A Green and Healthy Lifestyle

Times are tougher than ever. Money is tighter than it has been. These are all the more reasons to go green.

True, it's good for the planet, but did you know it can also save you a huge amount of money down the road? Shaklee Get Clean® products offers you safe, powerful, and budget-friendly cleaning solutions that can help you and your family live happier, healthier lives. Here are a few back-to-basics tips to help get you going:

LESS IS BEST

• It's a simple equation Use Less = Spend Less! You pay less per use with concentrated cleaners. In fact, you'd have to spend more than $3,400 on major-brand cleaners to get the equivalent cleaning power found in the Get Clean Starter Kit.
  
• A 16 oz. bottle of Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate alone can make:
  
  
  • 214 bottles of ready-to-use all-purpose cleaner
    
  • The equivalent of more than 5,000 bottles of ready-to-use window cleaner
    
  • 36 bottles of ready-to-use degreaser
    
• Visit your local library. Take the kids on a Saturday, have them pick out 2 of their favorite books, and return them next week! It's free and it's green.
  
• Carpool! If your drive to work is 25 miles each way and at least half is stop-and-go traffic, you'll save almost 10 percent of your monthly carbon emissions by carpooling. Not to mention the gas dollars you'll save.
  

CONSERVE ENERGY

• Run your dishwasher. It can actually help the environment while saving you time and preserving your manicure! Many studies show that dishwashers actually use less water than dishes by hand and you can save a ton of water, energy and money by only running the dishwasher when it's full—especially if it's Energy Star-approved.
  
• Throw in a concentrated, phosphate-free detergent such as Automatic Dish Wash Concentrate
  that is so powerful a pre-rinse isn't required, and you earn extra eco-warrior points!
  
• Use Rechargeable Batteries. Investing in rechargeable batteries can save you some money over time. In general, the less you rely on single-use, disposable items, the less money you'll burn through.
  
• Check Out the New CFLs. CFL bulbs use 80% less energy than standard incandescent light bulbs, and last up six to 10 times longer. You might not be aware of the newest designs from cutting-edge manufacturers, including a new range of pleasant color temperatures, dimmable CFLs, bug lights, 3-way models, candelabra and flicker tip styles and more.
  
• Turn Off Your Computer - Save energy, wear on your hardware and an average of $90 each year on electricity costs by shutting down your computer at night. The Department of Energy recommends shutting off your monitor if you aren't going to use it for more than 20 minutes, and the whole system if you're not going to use it for more than two hours.

PRESERVE THE EARTH

• Bulk shopping is good for the environment because it reduces packaging and waste plus it means fewer trips to the market and less gas used so you save money.
  
• Save money and the planet, ounce by ounce with both Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate and Fresh Laundry Liquid Concentrate available in 64 oz. sizes.
  
• Jettison Junk Mail - Around 100 million trees and 28 billion gallons of water are used to send junk mail to Americans every year, according to greendimes.com. You can stop 75% of unsolicited mail by registering on the Mail Preference Service on the Direct Marketing Association website (for a fee of $1).
  
• Stop Idling - Idling for more than 10 seconds wastes more gas than is needed for startup. Overall, Americans idle away 2.9 billion gallons of gas a year, worth around $78.2 billion.

RECYCLE & REUSE

• Rather than going through rolls of paper towels, cut up old t-shirts and towels for cleaning rags. If DIY isn't your cup of tea, try Shaklee Super Microfiber Cleaning and Window Cloths. They are ridiculously absorbent and can be washed and reused hundreds of times.
  
• Ditch bottled water! The cost adds up and the bottles pile up in landfills to pollute our planet. Save big bucks and keep waste out of the landfills by switching to filtered water. The BestWater® PerfectPitcher® is NSF-certified and serves up delicious, clean water that can be poured into a glass to be enjoyed at home, or a portable, reusable water bottle if you're on the go.
  
• Washing out and using plastic storage bags can save more than $5 a week!

Shop for all products.

Twitter can be a great tool to use to build your online audience. Twitter can also be an incredible black hole for your time. How can you make Twitter work for you?

Of course the first step is to sign up for an account. You can go to http://twitter.com and get started. This is the easy part. There are only a few requirements to include – after all the concept is based on micro-blogging where you only send out messages of 140 characters or less.

You can personalize your Twitter profile and you should do this to make yourself stand out. When visitors see a plain page, it shows a lack of interest in making this powerful internet tool work for you. Be creative and personal. People want to interact with people, not impersonal companies or worse yet spammers. Upload a good photo, one that gets people's attention so they know who they are talking with.

The Twitter internet interface provides you with all of the functions that you need to start you out on your Twitter journey. Try it out. See what works for you.

Then if you want to use a more powerful platform, check these out:

• HootSuite – http://hootsuite.com where you can organize your Twitter life in an amazing format. It may take awhile to figure it all out, but it is worth the effort if you are serious.
  
• Tweetdeck – http://tweetdeck.com which is similar to HootSuite in the functions offered. Either one can work out for you.
  
• Twillow – http://twellow.com can also provide you with a similar set of tools. But this platform is great for finding others with similar interests as you. Twillow also allows you to provide a much longer biography and that can be useful to present yourself to the Twitter world.
  

There are many other programs that can useful and over time you will want to check them out. One hint is to check out the source mentioned on other Tweeters Tweets showing what they are using. If one is showing up a lot in your communications it is a good sign that it is worthwhile.

After you become familiar with what you are doing, a great tool is the e-book titled "How to Become a Twitter Expert in 24 Hours 3.0" which you can find at http://leftmark2.dsmpub1.hop.clickbank.net. This resource gives you so much information that it will take more than 24 hours, trust me. But in the first day after starting to use this handy report my I gained almost 50 followers! And they were well qualified, not just spamming bots. I can't recommend this one highly enough.

I also found the Klout score showing up on HootSuite to be an interesting measure of how others are measured in the Twitter world. You can see more information at http://klout.com. See how you measure up.

Now time to get busy. No free lunch here, but judging by the success of others Twitter can be a good tool for you to use to build any online business. Internet marketing can be fun!

Good luck.

Clinically tested† and specially formulated to help you break the diet cycle so you:

• keep muscle you have

• burn fat you don't need

• lose inches you don't want

1. The Real Deal

With the Cinch Inch Loss Plan, which includes a regimen of protein-packed shakes and energy-boosting teas, you will lose inches and pounds. Period. Our medical doctors, nutritionists, and scientists have drawn on years of sports and nutrition science to develop a plan that works. In fact, those who participated in our clinical study lost an average of 16.3 pounds of fat, 4.1 inches from their waists, and 2.6 inches from their hips over a 12-week period.†

2. Easy on Your Wallet

Why pay for calorie-rich fast food that can add more inches to your waist when you could have a tasty, wholesome, protein-rich Cinch meal replacement for a fraction of the cost?

** Comparison conducted February 24 (McDonald's), February 25 (Starbucks), and March 11 (Subway), 2009, and is valid only for the named products marketed at that time.
‡ Based on Shaklee Member price for Cinch Shake Mix.
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

3. One Word: Leucine

Our tasty Cinch shakes, Meal-in-a-Bars, and snacks are Powered by Leucine™, a muscle-retaining amino acid that helps you keep muscle while you lose fat and inches. Why are muscles important? Muscle = Metabolism. This translates into more calories burned and fewer inches on your waist. Good? Yes! It's the key to long-term success. In fact, those who were tested in a clinical study lost fat, pounds, and inches while retaining 100% of their lean muscle mass.†

4. Pleases Taste Buds, Satisfies Hunger

Not only do Cinch products taste great, they're packed with protein so you feel full and not deprived. More than 90% of participants in a study reported that their energy levels were either "very good" or "great" while on the Cinch Inch Loss Plan.† The program provides loads of nutrition and includes our Cinch 3-in-1 Boost™, which helps reduce cravings by retaining normal blood-sugar levels, and two flavors of Cinch Energy Tea mix to help keep you feeling great all day long.*

5. Packed with Goodies—And Then Some

Every Cinch shake and Meal-in-a-Bar is high in protein and provides a healthy serving of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. When mixed as directed, our shakes—available in four great flavors: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and café latte—deliver 24 grams of protein per serving while each Meal-in-a-Bar contains 20 grams. Choose from Berry Almond Crunch or Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip. Many people continue to use the shakes, bars, and the tea mix after they lose weight simply because they enjoy the great taste.

6. Grab and Go

On the go? Crazy schedule? Back-to-back meetings? No more excuses. Just throw a Cinch tea stick, Meal-in-a-Bar, or one of our convenient single-serve shake packets in your briefcase, purse, or gym bag and enjoy when you want.

7. Thank Yourself Now—And in the Long Run

Being overweight not only makes you feel bad, but can compromise wellness. Cinch to the rescue with leucine-enhanced protein-powering results. Join the thousands who have lost weight using the Cinch Inch Loss Plan, including Matt (pictured at right). Log on to CinchClub.com to see our monthly success stories. Is your Cinch success story just waiting to be told?

8. We've Got Your Back, 24/7

Cinch provides all the tools you need to reach a healthy weight. When you log on to CinchClub.com, you'll find an online community message board where you can meet, greet, and share your Cinch experience with others already using the plan. Or you can browse meal plans and recipes to help you make the right food choices; access Cinch University—a 12-week educational series to help you better understand all the factors that influence your weight; and read articles on topics of nutrition, fitness, and more to help you reach your goals. Plus, each Cinch Starter Kit comes with a Cinch Program Guide, designed to help you get started on the Plan; our CinchCoach software program, which provides you with individualized meal plans, as well as weight-and inch-loss tracking tools; and many other features designed to enhance your success.

9. Say Hello to a New You

Get used to all the attention. People will notice a difference—you will too. Once you lose the weight on the Cinch Plan, you'll not only be healthier, you'll look and feel great.

10. Don't Like It? Don't Pay for It.

With our 100% money-back guarantee, you have nothing to lose except the inches. And everything to gain in a whole new life.

It is Sunday night. It is raining in LA. Tomorrow morning I get to go to my day job at one of the big movie studios here in town. But is that the crowd I want to spend all of my working hours with?

For most of us who work in corporate America – or in a small business – find ourselves dealing with all kinds of people every day. Some are great, fun, interesting, and make it worthwhile showing up. Others are just fine, but not exactly the people that I would be hanging out with outside of work. And then there is a select few that I just don't care to see every day. I don't think I am unique. (Of course there is always the potential that I might be a person someone else doesn't want to see tomorrow morning…)

If you start your own business, whether it is a Shaklee business or any other, one of the best benefits is that you get to choose who you work with. Think of what that can mean. You have the opportunity to surround yourself with people that you enjoy seeing. They will probably have the same outlook on life as you. So instead of having to work with people that someone else chose, you get to work with one of the best teams around: one that you put together!

It is well known that a positive outlook can have a physical impact on your health. So if you surround yourself with positive, can-do individuals not only will you enjoy your work but you will be doing your health a favor.

Any successful sales person knows that the odds are against them. For every person that is contacted the majority are not going to be interested. Or they don't have the time. Or something else is more important at that moment. Or maybe they are having a bad day and you are just the one person they don't want to hear from next.

So how do you handle the rejection?

First remember that it probably isn't personal. They just aren't interested for many possible reasons and it rarely has anything to do with you or the message you want to share with them.

You don't need 100% of the people you contact to sign on to be successful. If you get 1 out of 10 it will probably be a good day. The great days are when you get 25% positive responses.

And keep it in perspective. You want to share the great Shaklee products with everyone. And some people will want to be your best customers. The ones that decide they want to work with you to build their own business are going to be the most valuable to you. No matter which category the customer falls into they are both important to your success.

So when you hear a no, remember that there are plenty of other potential customers and business partners out there. Make another phone call. Send another post card. Post another flyer. Send another email. Post another message on an online message board. Put another ad up on Craigslist.org.

It is always easy to give other people advice. But if you want to be a success remember that it only comes with a lot of hard work. Shaklee can give a lot of the tools but no one can do the work for you.

Good luck!