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

Common-Sense Strategies to Long-Term Weight Loss For 2009

The New Year is here. During the holidays you probably indulged in turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie and many other tempting goodies. Now you step on the scale and much to your dismay, you've gained a few pounds in addition to the extra weight you may have already accumulated throughout the year. How can you make this the year to slim down and keep the weight off for good? Researchers say losing just five to 10 percent of your excess body weight can make a big difference in your health, including lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk for diabetes. So where do you start?Here are some common-sense strategies to lead you on the way to long-term weight loss.

Eat smaller meals throughout the day rather than a few big ones. The human body needs food about every three hours. So you should have a snack every two to three hours to ward off hunger. I recommend snacks that include a high-quality protein and carbohydrates, such as low-fat yogurt and fruit, a smoothie, or soy cheese and a pear.

Snacks are an important part of a healthful eating plan. A snack will help keep you from overeating [at mealtime], and it helps to curb your appetite. Other suggestions for snacks include graham crackers, low-fat popcorn, vegetables with low-fat dip, and whole-grain crackers.

Exercise regularly doing something you enjoy. In order to burn more than you take in, you need to exercise. It increases your metabolism so even when you're at rest, you'll be burning more calories. Regular aerobic physical activity (such as walking, biking or swimming) for at least 20-30 minutes a day, three to five times a week. If you're a beginner, you can start slowly, but the more you can add to the duration, the better. Ideally, you should try to exercise 30-45 minutes, five days a week.

In particular, walking may be a good choice. Buy a pedometer and keep track of the number of steps you take each day. Once you see how much you walk, try adding 1,000 steps each day, with an eventual goal of 10,000 steps or more.

Lose weight slowly (1-2 pounds per week). Slow weight loss is important. It will be easier to keep it off. Quick weight loss is more apt to come back on, leading to yo-yo dieting that has a negative impact on your long-term health.

Eat slowly. It takes 20 minutes before your brain realizes it's full. That means the amount of calories consumed before you begin to feel full can vary a great deal depending on how quickly you eat. So eat slowly, savor your food [and] enjoy it.

Drink 8-10 glasses of water per day. Need i say more?

Common Pitfalls to Avoid...

Negative self-talk. Avoid negative thoughts and statements such as "I'm fat. I'll never be able to lose weight." Be positive. Affirm that you can change your lifestyle.

Emotional eating. Don't eat as a way to cope with stress or other negative emotions. "It's one of the biggest sources of overeating. Food never solves the problem, and usually it just contributes to a cycle of guilt, low self-esteem and overeating, Get to the root of the problem. Face the situation head on. Food is meant for physical nourishment, not for emotional comfort, reward or punishment.

Start the year of with a new positive outlook.