Whether you are interested in losing weight or maintaining your current weight, my fitness advice will help you achieve your goal. It's about finding activities you enjoy and making time in your weekly schedule for these activities. It's also about finding a way to be active throughout the day, everyday.
You are either active or sedentary as a rule. Meaning, you'll drive around for 10 minutes looking for the closest parking spot or you'll park at a distance and briskly make it into the mall in less then 5 minutes. The active person perceives this situation as an opportunity to burn a few extra calories in his/her busy day. The sedentary person perceives this situation as an inconvenience - having to walk further when they are just too tired to walk. Opportunity. Perception. Active. Sedentary. Choices.
*Of course, before beginning any new exercise regime, you should always consult with your physician for medical clearance. The nurse has spoken!
KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge is power. Know what you're eating before you put it in your mouth! The original hamburger and fries at McDonald's was the size of what is now the Happy Meal portion, which equals approximately 500 calories should you choose a diet soda or water with it. In such financially difficult times, we want more value for our buck. The Big Mac value meal has a whopping 1060 calories, making it a better dollar value over the Happy Meal. Value: relative worth. Are you willing to stretch yours and your family's waistline and increase your risks for diabetes and cardiovascular disease in order to stretch your dollar? What is the cost of a new pair of jeans? What's the cost of your copays on your cholesterol, blood pressure and/or diabetes medications? What's the cost of a 16 year old being diagnosed with type 2 (adult onset) diabetes? How much do you value the quality of the life you live? Value: relative worth, merit or importance. So ask yourself, were is the the value in the Value Meal? What is the final price tag, in the long run? You are what you eat, so to speak. It may not be what you are eating, it may be how much you're eating which is keeping you from achieving your goal. Too much of a good thing......
The next time you pick up an item at the grocery store don't just look at the price. Look at the value. How many calories per serving are there? How many grams of fat, sodium and sugar does it contain? How many grams of protein and fiber does it have? Compare it to like items and choose the one with lower fat, sodium and sugar grams and contains more fiber and protein. Your choices impact your entire family. Take the time to read the labels for yourself and the ones you love. I will share with you the foods that always land in my grocery cart and any new discoveries.
LAUGHTER
Someone once said "laughter is the best medicine". Doesn't it feel good to laugh? Love and laughter go hand-in-hand in successful marriages. Do you love your spouse? Do you like your spouse? Are you happy in your marriage? Do you laugh together?
Listen ladies, I am one extremely happily married woman. I love my husband, he is my best friend. However, I have a failed first marriage and my marriage to my loving husband of 15 years has been put to the test, many times. I know of what I speak. The truth is if you like each other and enjoy each other, you are more likely to stay in love and stay married.
I used to believe it was all about my husband making me happy. After all, I do so much. I work, clean, avoid cleaning (that takes a lot of energy), shuttle the kids around, shop, cook, laundry etc. Now I have to make my husband happy too? Are you kidding me? One of my greatest discoveries, my "AH HA" moment, was when I learned that I am responsible for my own happiness. When I'm happy, the people around me seem happier. Ripple in the pond effect. Spread joy or spread misery. The choice is mine. My marriage, like a garden, needs tender loving care to thrive, blossom and last. If I don't nurture it, it will slowly shrivel and die like the neglected plant I occasionally remember to water. My husband gave me a plaque years ago. It's in the shape of a heart and it reads "Marriage is like a garden, it takes a lot of love and a little work each day". Both partners need to love and work or the garden will shrivel and die. That plaque still hangs in the room we spend the most time in: the kitchen.
When you're happy, you're kids are happier, your husband is happier. It comes back to you - like a reflection in the mirror. You are responsible for your own happiness. What better way to be a role model to your children? When I do something sweet for my husband he appreciates it and THAT makes me happy. When he does something sweet for me I appreciate it and THAT makes him happy. Our kids learn by example. This is how it's done in our home. Consideration is an important element in my marriage. It's not all about me, it's not all about him and it's not all about the kids. It's about all of us - us as a couple, us as a family. You get what you give in our household. Do unto others.
I will share with you ways that we keep our love alive and get through the trials and tribulations of parenting and caring for our elders with love, support and most importantly, with LAUGHTER.
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