TIP OF THE DAY - TUESDAY

DAY ONE-30 WAYS TO OUTSMART TEMPTATION:
Take a deep breath. When you're stressed or anxious, instead of reaching for a bag of chips, focus on your breath. A few slow, steady breaths through the nose can calm frazzled nerves. Add a mantra: Inhale peace, exhale tension.
This sounds simple and silly but it works. Remember if you destress like this instead of eating for 17 minutes, any temptation and cravings will leave without eating too much or the wrong foods.

TIP OF THE DAY - MONDAY

ENJOY YOUR DAY...TAKE A MINUTE WHO SERVED, PROTECTED, AND DIED FOR AMERICA AND OUR FREEDOMS...
JUNE'S 30 WAYS TO OUTSMART TEMPTATION
Temptation is lurking everywhere we turn. Doughnuts in the break room at the office. Pizza in the when you arr rive home. A warm bed in the morning when you should head out to the gym. A baby or bridal shower. A neighborhood BBQ. A potluck at church. Company at your home for a long weekend. The List goes on. On your quest for a healthy life, you'll frequently encounter the beast called temptation. Slay him once, and he returns stronger and smarter. Slay him again, and he rises from the ashes to lure you away from your good habits. But fear not. You'll win the battle and the war with this new months 30 tactics to outsmart temptation.
BOY DO I NEED THIS, BIG TIME. I HAVE TO GET BACK ON TRACK.

TIP OF THE DAY - SUNDAY

CHANGE YOUR LIFESTYLE, CHANGE YOUR LIFESTYLE, CHANGE YOUR LIFESTYLE. If you’re calling this a “diet,” then you’re going to gain all the weight back (and more) within a few months of losing it. Diets do not work. Diets are temporary. When you change your dietary lifestyle, however, you’re changing your habits – and you’re putting yourself on track for long-term / continued success and weight maintenance. Don’t ever tell anybody you’re on a diet – ever. I’m speaking from experience, here – a reformed low-carber. Worked out well for a while, but ultimately failed because my entire lifestyle didn’t change (permanently).
Okay this is the hardest thing I have done to date. I have now been on about 4 different diets this year and they have all worked. I lost weight just like they promised but within a week I had put the weight right back on. Starting Tuesday and I know I should start today but it is a holiday and we have a 3 day weekend so I am being honest. Starting Tuesday I am going to go back to Sparkpeople and write down everything that goes into my mouth before I eat each meal. Snacks included.
I guess what I am saying is find a HEALTHY diet that works for you and stick to it.

TIP OF THE DAY - SATURDAY

MONITOR AND LOSE WEIGHT.
Always keep a watch on everything you eat - From the food itself to what you top it with. Garnishments and condiments can literally countermine a salubrious meal as they're commonly eminent in fat.
This is the only way I can lose weight, even though it takes soooooooo much longer. I think I am going to go back to that.

Healthy Fitness Challenge

Hello ladies...

I came across a fun(ish) fitness challenge that I thought some of you might be interested in. It begins tomorrow and runs for the next 4 weeks. Basically, participants are required to do 30 minutes of some sort of physical activity for 5 days during the week, then fill out a form. At the end of the four weeks, those who complete each weeks challenge will be entered into a grand prize drawing. For more information of to get signed up, just click HERE. The sight itself has all kinds of motivating tips and articles, so I'll add it to the sidebar with Elizabeth and my blogs in case you're interested in checking it out in the future.

Hope everyone has a fun and sunny holiday weekend!

P.S. I thought it was time for a slightly "springier" background... any complaints? It's easy to change, so if you don't like it, it won't hurt my feelings and can be changed easily. I try to keep it with red because I know that is one of Yvonne's preferences.

TIP OF THE DAY - FRIDAY

PERSEVERANCE IS WHAT WEIGHT LOSS IS ALL ABOUT, SO KEEP GOING A BE RATIONAL.
What you should start doing from today itself is this - Set specific meal timings and STICK WITH THEM. Try having your meals at particular times and have them at that time. An eating pattern will aid you to command what you eat and when you eat it. Listen, if you can have 5 small meals spread over the course of day rather than 3 huge meals - its even much better. Barely eating once a day will make your body feel as if it is starved, which subsequently adds up on the fat instead of using fat as a "fuel". Moral of the story is - do not hold back until your craving to eat. This only makes you gorge until you're stuffed.

Start being rational about what you eat. Don't eat just to for the sake of it. Be reasonable. Beasts eat on instinct; people eat when they know their body genuinely calls for it. Do not be an impulse eater.

I think the hardest part of dieting is just sticking to it.

CHOCOLATE GIVEAWAY

HERE IS A REALLY GREAT GIVEAWAY AND BLOG. http://runtothefinishgiveaways.blogspot.com
This is fun. These running sites are great to get you going. Every time I read Laurie's and then go to one of her links I want to go and run a marathon. It is such a good feeling. I am going to go for my walk now and it is only 39 degrees outside. Motivation will do that every time.

ONLINE MOTIVATIONS

CHECK OUT THE BLOGS AVAILABLE. Start with Laurie's blog first. If you spend a little time reading some of these running blogs you will find yourself encouraged and excited about getting outside and moving. I am not suggesting you sign up for a marathon, but take a short walk to start with and then just keep increasing your distance.

GIVEAWAYS

IF YOU LIKE WINNING THINGS THEN YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS. Laurie posted on her running blog another blog that is holding a giveaway for two great prizes. Check it out: http://longlegsontheloose.com/2010/05/26/road-id-2xu-giveaway
Since we are getting better weather and we can actually get outside again it would be great to have some cool ID and calf guards. I know my chances of winning are slim and none because you have to be creative in your thinking and writing and I am not but what the heck. No reason not to enter. This is a very motivational site anyway and you might enjoy it. I am going to start posting other blog sites here where you can visit and get inspired. Most of these sites are done by "real" runners and young whipper snappers like Laurie but the inspiration is still great and worth the time to check out.

TIP OF THE DAY - THURSDAY

CANDY, CHOCOLATE, COOKIES, CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM, CHOCOLATE CAKE, CHOCOLATE...
My Fav' Sweet Tooth!
If you're desperate to lose weight - nothing will happen unless you get a handle on the sweet tooth. Now wait, don't jump to conclusions. I'm not suggesting that you stop having sweets - my point here is that don't have them as a meal at least. Forever remember that these sweets wind up adding to an area that you do not want them to add to. Do not impoverish yourself from them either though, because then you will consume double as many as you should.
I am ending tomorrow morning a three diet and part of it was 1/2 cup of vanilla ice cream for dinner. Knowing that I had that ice cream for dinner was a great motivation to stick with the diet throughout the day. Remember that most diets do allow for a limited amount of sweets.

TIP OF THE DAY - WEDNESDAY

FACTS ABOUT FRUIT...
Fruit Juice – Yes or No?
Many people believe that fruit juice is healthy and it helps in losing weight. However, here are some facts. Juice has actually lots of sugar in it – specially juices that come in packaged form. Its better to make your own fruit juice and have it than have the packaged ones – but try keeping the sugar level low – More Sugar = More Calories. However, instead of having juice – why not have fruit itself? It provides more nutrients to your body, and is healthier too!

Prcessed Fruit? Or Fresh?
Consume fresh fruit rather than processed fruit. Its a fact - Anything that's processed has more sugar. Processed and canned fruits also don't bear as much fiber as fresh fruits. So if you get an option of choosing between the two - you know which one to choose.

Fruits and Water.
Feed yourself with fresh fruit and vegetables that bear high water content. Foods that come under these category - tomatoes, watermelons, cantaloupe, kiwi, grapes - you get the drift. Each of those fresh and flavoursome juicy fruits and veggies are healthy. These items constitute about 90 to 95% water, so you'll be able to eat plenty of these without feeling heavy and without worrying about gaining weight!

I drink a lot of apple juice. Now I am thinking we need to invest in a juicer. I think I will check out Cabelas. With the summer coming up it will be the time for fruit smoothies and if they call for juice why not have fresh fruit.

TIP OF THE DAY - TUESDAY

REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CALORIES YOU CONSUME
One gram of fat contains twice the calories of a gram of protein or carbohydrate. Limit foods high in fat, choose products with reduced fat and calories, limit the starters and remove fat from meat. You should include in your diet products with fewer calories, like fruits and vegetables. Good selections are also foods rich in fiber. Try to turn from white to black bread and choose whole grain cereal for breakfast.
This is just common sense. Move more and eat less.

TIP OF THE DAY - MONDAY

YOU NEED TO EXERCISE REGULARLY...
Exercising intensively for two hours once every fifteen days has no value for weight loss. Conversely, someone who exercises daily, even 30 minutes, can greatly gain from the various benefits of exercise to health, while simultaneously laying the foundation for maintaining a desired weight and enabling rapid weight loss.

If you do not exercise, you put the whole burden of weight loss to the diet. If you become more active, you can eat more of the foods you like and still lose weight. The tip is to find an exercise that you like. If you do not like the treadmill, try swimming, ballet, cycling or tennis, which burn more calories than walking. Spend time doing different activities to choose what you like and which you can spend more days.

We all know the importance of exercise and if you don't live in Klamath Falls, and are still having snow days, go out and enjoy the beautiful day. Go for a short walk then a longer walk and then spend even more time in the sun.

TIP OF THE DAY - SUNDAY

DRINK LOW FAT MILK...
Milk, cheese and ice cream are taboo for many people who are on a diet, but the abandonment of milk can be “counterproductive”. Some surveys suggest that the body burns more fat when you take enough calcium and produces more fat when it lacks calcium. The calcium supplements do not have the same benefits, so the milk might have other ingredients that act as well. Most specialists recommend that you remain in milk with low or no fat.
I love skim milk on my oatmeal and that is really only the time I use milk. With summer coming up skim milk will really make those fruit smoothies, smooth. Try one and see. It will not only be refreshing in the hot summer months, for those who are going to have summer, it will boost your calcium intake.

TIP OF THE DAY - SATURDAY

THINK ABOUT THIS TIP...IT IS SHORT AND SWEET.
Don't drink 1 3/4 quarts of apple juice in 3-4 hours. Believe me it is not
a good idea.

TIP OF THE DAY - FRIDAY

HOW TO CONTROL THOSE CRAVINGS PART 2
The Stop! Watch! Method
1. When a craving arises I ask my patients to set a stopwatch (which I provide) for fifteen minutes; during this time they are advised to drink a large glass of water and eat a protein snack. This allows their blood glucose to become normalized (if it had dropped) and, by "waiting out" the urge, they gain control. It sounds simple but it does work. We have all experienced this phenomenon: on the treadmill, when we want to stop with ten minutes to go and we just count down the minutes; when sitting in a boring lecture and we watch the minutes tick away until the time that the class is over; or even when we give children a "time out" when they are having a tantrum.
All of these situations have the same idea: holding on until a specific amount of time elapses. A stopwatch quantifies the time that a craving lasts. And for a dieter to know that there are only a few minutes left is enormously helpful!
2. Drink a big glass of water. Because our brain may misinterpret the signal for thirst as a signal for hunger, drinking water eliminates unrecognized thirst from the picture. You may just be thirsty, so go for the water first. Drinking a glass of water is filling and good for you, too.
3. Have a protein snack. If the snack that you chose is in the form of a high-tryptophan source, which include turkey and dairy products, then so much the better. L-tryptophan is an amino acid that is converted to serotonin, a neurotransmitter that impacts satiety, mood, and cravings. Recall how relaxed you feel after having turkey at Thanksgiving dinner, or how soundly you slept after having a glass of milk prior to retiring. These effects are due to the calming action of serotonin. There is a potent class of antidepressants that increases the amount of serotonin in the brain (serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIS), and guess what they are used to treat? Binge-eating disorder! I am not implying that if you experience cravings you will develop, or you have, a binge-eating disorder. Binge eating is a recognized psychiatric diagnosis whereby an individual experiences a loss of control and consumes far more than a normal individual would eat within a given period of time. But it is interesting to note that serotonin is implicated in this disorder. By consuming food that can be converted to serotonin, we may be able to help ourselves resist the temptations of normal food cravings; at least, that is what my patients tell me.
Your snack should be a food that will benefit your body and that you find satisfying. By the latter, I mean there are times when you might want a food with a creamy consistency -- in such a case, low-fat yogurt is a great choice. At other times, you may desire a crunchy texture -- here I would suggest baby carrots or raw celery stalks. And don't forget to drink at least one 8-ounce glass of water; this assures that you are not misinterpreting the signal for thirst as a hunger signal.
Purchase a stopwatch and try these techniques. They will lead you to the realization that you are powerful and that your willpower is stronger than you now believe. After a month or so you may not need the stopwatch because you will have truly overcome the lure of cravings. You will find that the power was within you all along and you just needed to stop and watch for it to appear.
Stop! Watch! Method Summary
1. Set your watch or a timer for 15 minutes
2. Drink a large glass of water
3. Eat a high-protein snack

TIP OF THE DAY - THURSDAY

HOW CAN WE HANDLE CRAVINGS? PART 1
There is so much good information about this craving problem that I am making it a two part tip. Friday's tip will help you use a stop watch to keep those cravings in check.

A craving generally lasts only 8 to 14 minutes.
Refusing to give in to a craving will feel somewhat uncomfortable but it will pass. We are not talking about days or hours, only minutes! You need to realize consciously that these few minutes can make the difference between success and failure on a diet. There is power in this knowledge because it allows us to take action to regain control. I have come up with a technique that I use in my clinical practice to help my patients gain control over their cravings.
First, identify the time of day that you are experiencing cravings. This will allow you to prepare for them by having a healthful snack at hand. Cravings are cyclical in nature. You may intuitively be aware of this hunger pattern but some people are not. I can almost guarantee that there will be a certain time of day when you are more vulnerable to allowing your appetite to go haywire but, if you identify this, you can control it.
The typical time span of most food cravings is 8 to 14 minutes. I know it feels longer, but as Einstein told us, "Time is relative." Knowing that a craving is limited in duration will give you the power to ride through it.

TIP OF THE DAY - WEDNESDAY

6 CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE GOAL SETTING
Plot Your Strategy for Weight-Loss Success
-- By Dean Anderson, Behavioral Psychology Expert

Once you've decided you are ready for weight-loss, you probably know the general direction you want to move. The next step is to work out the particular short- and intermediate-term goals that will get you moving in that direction, followed by concrete action steps you can take right now to get going.

1. Challenging: Your goals should be realistic and suited to your present capabilities. You can’t go from habitual couch potato to world-class athlete overnight, or recover the “look” you had in your 20's if you’re pushing 60 right now. Small, progressive steps toward reasonable, long-term goals are crucial to success.

2. Attainable: Don't take the challenging characteristic (above) too far. Make sure you can actually achieve what you're setting out to do. Otherwise, you will get frustrated and quit the game.

3. Specific: Trying to "do your best" or "do better" is like trying to eat the hole in a donut. There's nothing there to chew on or digest. You need to define some very specific, concrete, and measurable action-steps that tell you what your goal looks like in real-life terms.

4. Time-limited: Goals need to come with deadlines, due dates, and payoff schedules. Otherwise, they'll fade into the background with your daily hubbub, and you'll quit playing the game. If your long-term goal is going to take a while to reach, create some intermediate- and short-term goals. These will make your larger goal seem less daunting and keep you focused on what you can do here and now to help yourself get there.

5. Positive: Goals should always be framed in positive terms. Humans are not designed to white-knuckle their way through life, always trying to not do things or to avoid certain thoughts, feelings, actions or circumstances. We are much better at approaching what we DO want than avoiding what we don't want.

6. Flexible: Good strategies and goals are always flexible, because nothing in this world stays the same for very long, and staying alive and on course means being able to adapt to changing circumstances.


To me this is one of the hardest aspects of weight loss. I want to lose 130 pounds and I want to lose it NOW! I know that is not going to happen so I need to just set goals that are baby steps and then feel good as I reach each one.

TIP OF THE DAY - TUESDAY

GET ONLINE...I posted an article I found online and it was very interesting. If you get the evening munchies which is my problem, instead of eating try reading. I love Laurie's blogs and read it everyday along with some she is linked to. I also get online just to check out other websites. Just type in "weight loss helps", "diet and exercise", "diet tips" "Dr. Phil", "Weight Watchers" or "Tips for losing Weight". As you can see the list goes on.

LONG BUT VERY INFORMATIVE

Over 100 Super Foods for a Super You
Include These Foods for Maximum Body Benefits
-- By Becky Hand, Licensed & Registered Dietitian
Faster than a speeding bullet…More powerful than a locomotive…
Nutrient-packed with health enhancing properties…

Here come the SUPER FOODS!

These foods benefit your body in so many ways. They power your brain, and correctly and efficiently fuel your body. Super foods fight infection, enhance your immune system, and protect against diseases such as osteoporosis, heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes, and respiratory infections.

While this list of super foods may be longer than most, it shows that great things do come in small packages. These foods are not only healthy, but they're also affordable, familiar, and readily available at regular grocery stores and farmers markets. With so many choices, you'll discover just how easy it is to eat super healthy every day…even when on a tight budget.

This is an all-inclusive list, but some foods might not be right for your tastes, preferences or health goals. Remember that no single food can provide everything you need to be healthy. That's why it's important to choose a variety of super foods from each category to meet your daily nutrition needs.

Vegetables
Asparagus
Avocados
Beets
Bell peppers
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Collard greens
Crimini mushrooms
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Garlic
Green beans
Kale
Mustard greens
Onions
Peas
Portobello mushrooms
Potatoes
Rainbow chard
Romaine lettuce
Shiitake mushrooms
Spinach
Summer squash
Sweet potatoes
Swiss chard
Tomatoes
Turnip greens
Winter squash
Yams

Calcium-Rich Foods
Almond milk
Cheese, low fat
Cottage cheese, low fat
Milk, skim or 1%
Orange juice with calcium
Rice milk
Soy milk
Yogurt with active cultures, low fat

Fruits
Apples
Apricots
Bananas
Black olives
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Cherries
Cranberries
Figs
Grapefruit
Grapes
Honeydew melon
Kiwifruit
Lemons
Limes
Nectarines
Oranges
Papaya
Peaches
Pears
Pineapple
Plums
Prunes
Raisins
Raspberries
Strawberries
Watermelon

Grains
Amaranth
Arborio rice
Barley
Brown rice
Buckwheat
Bulgur
Corn
Jasmine rice
Millet
Oats
Quinoa
Rye
Spelt
Triticale
Wheat berries
Whole grain breads, cereal, pasta
Whole wheat breads, cereal, pasta
Wild Rice

Proteins
Almonds
Beef, lean
Black beans
Cashews
Chicken, skinless
Chickpeas
Egg whites
Eggs
Fish, unbreaded
Flaxseed
Garbanzo beans
Hemp seeds
Hummus
Kidney beans
Lima beans
Lentils
Miso
Navy beans
Nuts
Peanut butter, natural
Peanuts
Pinto beans
Pork, lean
Pumpkin seeds
Salmon, canned or fresh
Seafood, unbreaded
Sesame seeds
Soybeans
Sunflower seeds
Tahini
Tempeh
Tofu
Tuna, canned or fresh
Turkey, skinless
Veggie burgers
Walnuts
Wild game, skinless

Miscellaneous
Canola oil
Dark chocolate
Green tea
Olive oil

TIP OF THE DAY - MONDAY

DO NOT SET UNREALISTIC GOALS
To tell yourself that you will lose 9 pounds the first week, you are doomed for failure. If you know that you will not succeed you may even not start a diet. If you diet and lose 2.5 pounds a week, rather than being happy and celebrate it, you will feel unsatisfied that you did not reach your target. The realistic goal is important for the success of a weight loss diet. If you are not sure what should be your goal, talk with a specialist to help you set your goals. Remember that fast weight loss diets are too good to be true, so you need to be patient and set realistic goals.
My doctor told me to be happy with just a 1 pound loss. The more weight you lose, it seems the harder it is to lose. To help you not get discouraged about how much you are loosing, remember:

DO NOT GET ON THE SCALE DAILY
The daily weighing is a recipe that causes confusion and gives you no useful information. More important is the tendency to look in the long run and be weighed every week. If your goal is to lose half a kilo a week, you will be satisfied to see that you lost them when you get on the scale. The result gives you a greater reward than to see the variations in scale and get confused when you weight daily.
This is IMPOSSIBLE for me to do. No matter how many times I tell myself or others on this blog I still step on that scale first things every morning. It just seems to make me stick with it if I am down and work harder that day if I am up even 1/2 pound. I think you just have to do what is best for you.

TIP OF THE DAY - SUNDAY

LIGHTEN UP!!
Be careful of ‘light’ products
Light products with low fat may play an important role in your diet. Just remember that low fat is not the same as low calorie and this does not give you the right to consume a lot of such products. If you fill your plate with sweets that have little fat, you can eat more calories than if you had a smaller piece of ‘normal’ sweets. The best way to find out how much fat, sugar and calories they have is to check the product label.

Light food does not mean food with out nutritional value. Many light products contain large amounts of simple sugars in order to gain their lost taste. This immediately gives them calories, but is often less than fully fat products. The best thing you can do therefore is to carefully read the food labels that state, often in detail, the content in calories, but also the vitamins and minerals they contain.

I think what it all comes down to is simply know what you are eating. Read labels and know what they mean.

TIP OF THE DAY - SATURDAY

SNACK ON THIS:
Do not underestimate calories of snacks
Possibly you are carefully measuring the calories you take in each meal and you forget about the snacks. There are some cookies in your office, a piece of cake brought by a colleague, the ice cream of your children etc. All this added together can sabotage your otherwise well-designed weight loss diet. If you take seriously the issue of calculating the amount of calories you consume then you better use a notepad to write down every thing that you eat throughout the day.

If the constant consumption of snacks can destroy your silhouette, to eat snacks wisely can do the opposite. People who eat several small meals and snacks a day are more likely to control their hunger and enable rapid weight loss. Snacks can help you keep your metabolism high, especially those snacks rich in protein. Nuts are a good choice and they are high in protein. Research suggests that people who eat nuts as a snack they tend to weight less than those who do not consume nuts.

TIP OF THE DAY - FRIDAY

DRINK WATER, WATER, WATER
Drink Water. Plenty of it.

Water is the source of livelihood – and is one of the key elements required to lose weight. Your body needs a whole lot of water for its daily functions, as you know. Water keeps you away from being de-hydrated, flushes all toxins of your body, and makes you feel healthier and better. How do I calculate the amount of water I need to drink daily? Simple – Multiply your weight (in lbs) by .66, you'll get your daily required consumption in ounces. Convert it to liters, and you're done. For example, if you weight 200 lbs, you need to consume 132 ounces of water daily – which is about 3.9 liters. The best thing about water is that – it contains no calories at all. You can drink as much as you want – and you wont have the feeling as if you're starving to death. The next time you think you're hungry, drink water first – you may realize you weren't hungry in the first place, just de-hydrated. Of course, water here does not include sodas or juices – just plain water!

Drink Water as soon as you wake up.

Drinking water is the first thing you should do in the morning. It will not only avoid dehydration, but it also serves as a stimulant & lubricant for the digestive juices in your body. Of course, you can have a cup of tea or coffee before, but make sure you have water afterwards.

Drink water before lunch or dinner.

Actually, you should have a glass of water before you sit down to eat anything! It will make you feel less hungry and thus help you in your quest of losing weight.

Drink water while eating.

Regardless of what others say, drinking water after each bite will make you feel full quickly – thus helping you to leave the table satisfied without eating much. Now, I'm not saying that you should use water to help you swallow every bite – not at all. Drink water after swallowing food. Using water to swallow food will only make the matter worse.

TIP OF THE DAY - THURSDAY

COUNTERACT THE "RAINY DAY" PRINCIPLE . If you decrease your calorie count without necessarily increasing your physical activity level, your body is going to crash. It’s going to say to itself: “Holy SMOKE! I better store these calories as fat, because I’m not getting enough of them – and I don’t want to die.” When you exercise, you set your body’s process to “burn” instead of “save.”
I love my walking exercise program that Eileen told me about but I can't wait for it to be 40 degrees or warmer in the mornings so I can start to walk. Even if you don't like to walk then find an exercise you do enjoy and just go for it.

LIFE IS GOOD...AGAIN!

THANK YOU ELIZABETH! It is hard for me to believe how much I use the internet. It was a long 2 days without it. I am sure if we have another power surge and something ends up fried Calvin might not be easy about replacing it. It just proves that I should not be left alone or I end up in trouble.
I do want to thank Elizabeth for taking up the slack on the blog for me. She was a real sweetie. I am sure that with work, school, kids and after school activities she has plenty to do. I am grateful for her willingness to do it on such a short notice.

TIP OF THE DAY - WEDNESDAY

Mom is still without Internet and it is driving her crazy I'm sure. Funny how we get dependent on things so quickly.

Swap a cup of pasta for a cup of vegetables.
Simply by eating less pasta or bread and more veggies, you could lose a dress or pants size in a year. "You can save from 100-200 calories if you reduce the portion of starch on your plate and increase the amount of vegetables," says Sass.

This is difficult for me. It is so easy to just boil some water and throw pasta in for a quick supper for the kids. Which can of course lead us to another tip - stock your kitchen and fridge with healthy convenience foods. Summer is great for eating healthy with all the fresh fruits and veggies available.

*** 94% fat-free microwave popcorn
*** Frozen vegetables
*** Bags of pre-washed greens
*** Fresh fruit / veggies
*** Whole-grain wraps or pitas
*** Pre-cooked grilled chicken breasts, etc

TIP OF THE DAY - TUESDAY

Mom is having internet issues and asked me last night if i would post. I of course got sidetracked and forgot.

Best Diet Tip No. 2: Think about what you can add to your diet, not what you should take away.
Start by focusing on getting the recommended 5-9 servings of fruit and vegetables each day.

"It sounds like a lot, but it is well worth it, because at the same time you are meeting your fiber goals and feeling more satisfied from the volume of food," says chef Laura Pansiero, RD.

You're also less likely to overeat because fruits and vegetables displace fat in the diet. And that's not to mention the health benefits of fruits and vegetables. More than 200 studies have documented the disease-preventing qualities of phytochemicals found in produce, says Pansiero.
Her suggestion for getting more: Work vegetables into meals instead of just serving them as sides on a plate.

"I love to take seasonal vegetables and make stir-fries, frittatas, risotto, pilafs, soups, or layer on sandwiches," Pansiero says. "It is so easy to buy a variety of vegetables and incorporate them into dishes."

TIP OF THE DAY - MONDAY

KEEP IT UP FINAL CHAPTER...YOU'RE EATING LESS AND MOVING MORE.
This is the shortest post. This pretty much says it all. If you want to lose weight you simply, and it is simple if you think about it, you have to move more and eat less. Good luck this week and KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!

TIP OF THE DAY - SUNDAY

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY...Let's forget about diets, exercise, watching what we are having to eat today and just enjoy the day. I plan on it. So whether you are a mother, sister, wife, partner, daughter, aunt, or grandmother. Have a really great day.
Remember this is just for today, tomorrow we go back to the diets, exercising and watching what we eat. I love you all.

TIP OF THE DAY - SATURDAY

KEEP IT UP...DAY THREE You're Getting Enough Sleep: For a while Americans wore their fatigue like a badge of honor. Soccer moms engaged in their own kind of one-upmanship about how jampacked their schedules were, while celebrities like Martha Stewart made lack of sleep seem like a good thing. "I find that when you have a real life...that sleep is not the most important thing," Stewart told the Academy of Achievement back in 1995. "More important is the discovery. And I'm trying to discover everyday good things." But by 2009, she was dedicating time on her television program and space in her publications to sleep, calling it "a vital, restorative function."
TIP: A calming routine every night before bedtime can train your body that's time for sleep. Try listening to soft music, practicing relaxation techniques, reading quietly or taking a warm bath.
BLAH...BLAH...BLAH...Maybe it is just because I am in a bad mood. I like sleeping and napping and resting. It is just that life happens and there are other things to do. If I could get 8-10 hours of sleep a night I wold love it. I am thrilled if I get 6-7 hours of sleep. So rest when you can.

TIP OF THE DAY - FRIDAY

KEEP IT UP...PART 2
You're Eating Less Fat. Fats are an essential part of a healthy diet, but the U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend they be a source of no more than 35 percent of the daily calories. Chances are, you're already there! On average, total fat makes up 33 percent of the calories people consume, according to the Centers for Disease Control's last "Healthy People" report in 2004. Its target for 2010 is to drop that level to 30 percent. The bad news: In its 2007 update, the CDC reported "little or no progress" so far in decreasing the U.S. consumption of fats.
TIP: If you consume 2,000 calories a day, your saturated fat intake should be 20 grams or less. Try to make most of those fats come from sources with poly-or monounsaturated fatty acids, like fish, nuts, and vegetables oils.
What all this talk means is that when we are dieting we need to be careful that we are dieting correctly and that means watching what we are eating. Yes we need fat in our diets same as salt but it needs to be the right fats and limited salts. If you don't know exactly what you are eating then how do you know if you are eating correctly and that means you want to eat to get healthy not just to lose weight. This is where I have problems.

TIP OF THE DAY - THURSDAY

KEEP IT UP! You're probably sick of hearing about what you're doing wrong for your health...for a change, here's what you've been doing right. For the next 5 days we are going to talk about what we are doing right.
1) It seems as though every time you turn around, you're being told you're not being healthy enough. Exercise more, Drink more water, Lose weight. Well it's time to take a break and concentrate on some things you're probably doing right-or at least, most Americans are doing right. So pat yourself on the back!
You're Making Better Mealtime Choices! "Today, consumers appear to be making healthier choices," says Harry Balzer, author of Eating Patterns in America and vice president of the consumer and retail research organization the NPD Group.
TIP: Now that you're eating more of the right things, make sure you're eating the right amount. Even foods like whole-grain breakfast cereal can lead to weight gain if you regularly exceed the portion size (usually less than 1 cup)

TIP OF THE DAY - WEDNESDAY

DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE CALORIES OF SNACKS!
Possibly you are carefully measuring the calories you take in each meal and you forget about the snacks. There are some cookies in your office, a piece of cake brought by a colleague, the ice cream of your children etc. All this added together can sabotage your otherwise well-designed weight loss diet. If you take seriously the issue of calculating the amount of calories you consume then you better use a notepad to write down every thing that you eat throughout the day.

If the constant consumption of snacks can destroy your silhouette, to eat snacks wisely can do the opposite. People who eat several small meals and snacks a day are more likely to control their hunger and enable rapid weight loss. Snacks can help you keep your metabolism high, especially those snacks rich in protein. Nuts are a good choice and they are high in protein. Research suggests that people who eat nuts as a snack they tend to weight less than those who do not consume nuts.

I think I am okay in writing down my snacks. My problem is if I am cooking, or baking I have a tendency to lick the bowl, beaters, spatulas or whatever. These little mouthfuls of "hardly any food can also add the calories so be careful.

TIP OF THE DAY - TUESDAY

THE YO-YO DIETING
Many people that experience a weight loss have the tendency to regain their weight later. You can restrict this possibility by making permanent changes to your lifestyle and eating habits. The best tip to enhance your weight loss efforts is physical exercise. Regular physical activity and exercise plays an important role in maintaining body weight.

The following factors are important for permanent weight loss: changes in eating habits, regular exercise, realistic objectives and support from friends and family.

Although nobody would suggest that the Yo-Yo diets are good, there is little evidence that they are harmful to your health. However, the results are disappointing and may lead to reduced confidence and mobility.

You have to realise that in the period immediately after a weight loss you are at increased risk of gaining some weight and that you will need to take concrete steps to prevent it.

Remember to weigh regularly. If you notice your weight increasing, act immediately. Do not let a little failure to become a major problem.

Ladies, it is so important, and this is for me mostly, that we realize if we want to lose weight and KEEP IT OFF we need to change our lifestyle. No pills, no fad diets, no skipping meals. Just common sense, proper diet and of course exercise.

TIP OF THE DAY - MONDAY

AVOID THE "RAPID WEIGHT LOSS DIETS".
These diets that promise rapid weight loss should be avoided. Initially they give you tips for rapid weight loss but in the long run they are very difficult to follow. Often these diets are very demanding and they are not providing the necessary nutrients to the body. Diets that promise rapid weight loss, are suggesting that some foods ‘can burn fat quickly’, they usually promote one or two foods, have many rules on how to eat and they overall seem too good to be true.
I agree with this totally. What this tip does not say is that these diets can also be very dangerous. I did talk to my doctor about different diets and they were all shot down. My soup diet this week is for just one week and it is just to jump start the dieting I am doing after so many plateaus, ups and downs on the scale and just discouragement and many times giving up. This is not considered a rapid weight loss diet in that I can't expect to lose 2 pounds a day. Most rapid weight loss diets claim to let you lose a minimum of 10 to 15 pounds in just 7 days. Remember too that diet does not work by alone, you also have to move around.

TIP OF THE DAY - SUNDAY

KEEP A BALANCED DIET... Keep a balanced diet
Remember the principles of a balanced diet, to include in your diet fruits and vegetables (at least 5 portions a day), non-processed foods with more fiber, lean meats and dairy products low in fat.
If we want to lose weight then we need to do it right and that includes eating right. Now after all I have said lately about dieting the right way, I must admit that starting tomorrow I am going to spend next week on a special vegetable diet. It is just for one week and it is suppose to clean the system out and kick start my diet and weight loss again. You eat as much soup as you want, but on one day you eat all the fruit you want, but no bananas and on another day you eat just vegetables and one day eat 5 or 6 bananas with the soup and one day you can even have a baked potato. I am not sure of all of it but I am going to try it and see what happens. If it gets me going again it will be worth a week of weird.