TIP OF THE DAY - MONDAY

DON'T SKIP MEALS... If you eat healthy foods at regular intervals throughout the day, you're much less likely to overeat at evening meals, parties, or when going out to eat.
This makes good sense. If you sit down to eat and you are starving or think you are you will eat much more than you need or want to. If you remember to drink a full glass of water before your meal you will feel full and eat less as well. I eat every 2-3 hours and that seems to work for me most of the time. Many doctors and diet experts will tell you to eat 6 smaller meals at regular intervals rather than 3 bigger meals to keep you metabolism stable and your energy up. Try it and see if it works.

TIP OF THE DAY - SUNDAY

TINY SIZE IT... Cut calories by cutting portion sizes. Cut pies into 10 slices instead of 6 or 8. Cut brownies and cakes into bite size and bake smaller cookies and mini muffins.
This is a great tip if you eat desserts. It is a good tip if you don't eat desserts and if you are just in the mood for desserts then this is a smart tip. Have something sweet and make it small. I have to eat at 7PM and 10PM tonight and I know now that my last one is going to be one of my soy chocolate brownie.

TIP OF THE DAY - SATURDAY

REST UP... Don't skimp on sleep. You'll only feel stressed out and run down. Plan your days so you can check off your to-do list and still make it to bed for 8 hours of shut eye.
I have not gotten even 6 hours of sleep per night for the last month and it is showing in my diet and exercising. I am still holding firm and not gaining but not losing either and part of that is partly because of the lack of sleep. You will feel better and get more accomplished during the day if you are well rested. If you need to and can take a short nap in the afternoon but don't sleep so long that you can't sleep at night.

TIP OF THE DAY - FRIDAY

DE-STRESS/TALK TO SOMEONE... You'll enjoy life more if you're calm and relaxed. Make stress, relief a priority by journaling, meditating and exercising regularly. When thing get hectic, take a step back and refocus on what matters most.
If journaling, meditating, and exercising doesn't work the way you feel it should, then talk to someone. You do not have a professional if you don't want to. Talk to a friend, family member, or minister. Your emotional well being CAN/WILL effect your weight loss progress. For example: For 2 months now my life has been more than a little hectic. Two deaths and funerals, frustration over mom and dad's house, very sore mouth, tweeked knee, Calvin's boss cancelling our health insurance, which would have been okay because we can use his monthly commissions to pay our own health insurance, but then the witch cancelled his commissions too. Add to all this personal stress even more emotional issues and it turns out I am not sleeping good. The more sleep I lose the more emotional I become and the more emotional I become the more sleep I lose. As you can see it is a rough cycle I am in. Needless to say I am not losing any weight. I have not gained any but I am not losing either.
So what does all this rambling mean? It is just to show that your emotional sense of well being can and does have a direct effect on all aspects of your life, including your diet plan. IF YOU NEED HELP...ASK FOR IT... I am going to get a priesthood blessing tonight since I have finally concluded that I can't help myself anymore. I also talked with a good friend in here who lovingly gave me an attitude adjustment and sometimes that is all we need.

TIP OF THE DAY - THURSDAY 1000TH POST

WASH YOUR HANDS... Winter time coincides with cold and flu season. Keep germs at bay by washing your hands well after shopping, visiting, changing diapers, spending time on the computer, yes even your own, completing any and each household chore and more. No one likes to be sick or around anyone who is.
Now what does this tip have to do with dieting? Easy. I love it when my hands are nice and clean and I have applied hand lotion. I do not want to eat something with my hands and get lotion in my mouth, it takes the flavor out of the food. By keeping my hands extra clean and lotion on them I stay away from food. At least finger food.

TIP OF THE DAY - WEDNESDAY

THINK SPRING... Oh beautiful spring, new beginnings, beautiful flowers, green buds on the trees, tree blossoms, the smell of fresh green grass, and of course spring cleaning. I LOVE IT ALL... I eat when Calvin is gone and I am bored. So the simple answer is stay busy and don't let Calvin leave. Well that isn't going to work at least the keeping Calvin at home. He has to work and his job takes him out of town. The part where I am bored is entirely my own fault. I know it is winter, which is dark and gloomy outside but Spring is just around the corner, or so I am told. I have a suggestion for us all. Let's take on a BIG BIG BIG spring cleaning project. It will require work. First you have to decide on the project, work up a plan to accomplish the project, gathering the materials needed for your project, and then get going. Remember part of the planning is working the budget. Yes I know that is an ugly word but necessary. I have decided to go through this house one room at a time to keep myself busy. I have painted the small bedroom and all it needs now is to hang some pictures. I have about 40 plus quilt blocks finished so far and so the month of April I will work on my bedroom. I am planning on painting 3 walls white and the one accent wall will be painted red, the color of the backing and center of the quilt blocks and also paint the 2 dressers and 2 nightstands that same color red. The month of March I am working on the kitchen. Joleane will be down this next weekend and she is going to help me paint the kitchen ceiling and then I will paint the walls the same shade of white as the ceiling. The only other thing I want to do in the kitchen is replace all my dishes and curtains. I don't need to change them, I just really want to. I have just spent 15 minutes on this post and have 2 months worth of spring cleaning projects that will keep me busy and away from eating. If this sounds like just too much work, start off slow, maybe just 1 closet each week or month. I promise if you start some cleaning projects, you will be happy with the outcome of a new clean home but you will be moving more and losing pounds and inches.

TIP OF THE DAY - TUESDAY

WALK MORE... MOVE IT, MOVE IT, MOVE IT. Keep a brisk walking pace while you do your weekly shopping. Instead of wasting time looking for a closer parking spot, take a faraway one to increase your activity and save time. This is not meant just for your shopping but think about how many errands you run each week. The library, the dry cleaners. the school, church, doctor offices, post office, and even drug store or Kmart. If you add just a couple of dozen steps with each errand you will be amazed how those steps add up. Now you might be thinking I don't have errands to run today then don't let that stop you. Just do a little walking around the house, inside or out. Enjoy the sunshine no matter what shape it might take, rays, drops, flakes or even hail stones.