Ready, Set, Lose Weight

Losing weight — and keeping it off for good — requires both physical and mental preparation. You need to determine a weight-loss plan that you are able to stick with for the long haul. It's not easy, but there are steps you can take to stay motivated.

10 Ways to Get Psyched for Weight Loss

1. Commit. The first step is making a commitment to yourself. Make a commitment and then share that commitment with somebody else. This will make you more accountable to your diet, exercise plan, and weight-loss goals.
   
2. Make a plan. Think about you as a person, as a whole being, and come up with a plan that's going to be best for you. It should be a program that will help you lose weight, but also be easy to stick to. This goes for both diet and exercise.
   
3. Don't wait for the "right time." At one time or another, everyone has determined what they think is the perfect time to start a diet — after the holidays, after vacation, after tomorrow. Now is as good as any.
   
4. Get in the right mindset. Don't fall into an "all-or-nothing" way of thinking. You don't have to give up all decadent foods or exercise strenuously every day of the week. It's about small changes in your lifestyle that you can stick with and that will brings results overtime.
   
5. Be realistic. Think about how your life is right now, and what you can realistically achieve in terms of an exercise and eating plan. That means considering all aspects of your life, including work and family responsibilities. "If you will be traveling for business over the next two months, you probably need to think of a plan to eat in healthy restaurants instead of a stringent plan you would always need to modify.
   
6. Make time for exercise. Fitness is a key component of losing and keeping off weight. It's important to create an exercise plan that's realistic according to your schedule. Think about how much time you're going to have for exercise. Anything that gets you moving in the right direction is a good start. Decide to make physical activity part of every day. All those extra steps add up to pounds lost, and it's even easier when they're steps that you don't really consider exercise — like a walk during lunch hour or hiking in a park on the weekend.
   
7. Figure out what motivates you. Ask yourself questions to figure out what will help you meet your weight-loss goals. For example, "Do you need a workout buddy? A reward at certain goals? How can you incorporate healthy foods that you enjoy? What types of activity don't feel like work to you?" These answers will help you formulate a plan that you can stick with.
   
8. Don't think diet, think life change. Preparing to lose weight isn't about starting a diet, it's about "starting to make healthy adjustments that you're going to fit into your life. Being "on a diet" implies that it will end. To maintain a healthy weight, the diet and exercise changes you make in your life should be permanent.
   
9. Create a network for weight loss. "There's a social network that begins to develop as you start to attend fitness classes. Taking a yoga, aerobics, spinning, or kickboxing class gives you support. Make friends at the gym, or visit online community groups to find individuals with similar weight-loss goals. Not only will losing weight be more fun, but it will also be more effective.
   
10. Use outside resources. There is a wealth of information on the net, do some surfing.
    

It's not about preparing for a diet, but changing your life so that you don't need to diet. Eventually making healthy food choices and getting regular exercise will become a part of your day you don't even have to think about!

Getting Started / Get Moving

Get in the Swim

As exercise goes, swimming offers its own unique set of benefits. Besides providing a good workout for your heart and lungs, water offers constant, gentle pressure on every part of the body, which, in turn, helps improve circulation from the outside in, eases joint and back pain, and increases flexibility and range of motion.

A 2002 study by the American College of Sports Medicine showed that water-based exercises are especially beneficial to those who find it difficult to exercise on land because of pain or physical disability.

Water offers 12 times the resistance of air, so it's an excellent medium for strength training, especially if you add water toys, such as barbells, kickboards, noodles and other equipment. Whether you're 6 months, 6 or 60 years old, swimming is a lifetime fitness activity.

Beginner's 30-minute workout

Like exercising on land, it's important to organize your water workout into three parts: a warm-up, the main set and a cool-down.

For the warm-up, plan to spend five minutes getting your body acclimated and ready by treading water, water jogging in the shallow end or stretching by the side of the pool. Then, swim a few easy laps.

Don't make your first lap your fastest. If you exhaust yourself in the beginning, you'll spend your entire workout catching up.

For your main set, spend 20 minutes doing laps. You can either mix your strokes or concentrate on one. A good stroke to master is the hand-over-hand crawl or freestyle stroke, in which you gently flutter kick and coordinate your hand-over-arm motion so you rhythmically breathe from one side when your head is turned and your opposite arm is forward. Your fastest lap should be toward the end of the main set.

6 Pointers to Lift a Bad Mood

No one can live a long and healthy life without the will to go on; sometimes mood swings can make us feel that life is too much for us.

A bad mood not only gives you a gloomy outlook, it also lowers your immune function, leading the way to illness. Here are some suggestions to lift your mood, your spirit, and your health.

1. A Laughing Matter

"Laugh Therapy," pioneered by Norman Cousins, has turned out to have real substance. Research has discovered that laughter and joy boost immune functions, especially the production of the natural killer cells that help defend the body from illness and cancer.

Laughter also increases the release of endorphins - compounds that give you a sense of well-being - in your brain. Without a doubt, joyful people live longer and healthier lives. So read your favorite comics, watch your favorite comedies, and laugh it up!


2. Hands-On Healing

Human touch increases the production of endorphins, growth hormone, and DHEA, all of which lengthen your life span and lower the negative impact of stress. Studies have found that patients who are regularly touched recover faster than those who are not touched. So give someone a hug and feel both of your moods improve.

3. Boost Your "Youth Hormones"

You don't need pills to flood your body with a rejuvenating flood of growth hormones. Research has found that doing squats and leg presses will greatly increase your natural production of the "youth hormone". Increased growth hormone translates to an elevated mood, among other physical benefits. Keep it up with weight training, knee bends, push-ups, and rowing.

4. Take a Bracing Breath

Breathing correctly is important for dispelling the toxins and wastes from your body; in fact, it is estimated that we expel only about 30 percent of toxins in our bodies through the bowels and bladder-the rest is all respiratory. Breathing is also a great way to clear your mind, boost your energy, and improve your mood. Practice deep, slow, rhythmic, breathing daily with mind-body disciplines such as tai chi, yoga, qigong, self hypnosis and meditation.

5. Smell the Joy

Research has shown that smell has a definite impact on our bodies and minds. When you stimulate the olfactory nerves inside your nose, you activate the limbic system of your brain, which is associated with moods and memory. This concept is instrumental to aromatherapy, a natural health tradition that makes use of the healing powers of plants with strong scents.

Aromatherapy recommends treating depression with jasmine, eucalyptus for exhilaration, and grapefruit to increase alertness and joy. Just put a dab of the essential oils from these plants on your temples, back of your neck, or acupressure points. Another option? Boil the herb in water and inhale the steam through your nose.

6. Feel Fine with Flowers

There is a reason that flowers are the traditional get-well gesture. Colorful flowers have a powerful influence on moods; they can uplift a patient's mood and even combat stress. One study found that during a five-minute typing assignment, people sitting next to a flowering bouquet were more relaxed than those who sat near foliage-only plants.

May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person

Look at the small picture. Con­centrate on just losing 5 pounds at a time. When you lose the first 5, celebrate, then decide if it’s reasonable to lose another 5, and so on. Focusing on a big number can be overwhelming; in bite-size chunks, it will seem more manageable.

Sack sabotaging thoughts. “It’s OK to eat this because I’m celebrating.” “I don’t have time to work out.” Sound familiar? These kind of thoughts can derail your best efforts. When you catch yourself making self-defeating excuses, shoot them down by saying, “If I want to be healthier, thinner, and more energetic, I have to follow my diet-and-exercise plan.”

Ditch that all-or-nothing mentality. Instead of scrapping your program when things get hectic, “Look over your upcoming week and plan how to fit everything in. And remember, five minutes of exercise is better than none.

Plan for curveballs. You’ll be stuck at work late one day and won’t have time to sear fresh fish and steam veggies. “Keep a stash of healthy convenience food so you can grab a protein bar or heat up a low-calorie frozen dinner for busy times.

Five Waist-Slimming Foods for Your Grocery Cart

Rethink: Grapes
Reach for: Raspberries

Grapes are a staple in our house, and I often grab them by the handful, figuring I’m choosing a virtuous snack. While grapes are heart-healthy, I could be getting more nutritional (and hunger-stopping) bang with an equally sweet fruit. Grapes are very low in fiber and vitamins.

But raspberries are a great source of soluble fiber, which helps reduce bad cholesterol and makes you feel full faster—great news for your waistline. Plus, they’re high in antioxidants. When they’re out of season (read: pricey), buy frozen organic raspberries. Thaw them, and they’re perfect for popping in your mouth.

Rethink: Vanilla soy milk
Reach for: Skim milk

My wife turned me on to vanilla soy milk a few years ago, not because she is lactose-intolerant but because it’s divine with cereal. Little did I know, it’s mostly sugar.

Vanilla soy milk is more like a dessert than a substitute for milk or a good source of soy. If you’re not lactose-intolerant choose skim milk, which has a lot of calcium but no fat or sugar. (Even plain soy milk has a little more calories and fat than skim milk.)

If you just can’t break the vanilla-soy-milk habit, Slayton adds, use a little in your coffee rather than in a big bowl of cereal or a smoothie.

Rethink: Vitamin-fortified water
Reach for: Flavored seltzer

I’m not a huge fan of vitamin-fortified water. Vitamin-fortified waters get my award for fooling the most educated consumers. One bottle has more calories and sugar than a can of cola! And the vitamins are negligible, compared with the amount of sugar you’re getting. Replace it with flavored seltzer (zero calories) or a no-cal flavored water (like Hint) that contains no artificial sweeteners or added sugar.

Rethink: Ground turkey
Reach for: Extra-lean ground sirloin

Surprised, right? So was I. Ground turkey has become my go-to good-for-you alternative in meatloaf, meatballs, and burgers. But unless the label reads “lean ground turkey” or “turkey breast,” you’re actually getting a mix of white meat, dark meat, and even some skin, which all add up to 325 calories and 20 grams of fat for a 5-ounce serving.

Compare that to 95 percent lean ground beef, which has 240 calories and 10 grams of fat. Lean beef also supplies a good helping of iron—almost five times more than turkey.

Rethink: Banana chips
Reach for: Dried apricots

Talk about a food that only sounds healthy! I’d assumed that banana chips were virtually guilt-free. But then I found out that most of them are deep-fried, with 220 calories and 15 grams of fat per half-cup—yikes! The same amount of dried apricots, on the other hand, has about 150 calories and less than 1 gram of fat (plus loads of vitamin A). Buy organic and you’ll also avoid sulphites, which can trigger migraines and even disrupt sleep.

How to Make the Perfect Shopping List

Shop unscripted, and not only will you buy the same tired ingredients every week but your money will fly away—and your impulse control will, too. Try my pointers for making a convenient, life-lengthening list.

Make a meal plan
Pick out a few recipes, and you have an instant ingredient list that will rein in impulse buys.

Draw up a master list
Compiling your grocery receipts for four weeks will give you a master list that helps you avoid buying stuff you already have. Keep it on the fridge and mark down what you bought when.

Don’t shop hungry
You’ll eat your way through the store!

Organize aisle by aisle
This time-saver will keep you from zigzagging back and forth in the store.

Write down a rainbow
Choose different colors of fruits and vegetables to guarantee variety.

Stick to the list
Without a list, you’ll fork over 30% more on impulse items.

Smile and enjoy

I got this email from one of my clients and would like to share it with you.

Importance of Walking

Walking 20 minutes can add to your life.
This enables you at 85 years old
to spend an additional 5 months in a nursing
home at $7000 per month.

My grandpa started walking
five miles a day when he was 60..
Now he's 97 years old
and we don't know where he is.

I like long walks,
especially when they are taken
by people who annoy me.

The only reason I would take up walking
is so that I could hear heavy breathing again.

I have to walk early in the morning,
before my brain figures out what I'm doing..

I joined a health club last year,
spent about 400 bucks.
Haven't lost a pound.
Apparently you have to go there.

Every time I hear the dirty word 'exercise',
I wash my mouth out with chocolate.

I do have flabby thighs,
but fortunately my stomach covers them.

The advantage of exercising every day
is so when you die, they'll say,
'Well, he looks good doesn't he.'

I know I got a lot of exercise
the last few years,......
just getting over the hill.

We all get heavier as we get older,
because there's a lot more information in our
heads.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

AND

Every time I start thinking too much
about how I look,
I just find a Happy Hour
and by the time I leave,
I look just fine.

You could run this over to your friends
But just e-mail it to them!

Help Stop Drinking and Driving Free MP3 Download

Is it safe to operate a vehicle with any amount of alcohol in your system even if below the legal limits? No matter how small the amount of alcohol consumed, research has shown there are effects on the body. Don’t worry. I am not going to preach against drinking. Whether someone of legal age drinks or not is none of my business. I am going to talk about drinking and driving though because that might effect me or my family, friends and our community. And it is not just driving cars and motorcycles but also boats, jet skies, bicycles, anything that moves while you are driving under the influence of alcohol.

BECAUSE YOU CANNOT OPERATE EQUIPMENT SAFELY WHEN DRINKING, REGARDLESS OF HOW IT SEEMS AT THE TIME

But still, you might ask, what is wrong with a couple of drinks for the road? The answers may surprise you.

BECAUSE DRINKING AND DRIVING IS AGAINST THE LAW AND IT KILLS

Therefor I have created a FREE MP3 Download from my website, so if you know anyone that this CD may help please give them my link www.terranceb.ca and maybe we can save a life.

An afternoon pick me up

No, its not coffee... In fact, there is no caffeine needed!

Goodbye caffeine…Hello natural pick me up

When your body wants to shut down in the afternoon I drink a large glass of water (dehydration can be a major culprit of lethargic behavior, my doctor recommended 14 glasses a day) and take a few minutes to do this “Afternoon Pick me Up” routine to get my blood pumping and create some natural energy. I finish it off with a healthy, well-balanced, power filled snack. Carrots, veggies juice, apples and peanut butter are some of my favorites.

Next time you’re feeling the energy zap courtesy of 3 p.m. try this upbeat and uplifting quickie workout.

Side to side
This is a great way to get eh heart rate up light cardio gives us a burst of energy. Get some good music on and step to it. Add arms to work upper and lower body.

Step-ups
Whether it is a curb or stairs or just marching, stepping is a great workout for your calves and glutes. When in public if it is one or two levels I always take the stairs. These are a great way to get low impact cardio and work your booty.

Squats
Mini squats warm up the glutes and hip flexors. Keeping our tummy tight will help with balance while working the core. Also a great time to add Kegels. Contract the pelvic floor each time you come up out f the squat, squeeze. If you need support hold on to something to assist with balance.

Side core crunch
Core core core. Every day we need to work the core. The core is the strong center of the body it helps us stay injury free, is beneficial in labor and delivery, and in getting a head start in getting back in shape. Laying down on your side extend legs and arms straight and pull elbow and knee toward each other. .

I also enjoy getting fresh air it is god for the body and brain to breath crisp fresh air. The afternoon is a great time to take five outside and take some deep breaths.

Writing things Down: the Secret to Achieving Anything you Want in your Life!

There is something so powerful about writing things down. Once you write something down you are in control, you own it. The situations below are perfect examples of when you should start jotting!

When you have a jillion thoughts running through your mind

Do you ever have one of those days where you already have tons to do, but new things keep popping into your head anyway? You know what I mean, you are trying to meet deadlines, do laundry, and think three days ahead of time. You keep going and doing but no matter how much you get done you still have more. Then you keep thinking of everything else you need to be doing and it’s hard to complete a task without thinking of a new one to start.

When this starts happening take 3 minutes to chill out. Grab a notepad and a pen and start jotting every little task you can think of down. Even if it’s a small job, write it down. Once you have written something down, you aren’t as likely to keep having it pop into your mind while you are doing something else. You won’t be as overwhelmed or stressed because you know you won’t forget anything. Keep your notepad handy so that if something new comes to mind you can add it to the list. Now you can just concentrate on the task at hand and start checking things off your list.

When you have a specific goal

If you have a specific goal in mind then write that goal down. Also write down any tasks associated with achieving your goal and make them into steps. Now set dates for all your steps to be completed by. You are much more likely to get into action if you have written a plan than if you just had a goal in mind. This is a technique I use all the time. Once you write something down and break it into parts it doesn’t seem as scary as one big goal. You can easily see how tiny steps today lead to huge accomplishments tomorrow!

When you have no clue where to start

Have you ever been in a situation where you had no idea what to do? I know I have. Whenever you are facing a problem or task that you feel is out of your control sit down with whatever information you do know about the subject. For instance, if your finances are out of control and you don’t know where you stand on your bills and debts; sit down with your paperwork. Grab all of your bills, bank statements, and other financial records and list everything on a piece of paper. Even if you are in a pretty deep hole, you now know where you stand. You now have the power to do what you need to do to change your situation. This works for everything in your life: nutrition, fitness, dating, relationships, finances, organizing, career change, goal setting, etc.

Grab some paper and a pen and start taking control your life and changing it for the better!

Starting 2009 Right!

Let’s face it. Now is the time of year that you want to kick that calorie burn into high gear. We are neck deep in the holiday festivities, so we are all looking to get our metabolisms roaring, right? So how do you know what exercises and activities are going to give you the biggest bang for your calorie-burn buck?

I have put together a list of various activities to give you an idea of how each affects your burn. Sitting still (aka at rest), most people expend roughly 1-2 calories per minute, depending on your body weight, sex, etc. I have included both activities that burn a lot of calories, and also a separate chart that shows activities that don’t burn very many.

Use these charts as references so that you can get moving this season and burn off those extra goodies here and there that you want to enjoy along the way.

Note: This chart is based on a 150-pound woman. Men and women weighing over 150 pounds will burn more calories during the same activities, and those that weigh less will burn less.

HIGH BURN ACTIVITIES CALS BURNED IN 30 MIN.

aerobics: low impact 170
aerobics: high impact 238
elliptical trainer: general 213
calisthenics: vigorous, jumping jacks, push-ups, sit-ups, pullups 272
weight lifting: light/moderate 108
weight lifting: vigorous 207
running: 6.7 mph (9 min/mile) 374
walk: 4 mph (15 min/mi) 170
stretching: mild, hatha yoga 85
ice skating: moderate intensity 238
sledding, toboggan, bobsled 238
skiing/snowboarding: downhill, moderate effort 204
operating a snow blower: walking 153
shoveling snow: by hand 238
vacuuming 119
cleaning house: general, light 87
decorating Christmas tree 85
food shopping: with cart 78
christmas shopping 78
playing w/kids: moderate effort 153
baking and food preparation 136
Unloading car 102

LOW BURN ACTIVITIES CALS BURNED IN 30 MIN.

reading: sitting 44
standing in line: light, holding items 68
sitting, watching TV 34
writing Christmas cards 61
wrapping gifts 51
socializing, standing 61
playing cards 51

Source: http://www.caloriesperhour.com

Now do you see what a difference a little extra movement can make?

I hope this helps to give you the incentive to get out and move this holiday season. An exercise like this truly gives vacuuming or shoveling snow a whole new light, doesn’t it! Happy New Year