Lite and Joy

The king of “bad” habits is procrastination.  Procrastination is the “failure to act.” Action is everything.  You can do, be and have practically anything you want in life IF you will just stop procrastinating and DO what it takes to get where you want to go”

So what is it that helps you get motivated.  Maybe the big things in life like money, food, vacation, or a holiday.  But what about the little things like weight loss, exercise, getting a massage or a  Cranio sacral therapy session.  If you suffer from anxiety, panic or depression then procrastination becomes a way of life. This was my life but I am continuing to learn how to improve.

When I began to set goals to be healthy, and I started to really focus and work on it, my procrastination in other areas of my life decreased because I felt good.  Come on, it’s the beginning of a NEW YEAR.  GET HEALTHY with good food so you can accomplish what you want to.  The only way you can get rid of a bad habit is to replace it with a good one.

Snack Smart -lose weight with healthy snacks.  You can help prevent overeating and maintain blood sugar levels by eating about every three hours. Aim for a healthful, satisfying snack, such as an apple and some reduced-fat cheddar cheese.
Eat More Grains and Produce - lose weight eating vegetables.  Whole grains, fruits and vegetables do more than provide nutrients, they can also help you lose weight. They’re naturally low in calories, so you can eat more.

Eat Enough, Often Enough - lose weight eating regularly.  One of the worst ways to lose weight is to skip meals.  Many think  that skipping meals is a great way to cut calories, but in the end they are more likely to overeat or even binge when they do not eat on a regular basis.  As the body goes into “starvation mode” they begin gaining weight rather than losing it.

Drink Plenty of Water - lose weight drinking water.   Water helps you lose weight in several ways:   You shouldn’t wait until you’re feeling thirsty to drink water;  thirst can be mistaken for hunger, causing you to overeat. Proper hydration improves your sense of well-being, which will keep up your motivation to lose weight.

Get Moving - lose weight with exercise.  It is virtually impossible to lose weight and keep it off without exercising regularly.  Start with about 10 minutes of exercise and work up to 30-40 minutes at least 3 times a week.  Exercise helps to boost your metabolism, making it even easier to lose weight.

Practice Portion Control - lose weight by NOT eating until your full.  Eat slowly and STOP eating before you are full.  If you are eating every 2 1/2 hours, this isn’t very hard.  A program that can help you with these suggestions is fat loss for idiots, it really works.

My favorite form of exercise is walking, but right now the temperatures outside are freezing and the ground is covered with ice.  NOT a good time to walk outdoors.  In the spring and summer I have problems with the pollen in the air when the wind blows, and in the fall I can’t stand all the bugs in the air  when I walk in wooded areas.  Now even though there are times when different things make walking unpleasant, it doesn’t mean that I never talk a walk outside.

But I am so glad that I have an alternative.  I have been going to the gym this past year.  I love the tredmill because I can place a book on it and I get a lot of reading done while I exercise.  Well, for Christmas, my husband bought me a treadmill so now I don’t have to travel somewhere else to exercise, I can even do it in my pajamas.  This is  how to burn body fat in the comfort of your own home.

We are constantly battling against dehydration.  In a typical day, without doing anything, we can lose about 2.5 litres of water that is essential for almost every bodily function, from regulating body temperature to removing waste products.  It’s easy to become dehydrated by simply not drinking enough. You don’t lose water just through urine, but also as vapour from the lungs and from the skin in sweat.

As I work on people everyday, I find that very few of them drink enough water.  They either don’t like the taste of it, or they have forgotten how to listen for that ‘thirsty’ feeling. Even worse than that, they always turn to soda, which actually acts as a diuretic.

Aquasana water filters can assist in making your water taste better by taking the impurities out of it to make it more healthy.  Get a container that holds 2 - 2 1/2 quarts of water, fill it up first thing in the morning and drink all day long until it is empty.  That way you will be assured of drinking enough.

Well, it is the day after Christmas and all through the house, is left over chocolate and desserts strewn about!  Yes, it has been a wonderful Holiday season, and I think my blood vessels are pushing through pure chocolate, with all that I have been eating.  It is definitely time for a change.  I liked this quote by Jack LaLanne and as I follow his advise, it will help me to get OFF of the junkie desserts and back to my health and wellness program of  appropriate eating within the week.

Today it will be enough to eat one piece of fresh fruit instead of ice cream or pie. Try a cookie; there are many cookies on the market sweetened with fruit juice instead of sugar. Try a little grated apple with lemon juice or a mashed banana for dessert. Simply mash a banana with a fork until it looks like a pudding, mix in a little lemon juice, and put it in a dessert dish with a fresh strawberry on top and voila!, you have a gourmet dessert.  Jack LaLanne - Revitalize Your Life After 50

At this time of year, it is so easy to treat our body with disrespect, as we ingest too many sugars and processed foods in abundance. Here are some common sense suggestions, which you might be tempted to dismiss easily.  But by making a decision now, it may make it easier when you are faced with a decision to make regarding your food choices and you have to take action:

1) Don’t go hungry to an event or party, but eat before you go.

2) At the event or party, take a small plate and choose the best option. Eat (or nibble) away from the food table. If there are no good choices, take just a few bites. (However, if you have sugar cravings, you cannot take even one bite.) Drink water or carbonated water instead of punch.

3) After the event, exercise (although it may not help nearly as much as restraint).

4) Upon receiving a sweet gift, give the appropriate thank you and throw it away, or give it to your best enemy.

5) If you are saving a sweet for a future event, wrap it in aluminum foil and tape it, then hide it (out of sight, out of mind) or put it a distance away (like downstairs or at the very back of the freezer).                            Dr. Stan Gardner

I have been using these suggestions during the Holidays and when I do put on a couple of pounds, I get them off immediately.  I have really enjoyed these holidays and have been able to keep my weight off at the same time.  You can find more weight loss information on the internet.

Did you know there are simple steps you can take right now that will reduce your risk of having a heart attack?  Your first line of defense is to exercise often, stop smoking, eat lots of fruits and vegetables and lean protein, control your blood pressure and blood sugar.

1. Reduce your consumption of saturated fats.   Switch to leaner cuts of meat and eat more lean chicken which is grilled not fried, and fish.

2. Increase your consumption of whole grain foods like whole wheat breads, spaghetti. Eat more oatmeal which is rich in soluble fiber and that helps to lower your cholesterol and is generally good for your heart.

3. Supplement your diet with good Omega fats found in flax seed oil.

4. Exercise more, even something as simple as walking can make a big difference.

The internet offer a lot of  free exercise information,   so get serious about your health now and have a wonderful life.

I really enjoy Dr. Stan Gardner’s website because he is a medical doctor who has gone into holistic health care.  I love to see medical personnel who believe that there is a place for both medicine and natural alternatives.  He has great information about diet during the holidays.  The weight loss program that I have used for the past year to lose 44 pounds is called  Fat Loss 4 Idiots, and it has the same concepts in it that Dr. Gardner talks about in his video. It’s not only healthy, but very very easy.

If you are worried about your diet during the holidays, check out the new quick videos I’ve uploaded onto YouTube.  Go to the first link on the website below: Dr. Stan Gardner M.D.

get timely information on healthy alternatives: stangardnermd.com

Jack LaLanne’s do’s and don’ts:
1. Don’t eat until you are stuffed. Practice leaving some food on the plate.
2. Don’t give into temptation when you go to parties. Use common sense and substitute the junk foods with salads and healthy food.
3. Don’t reward yourself with junk food because you have lost some weight or inches. Reward yourself with clothes or something you can’t eat.
4. Eat foods in their natural state and as many varieties as you can.
5. Modify your lifestyle to fit your new way of taking care of yourself. You didn’t put on the extra pounds overnight, so don’t expect them to go away instantly. Be patient and you will reach your goals.

Over the past 10 months I have lost 44 pounds.  I allowed myself to I thoroughly enjoy my Thanksgiving meals this year and I did gain 6 pounds that week.  But in the week after I really watched my diet, still eating 4 to 6 meals a day and enjoying a few sweets here and there and I lost those 6 pounds.  We can really enjoy the holidays and some extra goodies, but we have to get back on track immediately after, get those pounds off and continue to enjoy the fruits of our labors.  Fat Loss for Idiots really taught me a new way to live and enjoy my life because it is such a simple program.

You can change your life too.  Make your objective fitness.  Anything you do will bring some improvement.  In other words, anything is better than nothing.  I made the important change during my mid teens. My wife, Elaine, made the change in her thirties.  Others don’t make the change until their forties, fifties, sixties, up to their seventies.  Some even wait until their eighties or nineties.  The point is, it’s never too late.  So why wait?  Jack LaLanne - Revitalize Your Life After 50

I have had times in my life that I have exercised on a regular basis, then I either got lazy, or I just let life take over.  At this point in my life, my late 50’s, I do exercise more often than not.  It helps me stay flexible and I sleep better at night, and I’m not as stiff first thing in the morning.  I have had problems with asthma most of my life, and when I exercise regularly, my  lungs support me better and I have fewer attacks.   Of course exercise also helps with weight loss.