Thank You For Visiting Our Blog, FEEL BETTER AND LIVE LONGER!

The purpose of our blog is to share what we have learned about nutrition, weight loss, fitness, and health, in order to help you find ways to feel better and live longer. It is amazing how much our diet and lifestyle affect our health and well-being.

Did you know that you can reduce your risk and even prevent many diseases and health conditions simply by making some changes to your diet? Check back often for valuable tips and information.

HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT & KEEP IT OFF:

For the first time in my life I have found weight loss success. During my adult life I have tried dozens and dozens of so-called "diets" and none of them worked over the long-haul. Oh, I was able to lose weight with some of them, but once I went off of the "diet" I quickly gained back all of my weight (plus some).

I have finally learned that losing weight has to be a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix. Crash diets and all the other crazy diets will not only cause you to fail, they are harmful to your health. To lose weight and keep it off you must NOT go on a "diet." What? Why? Because we all consider a "diet" a temporary thing. For example, how many times have you said, "Oh, I will go on this low-fat diet until I lose 20 pounds." Okay, what happens after you lose the 20 pounds? Or you simply give up? You go back to your old habits and gain that 20 pounds back.

The only way you will ever be successful at losing weight, with the added benefit of improving your health, is to make healthy changes that you can live with for the rest of your life. Period. Not for a week, a month or 3 months, but for life. For me, my initial goal was to lower my cholesterol level. I had to have a blood test for my insurance coverage and my cholesterol level had to be lower than the previous year's levels or I would have to pay a much higher premium. Well, that was a pretty good incentive for me make some positive changes.

I sat down and figured out what I needed to do. I knew I had to change the way I ate and I knew I had to exercise in some form or other every day. So, I made a list and I stuck to it. It was difficult at first. To make matters worse, I am a compulsive eater. However, as the days went by, it became much easier because my body stopped craving sweets and processed foods. For the first time in my life, I was never tempted to binge because I never felt deprived.

Use the list below and make whatever changes you need to make in order for it to work for you. FYI, my cholesterol level dropped 65 points after 7 weeks, and my triglycerides dropped 70 points! Another benefit that I hadn't planned on was that after being an insomniac since my teen-age years, I now sleep like a baby every night!

MY LIST FOR WEIGHT LOSS SUCESS:

1. Avoid "white" Foods & Processed Foods. These foods have no nutritional value and are "empty" calories. Sweets, anything made with white flour,and anything that comes in a package with a long list of ingredients. Always read the food labels. Stay away from those long lists of ingredients. The longer the list, the more chemicals and additives are present. These are extremely toxic to your body.

2. Drink Lots of Water. Water keeps your body's organs hydrated and flushes out unhealthy toxins. It helps to fill you up and reduces your urge to over-eat.

3. Eat a Healthy Breakfast. Instead of coffee and donuts, try fruit, yogurt, grains like oatmeal or whole grain toast, and lean protein. NEVER skip breakfast. By eating a large, healthy meal when you get up in the morning, your metabolism will "rev up" and you will not be hungry by mid-morning. If you skip breakfast, your body will go into starvation mode and store calories in your body as FAT, yes FAT! So do yourself a big favor and eat breakfast.

4. Reduce Your Stress Level. So many of us live with too much stress. Stress lowers your immune system, making it easier to get sick. It also makes us lethargic, tired, and depressed. There are a lot of simple things you can do and a lot of ways to feel better about yourself and your life. Take a long, hot bath, read a book, listen to music, get a massage. Do something nice for yourself. Giving yourself something to look forward to is a tremendous mental incentive.

5. Move! Oh my gosh! There are so many ways to incorporate movement into your day, even at work. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Get up every hour and walk around your floor, your hallway or your desk. Park your car in the farthest space from where you need to be. Walk or bike to work. Skate, dance, golf, jump rope, clean house, play tag. The best exercise you can do is to walk. Try to take a walk every day! The more you move, the more your metabolism will be your friend. (I walk 3 miles every day whether it is raining, snowing or freezing.)

Happiness Is

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How would you finish this sentence? Happiness is……………………….


Are you sitting around waiting for a big ball of happiness to fall on your lap? What exactly is it you are waiting for? Do you think happiness is a magical gift that will be bestowed upon you when you make a million dollars or find the perfect partner? 

Happiness is not something you sit around and wait for. Happiness and joy can come into your life every day by making changes to your attitude, your expectations, and your “happiness” meter. Here are some ways to create happiness and joy in your life:

1.  When you awaken in the morning, say a prayer of thanks that you are alive and able to meet the new day. Envision all the wonderful experiences you will have. If you have problems that need to be solved, visualize yourself finding positive solutions for them. Start your day with a big smile!

2.  Smile. No, you don’t need to be having a conversation with someone or reading a funny joke or watching a funny movie. Just smile. Try it. Mean it. Take a deep breath. Admit it. You feel better. 

3.  Now, go out for a walk, or to the grocery, or sit on your porch. Smile and say hello to everyone you see. This small gesture can mean the world to someone else. It means you care enough to acknowledge them. For some, that is all the attention they may ever receive and it will make them smile in return.

4.  Give thanks. How many things in your life are you grateful for? Make a list. Your list will probably be longer than you thought possible. The number one item on your list should be YOU and your life. How long is YOUR list?

5.  Create something wonderful in your kitchen with your kids or grandkids. Try a new recipe. If it doesn’t turn out well, try something else. Make cookies or cupcakes and decorate them.  Eat them warm. Yum!

6.  Listen to your favorite music or music that you enjoyed as a child. Listen in your car, while you are taking a walk, lying in bed or relaxing in your favorite easy chair. If you’re alone, crank it up. If not, put your headphones on. Get up and dance or close your eyes and enjoy.

7.  Clean out your closets and take the clothes to your local Goodwill or Salvation Army outlet. You will be doing something good for yourself and for others. While you’re at it, have your kids clean out their toy boxes and donate their unwanted and unused toys. Donating toys during the Christmas season is a wonderful thing to do. 

8.  Do something fun, something that makes you laugh with delight or something you did and loved as a child. Roller skating, riding a bike, running along a beach, hunting for pretty rocks, playing tag with your kids, building a snowman, going out for ice cream, or whatever you can imagine.

9.  Get out your photo albums and look through them. How long has it been since you have done that or have you ever done that? Seeing old photos of your parents and pictures of your children as they grow up is a wonderful way to relive happy memories.

10. Take a walk. Go to the park, walk along a river, or walk around your neighborhood and absorb the wonder and splendor of the season. Breathe deeply of the air. Give thanks for being able to appreciate the beauty that surrounds you.

11. Change your attitude. Every time you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts, turn them around to positive thoughts. Immediately! Get in the habit. Negativity is hazardous to your health. NEVER let it run your life. The more positive energy you send out in the world, the more comes back to you. Don’t ever forget that.

12. You are in charge of your life. If changes need to be made in your life, only you have the power to make those changes. Never expect others to improve your life. Only you can do that.

13. Surround yourself with beauty. Fill your living space with colors, scents and personal items that make you feel happy and peaceful. Do you like bright colors? Paint your bedroom in your favorite color. Do you like scented candles? Put them where you can enjoy their smell frequently. Do you like to read? Fill your space with books.

Happiness does not come from "things." It does not come from external circumstances. It comes from within each of us. You have the power to change your life. Learning how to use this power may require a shift in your attitude and your expectations but it is a power that all of us possess.


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