Empowerment!

em·pow·er  (m-pour)

tr.v. em·pow·ered, em·pow·er·ing, em·pow·ers

1. To invest with power, especially legal power or official authority. See Synonyms at authorize.

2. To equip or supply with an ability; enable: "Computers ... empower students to become intellectual explorers"(Edward B. Fiske).

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em·power·ment n.

Usage Note: Although it is a contemporary buzzword, the word empower is not new, having arisen in the mid-17th century with the legalistic meaning "to invest with authority, authorize." Shortly thereafter it began to be used with an infinitive in a more general way meaning "to enable or permit." Both of these uses survive today but have been overpowered by the word's use in politics and pop psychology. Its modern use originated in the civil rights movement, which sought political empowerment for its followers. The word was then taken up by the women's movement, and its appeal has not flagged. Since people of all political persuasions have a need for a word that makes their constituents feel that they are or are about to become more in control of their destinies, empower has been adopted by conservatives as well as social reformers. It has even migrated out of the political arena into other fields. · The Usage Panel has some misgivings about this recent broadening of usage. For the Panelists, the acceptability of the verb empower depends on the context. Eighty percent approve of the example We want to empower ordinary citizens. But in contexts that are not political the Panel is markedly less enthusiastic. The sentence Hunger and greed and then sexual zeal are felt by some to be stages of experience that empower the individual garners approval from only 33 percent of the Panelists. The Panel may frown on this kind of psychological empowering because it resonates of the self-help movement, which is notorious for trendy coinages.


empowerment [ɪmˈpaʊəmənt]

n

1. the giving or delegation of power or authority; authorization

2. the giving of an ability; enablement or permission

3. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (in South Africa) a policy of providing special opportunities in employment, training, etc. for Blacks and others disadvantaged under apartheid

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

The above have been copied and pasted from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/empowerment

I have realised in the last couple of days how important empowerment is when you are on a healthy eating plan, to loose weight.  Why have I come to this conclusion?  I went out last night to meet up with friends at my local, and I always end up having far to much to drink, which affects my weight loss.  Last night I gave myself permission not to drink alcohol and drunk diet coke instead and which left me enough syns (part of the slimming world plan) to have a packet of Quavers instead.

This afternoon I went to the gym and had a really good session, and did 1.1km on the cross trainer (in 20 mins), followed by weights and then in 10 mins on the treadmill I did 1.05k.  I then went for a swim and managed 24 lengths today.  My fitness level is improving and I am now looking forward to doing the race for life tomorrow and I might even go for a swim afterwards.

He who is not everyday conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.

~ Maria Robinson

 

You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.

~ Sri Ram

The mind is everything. What you think, you become.

~ Buddha

These are all so true, please take time to consider them when you are trying to loose weight!