerve function.

Vitamin #1 – L-Methyl Folate: This is not your mother's folic acid! L-methyl folate is the activated form of folate (folic acid) which has been shown to increase nerve growth factor. When taken over a period of 6 months studies have shown an increase in epidermal nerve fiber density (or in other words more peripheral nerves!). Link to study. Dosage: 1000 ug X 3 times day

Vitamin #2 – Acetyl-L-Carnitine: ALC is another powerful nerve protective supplement. ALC has been shown to decrease painful nerve symptoms, as well as increase vibratory sensation. Remember that we maintain balance and absorb impact forces based on our ability to detect vibration so this is extremely beneficial as age! Dosage: 500mg x 2 times day

Vitamin #3 – R-Lipoic Acid: This is probably my favorite supplement! (Yes I do get that excited over a vitamin). Touted as one of the most powerful anti-oxidants, ALA has been shown to improve micro-circulation to peripheral nerves while decreasing oxidative stress. A key point about ALA is that it must be taken in the R-LA form. "R" form is one that is biologically active (vs. "S" form). Dosage: 600 mg x 1 time day

Tip #3 – Cardiovascular Exercise: Cardiovascular exercise has many benefits, one of which is related to peripheral circulation. The vascular system, just like the nervous system, is very intelligent meaning that if there is a loss in circulation to one area of a muscle the vascular system will create what's called collateral circulation (or in other words form new blood vessels). This is why cardiovascular exercise is beneficial for those with peripheral arterial disease. Just like the collateral circulation formed in muscles, our vascular system can create new micro-vascular pathways to our nerves. The more blood and oxygen to our nerves the healthier they are!

Tip #4 – Myofascial Release (aka, foam rolling): When I have a patient with idiopathic nerve symptoms I often include myofascial work into their recovery program. Our complex network of superficial and deep fascial is intertwined with just as complex of a network of arteries, veins and peripheral nerves.

As our peripheral nerves course from the spine down to the foot it is only inevitable that they may get "stuck" or "sticky" at some point. From muscle adhesions to a loss in fascial flexibility, our inflexibility can often impede nerve conduction. Just like when you sleep on your arm and wake up with it tingling, to a smaller degree this is what's happening to our peripheral nerves when they get caught in fascial tissue.

I often recommend to my patients to release their plantar foot, up the back of the calf to the hamstrings and into the glutes and piriformis. For those with nerve symptoms this should be done daily.

Tip # 5 – Go Barefoot! This one pretty much goes without saying! If our small nerves are on the bottom of the foot we want to keep them sensitive and awake through frequent barefoot stimulation.

Our nervous system is very plastic – which means that it can be shaped, challenged and molded based on the stimuli it encounters. Conversely, if you do not stimulate your peripheral nervous system it will begin to weaken, fade and atrophy.

Whether your barefoot routine includes vibration training, standing on different textures or simply walking around your home – daily barefoot stimulation is enough to keep these small nerves on point! Want to kick it up a notch? Workout barefoot!

Dudeism

Well it happened. 

I am finally an Ordained Dude. 

I can't say I worked very hard at it, but 

with Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski as my mentor, 

I just sort of kicked back and let it happen.

Can you dig this man?

The Ultimate Question

Seth Andrews of The Thinking Athiest wrote 'A Letter of Encouragement' in July, 2014, the text of which can be found here - A Letter of Encouragement.

Kevin Ryan took Seth's narration of this and created a YouTube video. 

The Ultimate Question

I have read and listened to both. I find it very thought provoking and worth at least listening to, and begs the questions... 

Are you your own person, with your own mind and thoughts, or are you someone who follows the well traveled path many have followed before you? 

Do you question things or do you just accept the way things are without asking why? "Why" is the most important question you can continue to ask. Asking for evidence or proof is the most crucial thing you should demand.

Believing in yourself is the best start you can make.

Free college!

 

No Big Bang?

Try wrapping your mind around this one.
This is not a good light reading subject.

No Big Bang

Check your blood pressure

Listening to this can cause you to feel disbelief and agitation.
Do not attempt to control your set, this is real.

Welfare Abuse

Artificial Sweeteners Can Change Your Gut’s Microbiotic Composition

by Sandy Todd Webster

Research:

A new study shows that the widespread use of artificial sweeteners in drinks and food may cause certain gut bacteria to induce glucose intolerance and metabolic disease, both significant markers for obesity and diabetes.

Long promoted as aids to weight loss and diabetes prevention, artificial sweeteners may actually affect the composition and function of your gut’s microorganisms, disturbing their balance and hastening metabolic changes. Published last September in the journal Nature, the study outlines the results of trials conducted on both mice and humans.

Researchers have long puzzled over why noncaloric artificial sweeteners do not seem to assist in weight loss, and some studies have suggested they may even have an opposite effect. Eran Elinav, PhD, et al., in the department of immunology at Weizmann Institute of Science, in Rehovot, Israel, were able to show that artificial sweeteners, even though sugar-free, have a direct effect on the body’s ability to utilize glucose. Glucose intolerance—generally thought to occur when the body cannot cope with large amounts of sugar in the diet—is the first step on the path to metabolic syndrome and adult-onset diabetes.

Following the mouse study, the researchers tested human subjects. As a first step, they looked at data collected from the Personalized Nutrition Project, the largest human trial to date to look at the connection between nutrition and microbiota. Here, they uncovered a significant association linking self-reported consumption of artificial sweeteners, personal configurations of gut bacteria and the propensity for glucose intolerance. They next conducted a controlled experiment, asking a group of volunteers who did not generally eat or drink artificially sweetened foods to consume them for a week and then undergo tests of their glucose levels as well as their gut microbiota composition.

The findings showed that many—but not all—of the volunteers had begun to develop glucose intolerance after just 1 week of artificial-sweetener consumption. The composition of their gut microbiota explained the difference: The researchers discovered two different populations of human gut bacteria: one that induced glucose intolerance when exposed to the sweeteners, the second that had no effect either way. Elinav believes certain bacteria in the guts of those who developed glucose intolerance reacted to the chemical sweeteners by secreting substances that then provoked an inflammatory response similar to sugar overdose, promoting changes in the body’s ability to utilize sugar.

“Our relationship with our own individual mix of gut bacteria is a huge factor in determining how the food we eat affects us. Especially intriguing is the link between use of artificial sweeteners—through the bacteria in our guts—to a tendency to develop the very disorders they were designed to prevent; this calls for reassessment of today’s massive, unsupervised consumption of these substances,” said Elinav.

It's been a rough week...

The Dark Side of Food Labels

by Brendan Hall via The Stack

It can be easy to forget that food is a business. Although some honest companies have your health and well being as a top priority, a large number of companies exist whose one and only goal is to sell you a product. That means they’ll do anything possible to catch your eye and convince you that buying their product is a smart decision.

Food makers often take advantage of labels such as “reduced-fat” or “low-sodium” to trick consumers into believing a product is a healthy choice. But what do these claims really mean? How much fat is reduced? And what other ingredients are taking the place of reduced or eliminated ingredients? STACK took a look at the truth behind these claims to help you see what lies behind the marketing.

Sugar-Free

What it Means: For a product to be labeled sugar-free, it must have under .5 grams of sugar per serving.

Sugar-free products sound awesome—all the sweet taste you love, but without the risk of obesity, tooth decay, diabetes and heart disease that come with sugar. But that’s not exactly how it works. Sugar-free products usually take advantage of artificial sweeteners, which, while not technically sugar, might actually be worse. For one, they’re downright unnatural. Artificial sweeteners are a modern construct, meaning our ancestors never ate them. And just like sugar, artificial sweeteners can be addictive. One study conducted with rats found that they were more easily addicted to saccharin, “an intense calorie-free sweetener,” than to cocaine.

At the end of the day, many sugar-free products' nutritional facts aren’t even much better. For example, compare the normal Tastykake Cream Filled Chocolate Cupcakes to the “sugar-free” variety. Gram for gram, the normal variety only has 28 more calories, but the sugar-free variety is higher in fat (14% of your DV compared to 9%), saturated fat (15% compared to 8%), cholesterol (7% compared to 1%) and sodium (9% to 7%). If sugar-free sweets seem too good to be true, that’s because they are.

Fat-Free, Low-Fat, Reduced-Fat

What it Means: For a product to be labeled fat-free, it must have less than .5 grams of fat per serving. To be labeled low-fat, it must have three grams or less of fat per serving. To be labeled reduced-fat, it must have at least 25% less fat than comparable products.

The appeal of products low in fat or free of fat is easy to understand. On the most basic level, hearing that a food is fat-free may cause you  subconsciously to conclude that it won’t make you obese—a.k.a., “fat.” But this simply isn’t true. Many of these products have nearly the same amount of calories as their "full fat" counterpart, and some are higher in sugar, sodium or other troublesome ingredients. This can be especially problematic since people tend to overeat foods labeled low-fat, believing these foods are lower in calories as well. A Cornell University study found that people ate up to 50 percent more when a package was labeled “low-fat” compared to a package with no such labeling.

Say you’ve bought Breyer’s Fat-Free Strawberry Ice Cream instead of their standard Strawberry Ice Cream. The fat-free version has only 20 fewer calories and a gram less sugar per serving than the standard version, but its ingredient list is four times longer. Those facts alone make it a questionable option, and if you end up overeating (as one tends to do when consuming low-fat or fat-free products), you’re really digging yourself a hole. And it isn’t just sweets with these labels that you should look out for. Cheez-it Reduced-Fat crackers, for example, have 3.4 fewer grams of fat per serving than original Cheez-its, but only 22 fewer calories. Yet they're actually higher in carbohydrates and sodium than the original.

Low-Sodium

What it Means: For a product to be labeled low-sodium, it must contain less than 140 mg per serving.

Many of the same issues that exist with products marketed as “low-fat” exist with products labeled “low sodium.” In the case of salty snacks, such as corn chips, a person is apt to believe that the “low-sodium” version is healthier than it actually is, since the main nutritional complaint about corn chips is that they’re too salty to be healthy.

Much like low-fat items, just because a product has a reduced amount of one ingredient does not mean other troublesome ingredients were reduced as well. Take for example, Tostitos Rounds Torilla Chips. Although the “low-sodium” version is lower in sodium than the standard (albeit only by 60 mg per serving), it still contains the same amount of calories, fat and saturated fat. When those numbers are all fairly high, that’s an issue.

Light, Lite

What it Means: For a product to be labeled as light, it must contain a third fewer calories or 50 percent less fat than comparable regular products.

Light products seem like a no-brainer. They’re usually lower in both calories and fat, and the word “light” (or “lite) alone makes you feel like you’re making a healthier choice. But issues can arise when other ingredients are increased to make “light” products more palatable.
For example, Hidden Valley Light Buttermilk Ranch dressing is much lower in both calories and fat than the non-light version. But if you let your eyes wander to the lower half of the nutrition label, you’ll see that the light version is actually significantly higher in sodium than the non-light version. But when people see that the light version is lower in calories and fat, they might feel free to toss that dressing on everything and anything. When it’s high in sodium and a standard serving size is rather small, that can become an issue.

Made With Whole Grain, Made With Real Fruit

What it Means: Products must include some whole grains or real fruit to make this claim, but not in any specific amount.

Alright! I’m eating something made from real fruit or whole grain! The box told me so! The problem with this thinking is that the product can contain a very small amount of these ingredients and still get away with plastering misleading claims on their packaging. The legality of some of these labels is in under review, as the FDA is slowly making changes to curb this type of false advertising. But since such changes can take an excruciatingly long time, you deserve to know what to watch out for.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest released a statement in 2012 regarding rampant “misleading whole grain claims” on store shelves. “Some food manufacturers making whole grain claims or using words like 'multigrain' on labels are just trying to obscure the fact that the products are mostly made with highly refined white flour,” the release stated. The statement ended by urging the FDA to mandate producers to include the total amount of whole grains (in grams) and the percentage of grains that are whole with vague labels such as “made with whole grain.”

The “made with real fruit” label is guilty of many of the same offenses. Several companies have been hit with lawsuits for misrepresenting the amount of real fruit in their products, but few legal changes have been issued by the courts.

For instance, Pop-Tarts came under attack a few years back for a prominent “real fruit” label on its packaging. Yet today, their website still shows packaging that displays “Baked with Real Fruit!” front and center. A simple look at the ingredients list reveals how little real fruit is in a Pop-Tart. Instead, it’s mostly sugar and high fructose corn syrup. Instead of buying junk food with ambiguous “real fruit” labels when it actually contains almost no real fruit, opt for eating some actual fruit. Crazy idea, right?

With respect to whole grains, the ingredient list is your best friend. Since ingredients must be listed in descending order of volume, a true whole grain product will have certain ingredients listed first. Check out this handy table to see exactly what ingredients you should be looking for.