Greetings friends after a VERY long hiatus!
I have been slowly traveling a slippery slope.  To be transparent and honest with you, I've been able to stay at/under/near goal for 8 years. Last year I was 5 pounds over and this year I'm 10 over.  It's time to pay serious attention!   So went back to review my old posts to help propel me to a good frame of mind regarding healthy eating.  I came upon this post from 2008 and thought it was a good place to start. After revisiting this post I've prepared a shopping list and am heading to the grocery store this afternoon with renewed purpose. 

Anyone want to join me?  
We can do this together!
Hugs,
Patti
    

Sunday, October 19, 2008
They said the day would come...
They said the day would come that staying at goal weight would become a challenge. I am sad to say my friends that after 2 years at goal that day has come. I am officially 2.4 pounds over my goal. I am 10 pounds heavier than I was a year ago. This is not good and does not make me feel good.

I was thinking about it this afternoon and I came to the conclusion that I can do as I've done in the past and just ignore it and see what happens OR I can set my mind to doing something to make a change.

Option #1 - Ignore it and see what happens - hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm experience has proven time and again that when I just ignore it, "IT" does not go away. The problem gets worse and I become very unhappy with myself.

Option #2 - Set my mind to doing something to make a change - Not the easy route by any means; but the best route nonetheless. This has to be my choice. In fact, there is no choice in my mind. I also listened when they said to give away all my larger clothes. I cannot change size or I'll have nothing to wear.

The tough part...how to put my plan into action. Here's what I decided to do:
Get back to following the CORE food plan with a fervor.
Go grocery shopping and buy healthy food that supports my efforts. I allowed NOTHING in my cart that would compromise my efforts. (Ask Thorsten, he tried really hard and even tried "pouting" but I would not give in!)
Cook up a big pot of beef barley and veggie soup. This will give me plenty of easy, healthy lunches or fast suppers this week so I don't fall into the "I'm tired, hurried, etc. trap"
Cook up a pot of homemade chili. (reference above)
Prep veggies - clean and cut them for easy munching.
Make sure I get my water in each day.
I decided these were the items I will focus on this week. I will exercise, but it won't be in the written plan until next week.

As a friend/family how can you best support me in my efforts?
Ask me how it's going - it's okay to acknowledge this is a time of struggle for me.
Don't suggest or ask if I'd like to have a cookie, ice cream or pizza. I'm weak right now and if I give in I will regret it later. Trust me.
Ask if I'd like to go for a walk or do something that gets me out and moving.
Ask if I'd like to see a movie.
Celebrate with me when I succeed! Without food :)

They told me this day would come.

It's OKAY

Before every flight takes off the flight attendant goes through all the safety information.  The exits are located here, this is how you fasten your seatbelt, if you need oxygen put your mask on before helping others who need assistance...

Wait.  Stop.  Take care of ME first?

It is ingrained in our very nature to put others first, to put the needs of our children and family before our own so why would we possible put our own mask on first?  Because if you pass out due to lack of oxygen then you are not able to assist anyone else.  You are rendered helpless and then neither of you are in a good place.

So, you ask, what does that have to do with weight loss and healthy lifestyle?

It's the same principle my friends.  If you are constantly putting others first and neglecting yourself and your own needs at some point you will not be healthy.  You will not be in a good place.  You will not be able to do the things for your family that you'd like to.  Self-care is important and if you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of anything else.

It's OKAY to say no to them sometimes.
It's OKAY to schedule your work out time and let them go to plan B.
It's OKAY to fix a healthy meal for the WHOLE family and not eat chicken nuggets because that's what the kids would prefer.
It's OKAY to put everyone to bed early so you can get your rest.
It's OKAY to say no to a stop at Dairy Queen
It's OKAY to say no to a candy bar at the gas station or grocery store if it threatens your willpower and resolve
It's OKAY to take everyone for a walk instead of playing video games
It's OKAY to make sure you have what you need so you can be healthy and feel good.

Trust me.
It's OKAY.   

Pay Attention Girlfriend!

It's time to revisit some very basic and yet very important tips that can be key in a healthy lifestyle.  Over the upcoming weeks thats the plan and today we start with....

Pay attention!  Pay attention!  Pay attention!

Pay attention to the act of eating.  It is so appealing and so very easy to eat while watching TV, reading a book, working on the computer or doing something else but DON'T DO IT!  I find that if I am distracted while eating I don't taste it, don't enjoy it and sometimes don't even remember eating it.  This is just not acceptable.  Every bite should be tasted, enjoyed and not rushed.  If you do this you'll find that you appreciate the flavors and will eat a lot less.

Personal check in:  I am home alone most days and usually eat both breakfast and lunch by myself.  I realize that I have fallen into a habit of reading or working on the computer while I eat and thus I've been eating more.  It stops today!  From now on I plan to taste and enjoy every bite.    

Post Halloween Tough Love

November 1st.  The day after Halloween. The Trick or Treating goodness is sitting there in the orange plastic pumpkins staring you in the face.  It was lots of fun and the kids made a haul.  The bowl of candy for callers is still sitting next to the front door, the leftovers calling your name as loud as they can.  "Come and eat me!"  Oh my, what to do, what to do!?

TAKE ACTION!

1. Dispose of the leftover candy.  Send it to work with your husband or throw it in the garbage and dump something gross, wet or goopy on top.  I can hear the dialogue in your head, "What? Throw away perfectly good candy?  But, but, but there are starving children in Africa!"  Yes!  Throw. It. Away.  You were okay with giving it away last night, so pretend it was all handed out and there are no leftovers.  It is gone.  (And do you really think starving children in Africa are going to benefit from YOU overeating on candy?)
2. Your kids made a haul and it's in the house.  That is THEIR candy - not yours and this is not a time to teach them about sharing.  You wouldn't take their allowance or their money so why would you think it's okay to take their candy?  Its not.  The candy is theirs.  Leave. It. Alone.
3. Start fresh with determination!  It's only 21 days until Thanksgiving and we all know that's another whole challenge to be dealt with separately.  Get back on track today!
4. Make something really healthy and yummy for dinner.  Try a new recipe.  Make it appealing so its easy to stay on track. 
5. Get outside and move.  Rake leaves, go for a brisk walk or bike ride, clean house like the in-laws are coming in an hour, whatever you do get your body moving more than you usually do.  

Halloween is only a day and even though it is laden with candy, its really not about candy.  Its about dressing up and having fun with others.  Relish that part and enjoy the laughter.  It's November now and Halloween is over.  Forget the candy.

Acknowledge the GOOD things within you!

A couple years ago when my self-esteem was at a low point, I read somewhere that you should  re-affirm daily positive things.  I created the following list, posted it on the bathroom mirror and read it daily.  I came across this list yesterday and realized how much it helped at the time, so thought I'd share the idea with you.  Here's my list:

I am God's child
I was created to honor and cherish him
I am a person of destiny
I am creative
I am strong
I am smart
I am blessed
I am a good parent
I am a good leader
I eat healthy and exercise because my body is a temple
I have the favor of God

Our faith is effective when we believe in ourselves!

Sufficiently buzzed on caffeine...accountable to others

I had a breakfast meeting at a local coffee shop this morning.  After we finished I stuck around drinking coffee and enjoying working away from the office.  It's fun the number of laptops that are in action here as people work, chat, meet and do business in an alternate setting.

I've been here long enough that the cookies started calling to me across the dining room, however I promised Amy that I'd email her my food diary this week.  So, I started a draft of my food journal and not wanting to add a coffee house cookie to the list, resisted the temptation.  There is definitely something to be said for holding yourself accountable to others at various points in time.

My daughter, Lindsay, had a great post on her blog recently that I found to be just what I needed to help re-charge my resolve.  I like the reference to fuzzy mind when she doesn't work out.  I also get very antsy if I don't exercise.

Well, I think I am sufficiently buzzed on caffeine now that I am ready to attack the rest of the day.

Find someone to hold you accountable.  It works wonders, I promise.

Filling Out My Tracker

In the meeting room this week, we challenged everyone to fill out their trackers and bring them in next week.  I'm filling mine out faithfully and do you know how many times I have either not eaten something or really thought about it twice because I know I have to write it down?

As you know, I lost my weight on Weight Watchers CORE program where tracking is not such a big deal.  I'm not a tracker by nature and so this is a real chore for me.  I'm still following the Core (now Simply Filling) technique, but I'm writing it and tracking it.  AND it's making a difference.  I'm sure of it.

The power of tracking should NOT be underestimated!  

tasting touching hearing seeing breathing

MY DAUGHTER GAVE ME A POSTER FOR CHRISTMAS WITH THIS POEM BY ee cummings ON IT. IT HANGS IN FRONT OF MY ELLIPTICAL AND I'VE READ IT OFTEN THIS PAST WINTER. I REALLY LIKE IT AND IT SPEAKS TO ME IN THE PROCESS OF EMBRACING LIFE AND REMOVING THE CONTROL FOOD HAS OVER ME. I WANTED TO SHARE IT WITH YOU.... ENJOY -


i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday;this is the birth
day of life and love and wings:and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any--lifted from the no
of all nothing--human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

-ee cummings

Acts 17:28

"In God we live and move and have our being." Acts 17:28

Isn't this a great bible verse? I just happened upon it and I really like it!

In GOD
We LIVE
We MOVE
We have our BEING

I like it!

Building A Network of Support is Key....

This is what Mayo Clinic has to say about it:
It doesn't take a scientific study to show that surrounding yourself with supportive family, friends and co-workers can have a positive effect on your mental well-being, but there's plenty of research to confirm it. A strong social support network can be critical to help you through the stress of tough times, whether you've had a bad day at work or a year filled with loss or chronic illness. It's never too soon to cultivate these important relationships — and your social support network can never have too many good friends.
What is a social support network?

A social support network is different from a support group. A social support network is made up of friends, family and peers, while a support group is generally a structured meeting run by a mental health professional. Although both can play an important role in times of stress, a social support network is something you can develop when you're not under stress, providing the comfort of knowing that your friends are there for you if you need them.

You don't need to formalize your support network with regular meetings or an official leader. A coffee break with a friend at work, a quick chat with a neighbor, a phone call to your sister, even a visit to church are all ways to reduce stress while fostering lasting relationships with the people close to you.
Benefits of a social support network

The positive effects of a support network include:

* Sense of belonging. Spending time with people helps ward off loneliness. Whether it's other new moms, dog lovers, fishing buddies or siblings, just knowing you're not alone can go a long way toward coping with stress.
* Increased sense of self-worth. Having people who call you a friend reinforces the idea that you're a good person to be around.
* Feeling of security. By reaching out and sharing yourself with others, you have the added security of knowing that if you start to show signs of depression or exhibit unhealthy lifestyle habits, your friends can help alert you to the problem.

Cultivating your support network

The first step toward developing a strong support network is an evaluation of your own behavior as it relates to building and maintaining friendships. After all, relationships are a two-way street. The better a friend you are, the better your friends will be. Here are some suggestions for nurturing your relationships:

* Stay in touch. Answering phone calls, returning e-mails and reciprocating invitations let people know you care.
* Be proactive. Don't wait for someone else to make the first move. If you meet someone you think could be a good friend, invite him or her for coffee. Or be the one to strike up a conversation while in line at the grocery store.
* Know when to say "no" and when to say "yes." Spending time with people who aren't supportive can add stress and take away valuable time. On the other hand, don't decline an invitation because you feel shy or insecure.
* Don't compete. Be happy instead of jealous when your friends succeed, and they'll celebrate your accomplishments in return.
* Be a good listener. Find out what's important to your friends — you might find you have even more in common than you think.
* Challenge yourself. Keep looking for ways to improve. Maybe it's by complaining less, being more generous or forgiving others' faults.
* Don't overdo it. In your zeal to extend your social network, be careful not to overwhelm friends and family with phone calls and e-mails. Save those high-demand times for when you really need them.
* Appreciate your friends and family. Take time to say thank you and express how important they are to you.

Adding to your support network

Ready for more friends, but not sure where to find them? Here are some ideas for extending your social network:

* Visit the park. Whether you bring your dog, your kids or your running shoes, you'll have something to talk about.
* Volunteer. Pick a cause that's important to you, and you're sure to meet others who share a similar value system.
* Ask a friend. Next time you meet a friend for lunch, ask him or her to bring along someone else.
* Go back to school. A local college or community education course puts you in contact with others who share similar hobbies or pursuits.
* Look online. In-person relationships may be best, but if you're living in a small town or living abroad, you might find added support through chat rooms or online bulletin boards. Many good sites exist for people going through stressful times, such as chronic illness, loss of a loved one, new baby, divorce and other life changes. Just be sure to stick to reputable sites, and be cautious about arranging person-to-person meetings.

A cautionary tale

Remember that the goal of extending your social support network is to reduce your stress level, not add to it. Here are some things to look out for when evaluating your relationships:

* Manage obligatory social ties. Some evidence shows that the negative consequences of maintaining obligatory relationships, such as with certain relatives or co-workers, can outweigh the benefits. Although you may not be able to cut ties with a nagging in-law, look for ways to manage the relationship so that it doesn't become a stressor for you.
* Beware of codependents. A support system with people who are engaged in the same unhealthy behaviors that you're trying to overcome — whether it's substance abuse or simply a negative attitude — can be damaging to your well-being.
* Avoid a sense of duty. The best support systems have no strings attached. If your peers are constantly demanding repayment for their efforts, or you feel pressured to conform to their beliefs, you're probably better off without them.
* Pick the right supporter. If you need help through a hard time, consider carefully which friend or family member to ask. A sibling might not be the best choice, for example, in dealing with grief over a lost parent because he or she too is affected by the loss.

The bottom line: More friends, less stress

It's always a good time to make more friends or improve on the relationships you already have. Whether you're the one getting the support or the one doling out the encouragement, you'll reap the rewards of comfort and compassion.

Do It Anyway

This was found written on the wall in Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta:

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

It's a HoliDAY...not a HoliWEEK!

Tomorrow is the big day, my friends. Are you ready? Do you have your plan in place? Have you mentally rehearsed? Can you see yourself ending the day feeling SATISFIED and happy about what you ate versus stuffed, uncomfortable and miserable?

A few tips and reminders...
Eat something for breakfast. Don't head into the event starved or you're headed for a feeding frenzy and before you know it you'll be out of control.

Make time to excercise. Go for a walk, go to the gym, turn on some music and dance.

Take SMALL amounts of the annual things you love and eat them slowly. Savor them. (Don't let yourself feel deprived over missing something you really want.)

Fill the rest of your plate with low energy density foods - low cal stuff that fills you up. Fruits, veggies, white meat.

Eat slowly. Allow your brain and stomach to talk to each other about your comfort level.

Use the technique of leaving space on the plate in between each food item.

Drink water before you get started. Stay well hydrated throughout the day. Not only is it filling; but it helps with the feeling of being satisfied.

Eat slowly.

Wait before you eat dessert. Are you REALLY still hungry? Do you really want it? Is it WORTH the 10 - 15 points? Perhaps 2 or 3 bites is all you need. Just a taste. Maybe not at all. After all, we all know what it tastes like already! (And many times we THINK it's going to taste way better than it actually does.)

Have I said yet that you should eat slowly?

Focus on the people! Your loved ones. Talk, laugh, enjoy them. Enjoy the day and all the parts that are not associated with food.

You CAN do this successfully and you'll be glad that you are on track at the scale. And remember...it's a HoliDAY. It's not a HoliWEEK. Right back to program and healthy eating the next day.

Be thankful for all your blessings.
God is good.

A Person Of Faith

A Person Of Faith

"Being a person of faith doesn’t mean you’re not also a person of suffering, a person of fear, a person of anger. It just means you have someone to hang onto, and to hang on to you while you cry, or yell, or hurt. It just means you don’t suffer alone.

And somehow, that makes it just a bit easier to get through." -Karen Ebert

The above quote is from my dear friend Karen Ebert, Pastor of Wausau's 1st United Methodist Church. I really like it and I think it's very helpful for the emotional struggles we go through and we all know that our struggle with weight is connected in some way to our daily struggles.

Fruits of the Spirit

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. ....Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

- Galatians 5:22-23, 25

Perception and Stress

This post came from a Sales Training organization in town and I thought it held some points that may be helpful if applied to stress overall because we all know stress affects our eating habits and weight....

Problem:
Mike is "burned out." He feels under stress a great deal of the time. His response to this pressure is learned helplessness, the giving-up reaction. This quitting response seems to have followed his perception that he has no control over his situation. He blames "bad karma" and the unfairness of life as the chief nemesis.

Diagnosis:
All experiences are filtered through our personal perception and our bias will distort them to fit our entrenched beliefs. So, much of our stress is not from the situation we face but rather our perception of it.

Prescription:
12 ideas about worrying wisely and changing our perceptions:

1. Look to be proactive.
2. Solve situations that are in your control.
3. Cope with things that are beyond your control.
4. Exercise with a friend.
5. 95% of our stress is in response to trivial vs. important.
6. Keep responsibility where it belongs.
7. Choose your battles wisely.
8. Use down time to be creative.
9. Do not run your engine at a breakneck pace all the time.
10. Do something for someone with no reciprocal agreement.
11. Re-Humanize yourself. Work is only a part of life vs. life itself.
12. If you had one month to live, how would this effect your perception?

What's Causing Your Plateau?

Article By: WeightWatchers. com

Different situations potentially contribute to a slowdown in weight loss. The first step to overcome the plateau is understanding what's causing it.

"Weight loss revolves around all aspects of your lifestyle — sleep, stress, even mood," says Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, LDN, the director of sports medicine nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. "And if you're neglecting one of these, you may be sabotaging your success."

Whether you're a Flex Plan or Core Plan® user, here are the common reasons for plateaus with strategies to get your weight-loss efforts back on track.

"I haven't been focusing on portion sizes as much."

If you're on the Flex Plan, refocus on using visual cues to estimate portion sizes. Make sure you're using the correct POINTS® values for the portion you're eating. Check out the Portion Primer for a pictorial guide to common portion sizes.

"I've been eating past my Comfort Zone."

If you're a Core Plan user and you haven't been paying attention to your Comfort Zone lately, make a commitment to start listening to your body's cues for feeling satisfied. Read Discover Your Comfort Zone to learn more about gauging your hunger and how to stop when you feel full.

"I haven't been working out much lately."

Commit to earning at least 1 activity POINTS value (preferably 2 or 3) per day.

If time is an issue, consider increasing the intensity of your workout rather than the length of it. For instance, instead of walking for 15 minutes, try jogging.

Exercise helps lower stress. Many people avoid the gym when they're anxious or overloaded, thinking they don't have time. Kelli Calabrese, MS, an exercise physiologist and editor of Personal Fitness Professional magazine, points out that, "Exercise is one of the best things you can do to bring your stress level down." And since stress is often linked to overeating, reducing it will help you stick to good eating habits.

"I've been taking a new medication recently."

Check with your pharmacist or physician to see if the medication you're taking can cause weight gain. If it does, ask if there's an alternative.

If you're taking an over-the-counter medication, check the label for added calories. If your medication does have calories, compare labels of other products to see if there is an alternative with less or no calories.

Have you been tossing and turning all night long? "If you don't sleep enough, your body looks for another way to find energy," says Bonci. "More often than not, that means you end up overeating just to stay awake." Plus, she adds, when you're exhausted you're less inclined to make smart food choices. Aim for seven to nine hours of shut-eye a night.

"I'm a Flex Plan user, but I haven't been keeping track of my POINTS values regularly."

If you don't have time to write down details, you can use ExpressTrack feature of the POINTS Tracker to enter your own food and POINTS values.

Looking for a way to make tracking more exciting? Reward yourself (with something other than food!) each week you keep track. Buy a new CD or a small kitchen gadget that will remind you of your tracking success.

Wondering if you should switch your food plan? Switching food plans is one strategy for breaking through a plateau. But Weight Watchers recommends that you stay with whatever food plan you've chosen for at least one week. Once you've lived with the plan you started on for a while, you'll have a much better understanding of how good a fit that food plan is for you. The Switch Guide will help guide you through the decision to change to the other food plan if and when you're ready.

Choose your hard

A friend sent me today's post and I thought it's a great one!

"Being fat is hard. Maintaining is hard. Choose your hard."

Isn’t that great? Let’s have our “hard” be maintaining well. Have a great week.

Making Small Changes

The following is from the Weight Watcher website and I love the ideas they share:

The surest way to succeed is making small changes. Think in terms of manageable baby steps, like swapping the half-and-half in your morning coffee for fat-free or low-fat milk. There are lots of little changes you can make—in your food plan and daily routine—that will add up to a lot of weight loss over the long haul.

Take a look at 25 tips below (from Weight Watcher’s website) for eating healthfully, fitting exercise into your busy day and revamping your daily routine. Start by picking five changes that you're sure you can tackle and practice them this week. Then try another five next week.

Not every idea is right for everyone, so experiment and see what works for you. Lots of little changes can yield big weight-loss results—and a healthier new you!

1. Good things come in small packages.
Here's a trick for staying satisfied without consuming large portions: Chop high-calorie foods like cheese and chocolate into smaller pieces. It will seem like you're getting more than you actually are.

2. Get "water-wise."
Make a habit of reaching for a glass of water instead of a high-fat snack. It will help your overall health as well as your waistline. So drink up! Add some zest to your six to eight glasses a day with a twist of lemon or lime.

3. Herb it up.
Stock up your spice rack, and start growing a small herb garden in your kitchen window. Spices and herbs add fantastic flavor to foods without adding fat or calories.

4. Slim down your soup.
Make a big batch of soup and refrigerate it before you eat it. As it cools, the fat will rise to the top and can be skimmed off the surface.

5. Doggie-bag that dinner.
At restaurants that you know serve large portions, ask the waiter to put half of your main course in a take-home box before bringing it to your table. Putting the food away before you start your meal will help you practice portion control.

6. Listen to your cravings.
If you're craving something sweet, eat something sweet—just opt for a healthier nosh (like fruit) instead of a high-calorie one like ice cream. The same goes for crunchy cravings—for example, try air-popped popcorn instead of high-fat chips. It's just smart substitution!

7. Ease your way into produce.
If you're new to eating lots of fruits and vegetables, start slowly. Just add them to the foods you already enjoy. Pile salad veggies into your sandwiches, or add fruit to your cereal.

8. Look for high-fat hints.
Want an easy way to identify high-calorie meals? Keep an eye out for these words: au gratin, parmigiana, tempura, alfredo, creamy and carbonara, and enjoy them in moderation.

9. Don't multi-task while you eat.
If you're working, reading or watching TV while you eat, you won't be paying attention to what's going into your mouth—and you won't be enjoying every bite. Today, every time you have a meal, sit down. Chew slowly and pay attention to flavors and textures. You'll enjoy your food more and eat less.

10. Taste something new.
Broaden your food repertoire—you may find you like more healthy foods than you knew. Try a new fruit or vegetable (ever had plantain, pak choi, starfruit or papaya?).

11. Leave something on your plate at every meal.
One bite of bagel, half your sandwich, the bun from your burger. See if you still feel satisfied eating just a bit less.

12. Get to know your portion sizes.
It's easy to underestimate how much you're eating. Today, don't just estimate things—make sure. Ask how much is in a serving, read the fine print on labels, measure your food. And learn portion equivalents: One serving of pasta, for instance, should be around the size of a tennis ball.

13. Don't give up dips.
If you love creamy dips and sauces, don't cut them out of your food plan completely. Just use low-fat soft cheese and mayo instead of the full fat stuff.

14. Make a healthy substitution.
Learn to swap healthier foods for their less-healthy counterparts. Today, find a substitution that works for you: Use skim or low-fat milk instead of whole milk; try whole-wheat bread instead of white.

15. Bring lunch to work tomorrow.
Packing lunch will help you control your portion sizes. It also provides a good alternative to restaurants and takeaways, where making healthy choices every day can be challenging (not to mention expensive).

16. Have some dessert.
You don't have to deny yourself all the time. Have a treat that brings you pleasure, but this time enjoy it guilt-free be—sure you're practicing portion control, and compensate for your indulgence by exercising a little more or by skipping your afternoon snack.

17. Ask for what you need.
Tell your mother-in-law you don't want seconds. Ask your other half to stop bringing you chocolates. Speak up for the place with great salads when your co-workers are picking a restaurant for lunch. Whatever you need to do to succeed at weight loss, ask for it—make yourself a priority and assert yourself.

18. Improve your treadmill technique.
When walking on a treadmill, don't grip the rails. It's fine to touch them for balance, but you shouldn't have to hold on. If you do, that might be a signal you should lower the intensity level.

19. Simon says... get fit.
Here's an easy way to fit in exercise with your kids: Buy a set of 1 lb weights and play a round of Simon Says—you do it with the weights, they do it without. They'll love it!

20. Make the most of your walks.
If your walking routine has become too easy, increase your effort by finding hills. Just be sure to tackle them at the beginning of your walk, when you have energy to spare.

21. Shop 'til you drop...pounds!
Add a workout to your shopping sessions by walking around the mall before your start spending. And try walking up the escalator—getting to your destination faster will be an added bonus.

22. Walk an extra 100 steps at work.
Adding even a little extra exercise to your daily routine can boost your weight loss. Today, take the stairs instead of the elevator, or stroll down the hall to talk to a co-worker instead of sending an email or calling.

23. Brush your teeth after every meal and snack.
This will be a signal to your mouth—and your mind—that it's time to stop eating. Brushing will also give your mouth a nice fresh taste that you'll be disinclined to ruin with a random chip. At work, keep a toothbrush with a cover and toothpaste in your desk drawer.

24. Clean your closet.
First, it's great exercise. Second, it's an important step in changing your attitude. Get rid of all the clothes that make you look or feel bad. Throw out anything that's too big—don't give yourself the option of ever fitting into those clothes again. Move the smaller clothes up to the front to help motivate you. Soon, you'll be fitting into those too-tight jeans you couldn't bear to part with.

25. Take your measurements.
You might not like your stats now, but you'll be glad you wrote them down when you see how many inches you've lost. It's also another way to measure your success, instead of just looking at the scale. Sometimes even when the numbers on the scale aren't going down, the measurements on your body are.

It's Your Turn To Make Choices...

Resolve to succeed. The greatest discovery one can
make is that nothing is impossible.

Controlling STRESS!

How To Keep Stress From Controlling Your Life

Reprinted from LOYALTY LEADER. Debra J. Schmidt, a.k.a. Loyalty Leader, is a professional speaker, corporate trainer and author. She helps companies boost their profits by leading them to greater customer and employee loyalty. Subscribe to her free online newsletter at: www.LoyaltyLeader.com

Feeling stressed is a fact of life. If you don't complain about the amount of stress you're under, you are probably in the minority. After all, everybody is stressed out. Right?

Wrong! Everybody has stress, but not everyone is stressed out. If you're tired of living under too much pressure and are looking for ways to get out from under all the stress, it may be time for you to try some new strategies for managing stress.

There are certainly sources of stress that are beyond your control such as illness, a job loss or other traumatic events. But when these factors are not present, it's important to recognize that much of your stress comes from day-to-day pressures such as work, family obligations, personal problems, financial challenges and commitments. There are some mornings when I'm stressed out before I even get out of bed because I'm overwhelmed just thinking about what lies ahead.

But just because you're under stress does not mean there is nothing you can do to improve your situation. It's time to take charge and making some changes to keep stress from becoming a destructive force in your life. Here are seven tips for breaking away from an unhealthy, stressful lifestyle:

Make a commitment to yourself.

Examine how sincere you are about adopting a new lifestyle. Are you willing to do the work that change requires such as giving up some old habits?

Learn how to say "No."

Resist taking on obligations for every project, meeting or engagement you are asked to participate in. It may be that's how you reached overload in the first place. Before you volunteer your time, evaluate how your "yes" affects other areas of your life. Will it mean that you will spend less time with your family? Will it keep you up at night worrying about how you can get it done?

Set healthy boundaries on your availability.

This means having a realistic understanding of what you can and cannot do, as well as what you are and are not willing to do. The people around you will grow to respect your boundaries. You'll know when you've failed to respect your own boundaries when you view an activity as an intrusion.

Know your stress level.

Some people can handle more stress than others. I know that there are times when I feel my business is under control and everything is running smoothly. It's during those times that I'm more willing to add stress to my life such as a home remodeling project. Limit changes in other areas of your life when you are already feeling overwhelmed.

Stop putting things off.

Keep in mind, the less time you have to get something accomplished, the more pressure you'll feel. If there were ever a sure-fire cure for stress, it's eliminating procrastination. Make a "to-do" list every evening for the next day. It will give you more focus and help you to get things done. If you don't finish everything on your list, move the remaining items to the top position on the next day's list. You will be amazed at how much you can get done just by sticking to your list.

Get organized.

Moving the same piles around on your desk each day wastes an enormous amount of time. A messy, cluttered work area actually saps your energy and increases your stress. Commit a block of time to cleaning up your work area and setting up a system for managing your emails, paper trail and other time wasters at work and home.

I don't know how much stress you're currently dealing with, but anything you do today will start chipping away at it. Every positive action you take, no matter how small, will bring results. Respect yourself. You cannot keep all stress away from your door. It will come, whether through the demands you've set on yourself, from others or from day-to-day living. But when you learn how to keep stress under control, you will have accomplished something tremendous for yourself.