Special Speech

You see the razor-thin models gracing the covers of magazines…you watch actors and actresses on the big screen who seem to never gain a pound. And you wonder: How do I differ from them? You may be surprised to learn that a number of famous people at one time had difficulty maintaining a healthy weight. But they were able to conquer their problem, thanks to a new-and-improved, healthy view of eating.

You may not realize it, but there is a certain psychology at work in successful weight loss. It is no surprise, then, that the magazine Psychology Today has explored the issue in-depth. In October of 2004, the magazine posted an article on its website detailing the experiences of Diane Berry, a nurse practitioner who studied women who had shed at least 15 pounds and had maintained their weight loss for an average of seven years.

The women shared some important things in common. For instance, they all achieved their weight loss through either Weight Watchers or TOPS, which meant that they had a firm support network as they tried to maintain their weight. The group meetings were highly important, because they learned to recognize that they were certainly not alone in their struggles with weight. The women were also quite unusual because up to 90 percent of individuals who have lost weight end up putting it back on within five years.

Another common trait of these women is that they appeared to undergo a profound mood shift as they made the transition from fat to thin. From all indications, they appeared to be depressed when they were heavy but, as they attempted to lose weight, their mood brightened.

For these women, healthy eating became a habita habit they refused to break. They themselves recognized the tremendous role that psychology plays in weight loss. They refused to give in to negative feelings of frustration and denial and chose a positive path instead. The women also made it a point to weigh themselves regularly so that they could chart their progress.

And they recognized that maintaining weight loss would be a lifetime struggle. They knew that they could not attempt a weight loss program then put it back on the shelf. They had to learn new eating patterns that they could continue week in and week out. In some cases, they likened their struggle to that of an alcoholic. In other words, they recognized the gravity of their problem and took steps to correct the situation.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of these women’s experiences was the fact that their weight loss actually came in spurts. At times, they regained their weight, but they did not let that deter them from their final goal. They simply viewed their setbacks as challenges that they needed to overcome. This may be the key psychological trait that separates successful dieters from unsuccessful onesperseverance. In essence, these women were able to change their personalities in a positive way in order to achieve their long-term weight loss goals.

Another interesting aspect of this study was that it showed that the women who had undergone weight loss transformation were genuinely happy. This shows the tremendous psychological impact that weight loss can have on an individual. Once an individual is free from the burden of extra weight, he or she is better able to meet the challenges of life head-on. The dieter benefits from positive reinforcement, as relatives, friends, and co-workers congratulate him or her for the weight loss. In this way, losing weight can be quite a life-affirming experience and can lead to a more optimistic outlook on life.

It must be noted here that the psychology of weight loss is a complicated matter. There is no single ingredient that can turn a fat person into a thin one. However, recognizing that there is a psychological component to successful weight loss may, in fact, be half the battle. Once an individual recognizes that he or she is engaged in a psychological fight, he or she is better able to do battle. By retraining oneself to seek healthy approaches to diet, one can, in effect, mold oneself into a new individualone that no longer lives to eat, but simply eats to live.

Steve Hall is the owner of www.your-official-guide.com, your one-stop location for getting the information you are looking for on a wide ranging and ever-growing list of subjects.

Year-End Fundraising Letter Appeals: 10 Tips to Give Them a
Boost.

If your non-profit organization is like many others, you receive
half or more or your contributed income at the end of the year
as part of what used to be called the “Christmas Appeal.” In
recent years it has come to be known as, in politically correct
North America at least, the “Year-End Appeal” or “Seasonal
Appeal.”Which means your year-end appeal letter can make or
break your year, financially speaking. Here are some tips on how
to craft a winning year-end fundraising letter appeal
package.

1. Keep it simple

One non-profit ministry that I shall not name mailed their
year-end appeal letter in a poly bag along with their donor
newsletter. They had been late in getting their newsletter in
the mail and so, to save on postage, they mailed it along with
the seasonal appeal letter. The campaign bombed, and bombed big.
Donors, as far as we could tell, read the full-colour newsletter
and ignored the letter that came with it. So my advice is this:
keep your year-end appeal simple and focused on one goal:
securing a year-end donation.

2. Be creative

You will be competing with other organizations in the
mailbox. Every charity sends an appeal at Christmas. So stand
out by mailing something creative. When I worked with Doctors
Without Borders as their fundraising letter writer, they mailed
a Christmas card to donors that donors then signed and returned
to the organization with their gift. Doctors Without Borders
forwarded the card to a volunteer doctor or nurse who was
serving overseas, and whose name was on the card. The cards were
greatly appreciated by the volunteers (many of whom were
homesick at that time of year). The cards also involved donors
in a way that warmed their hearts and motivated them to
contribute.

3. Look back with thanksgiving

Use your year-end appeal fundraising letter as a way to
thank donors for their support during the past year. Don’t list
the names of every staff person you hired or promoted, or go on
at length about happenings at head office. Instead, tell at
least one heart-warming or compelling story that illustrates in
vivid terms how your donors’ gifts changed lives. Use quotes
from the people that you serve wherever possible. They add
credibility and human interest to your letter.

4. Look
ahead with anticipation

Also use this Christmas appeal letter to present your vision
for the coming year. Show donors how their gift this “Holiday
Season” will make a difference next year for your organization
and the people you serve.

5. Use a seasonal theme

Try to tie your appeal to the season. Giving, presents,
exchanging greetings, snow, “goodwill toward man” and other
themes are popular at Christmastime. If you can tie your appeal
to an emotion or sentiment that is already prevalent at the end
of the year, and do so in a relevant way without being overly
sentimental, do so.

6. Accentuate the positive

Please don’t appeal for donors to get your books out of the
red and into the black. If you have a negative cash flow at
year-end, don’t ask donors to correct it. They will see your
predicament as your fault. Donors are not motivated to eliminate
debt (unless it’s Third World debt). But they are motivated to
change the world through a gift to your organization. So present
your appeal as an opportunity for the donor rather than a rescue
operation for your chief financial officer.

7. A special
word for Christian charities

Avoid the “God gave us an unspeakable Gift and so should
you” approach in your Christmas appeal letter. Instead, show in
concrete terms how you will use a donor’s gift to further the
work that your Christian donors care about, using a biblical
theme if possible.

©2005Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and
in print provided the links remain live and the content remains
unaltered (including the “About the author” message).

DNA testing in its widest context can represent a number of different techniques and protocols, all aimed at providing information about the genetic make-up of an individual. For example, some of the most common applications of DNA testing include:

• Paternity Testing - DNA testing can be used to virtually prove if an alleged male is the biological father of a child where the mother is known.

• Forensic Testing - DNA testing is widely used in the forensic community to place criminals at scenes of crime, or to demonstrate contact between two individuals, where DNA containing material such as blood, semen or saliva has been transferred.

• Genealogical Testing - DNA testing is used to trace or to confirm relationships with ancestors that may or may not be alive today. Furthermore genetic lineage can be followed through generations, by looking at the degree of commonality or variation between the DNA of one individual and a biological relative.

• Species Identification - DNA testing is now routinely being used to help identify the source of material confiscated by the authorities. The usual request is confined to species identification.

Of all the various uses, of which there are many more, the most commonly used and often misunderstood application is that to Paternity testing. DNA Paternity testing is only about 15 years old, and makes use of the fact that an individuals DNA is derived from each of the parents, fifty percent coming from each parent. Therefore if the DNA of the child is analysed alongside the mothers, it follows through that any DNA present within the child that does not come from the mother must come from the Father. This inheritance pattern allows us to compare the unaccounted for DNA in the child against putative Fathers.

If a suggested males DNA profile does not match the additional bands present within the child, there can be no doubt, given the test has been carried out under strict laboratory processes, that the male can not be the biological father of the child. However if there is a match between the DNA from the male and the DNA from the child, the degree of match needs to be evaluated, before any conclusions can be drawn. This degree of match of the outcome (inclusion) is measured in a figure known as the paternity index (PI), and is often expressed as a percentage certainty.

Irrespective of the type of DNA testing you would like, done, there are some fundamental standards that your testing company should adhere to. These include a strong quality ethos, supported by an externally accredited scientific process. Duplication of any reported results is a must, and if the results are to be used in a court of law, there are additional safeguards that are required. Make sure all of this is clarified before you commission any DNA testing work.

Peter Vine is a successful online publisher of Home-DNA-Test-Expert.com
He provides practical advice and the latest information on all aspects of a DNA Paternity Test, which you can readily research on his website. Don’t forget to pick up your Free DNA testing kit while your at the site.