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AWARENESS
"Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness." -- James Thurber "Like a fish suddenly made aware that it is swimming in water, I found every aspect of my perception changed." Author Unknown How many of us live in a...
Belly Dancing for the Midlife Soul
Publishing Guidelines: You are welcome to publish this article in its entirety, electronically, or in print fre*e of charge, as long as you include my full signature file for ezines, and my Web site address(http://www.schrift.com) in hyperlink for...
Friendship Is The Beauty Of A Rose.
There is an old English Proverb that goes like this a friend in need is a friend indeed. How true! Having a special friend you can turn to in good times and in bad is a beautiful and splendiferous thing. Leo F. Buscaglia said: "A single rose can be...
How to Change Your Conditioned Responses to Certain Foods
When trying to lose weight, there are certain foods that each person is more attracted to than other foods. Some find the morning cup of coffee quite addictive. To others it is bread. Many cannot have dinner in a restaurant without having an...
Neem Tree and Neem Tree Oil
The Neem Tree Information about Neem Oil
The National Institutes of Health, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and a sister agency to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has created a database of national and...
Skin Care
Your skin is your armor, your shield from the elements. Yet when was the last time you really thought about what you need to do to take care of it? Throughout your life, genetic and environmental factors will cause a lot of wear and tear to your...
Triumph Unmasked: Why We Celebrate Black History
A tribute to our past, present and future. Here’s to the winner in all of us. The history of a noble race, running roughshod over bondage, obstacles and time eternal. Fearless, proud and infinitely hopeful, that is the essence of our heritage....
Yoga Mats – Are They All Created Equal?
Yoga mats are a basic part of every practice. What you might not realize is that there are several types of yoga mats that you can choose from. Sticky Mats - These yoga mats offer a covering for your practice area, as well as some stability for...
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Shape Up! 4-Alternative Weight Loss Solutions
I am embarrassed to admit how many different commercial weight
loss programs I’ve tried. I don’t know about you, but after
a while I grow tired of talking heads touting empty promises.
None of them helped me look the way I think I should and most
of them left me agonizing over eating the same foods over and
over.
What’s a body to do?
In this article I’ve outline a few different ideas that I’ve
found to really work. Ideas I continue to come back to again
and again. Whether you need to lose a few pounds or are looking
for a healthy lifestyle change, these 4 solutions will help
get you started.
Solution #1: Use Creative Visualization
Creative visualization a great way to bring about lifestyle
change. “Seeing” yourself thinner is one of the most successful
ways to decrease your body size and improve body image. Guided
imagery works by training your mind to stimulate changes within
your body.
This can be accomplished using a few of my favorite tools:
Affirmations: Using affirmations will train your mind by stating
or affirming your intentions. It will retrain your thinking
toward positive thoughts.
When I use affirmations, I like to use positive statements
such as these:
MY BODY IS BEAUTIFUL! I LOVE MY BODY!
To increase their effectiveness, I write these messages to myself
on an index card or piece of paper and carry them with me. I
review them several times throughout the day.
Tapes: If you are an auditory person, you will love the guided
imagery and weight loss tapes available from Health Journeys
( http://www.healthjourneys.com ). Their positive learning tapes
will walk you through the thought process of building a stronger,
leaner body.
Books: One of my favorite positive affirmation books is Love Your
Body! By Louise L. Hay. Inside this book, Louise has created
affirmations for you. If you read through them each day you are
sure to reap the rewards of loving your body.
Solution #2 Try An Herbal Wrap
If you need to lose a few extra pounds, you may want to try
an herbal wrap. Herbal wraps help the body lose water and
inches. You can get a wrap from your favorite salon however,
they tend to be expensive. It’s just as easy to give yourself
a spa treatment at home. Herbal wrap products are everywhere.
If you’d like to get a wrap but prefer the privacy of your own
home, check out: http://www.slenderwrap.com
Some of the benefits of herbal wraps include:
• Weight loss
• Water loss
• Decreased inches
•
Smoothness of Tissue
Solution #3 Stop When You Are Full
In her book Appetites, Geneen Roth gives us a simple outline to
manage portion control. Her two major mantras are: take time to
eat and stop when you are full. These are both shape-shifting
ideas. To some people, including myself, food is a friend.
Therefore the tendency to overeat stems out of emotion; food
provides comfort and security. Others are in a hurry. Food and
the need to eat are just obstacles that get in the way.
In effort to break free from these unhealthy behaviors, ask
yourself several questions:
Am I enjoying what I am eating? Do I eat standing up or on the
run? Do I continue to eat even after I know I am full?
Next, begin to carve out time to eat and enjoy food with friends
or family. Or to take time to enjoy a nourishing meal even if
you are alone. Eat to the point of being full, then stop. Most
of the time, weight loss can be easily stimulated through
portion control.
Solution #4 Keep a Food Journal
In addition to the aforementioned, it may be wise for you to
keep a food journal. By tracking what you eat every day, you
hold yourself accountable for everything you place in your mouth.
It’s simple to start. Record everything you eat for a week and
document your weight each week.
At the end of the week take inventory of yourself. Have you
gained weight? Lost? Remained the same? If you are gaining weight,
simply cut back on your refined sugars (sweets) and heavy carbs
like white rice or white potatoes. For these, substitute brown
rice or sweet potatoes instead. Track your habits for a second
week.
When you’ve reached the point in your eating program where your
weight remains the same, you will need only consume a few less
calories (or burn a few extra during exercise) each week to lose
weight. Keep in mind: in order to lose weight, your body needs
to burn more calories than it consumes. First, find your melting
point, then adjust your portion control and exercise program
accordingly.
In Conclusion: With just a few adjustments and an enjoyment of
food – recognizing its beauty for nourishing your body - you can
shift your focus from frustration to enjoyment. Give these
alternatives to weight loss a try. Your health and your waist
line will thank you for it.
About the Author
Laura M. Turner is a Certified Personal Trainer and Sr. Editor
of the The New Body News and Wellness Letter. Increase
your healthy I.Q. Sign up for free: www.new-body-news.com
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