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Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Prevention's Health Tracker

I have signed up for Prevention magazine's health tracker on their webpage. So far from what I've input into the assesment I'm learning that I have a LONG road ahead of me. I'm up for the challenge I just need a support system to keep me motivated.

Yesterday....


I was reading a weight loss book that I had purchased a couple of years ago and was reading the chapter on walking. After I got done reading the chapter I decided that I was going to try and walk at least once a day. Not only is it good for me but it also helps tone your lower half in the process. After I made my decision I took my walking partner (my dog Laci) out for an afternoon walk. We walked for a good 25 minutes and when I came home and put the information into the "Walking Calculator" on Prevention magazine's webpage and found that I had burned 98.18 calories in just a short 25 minute time frame.
That's Laci in the photo. She likes to sleep flat on her back with her legs straight up in the air. She's a weird one but we love her anyway.

The 30 day challenge



As I have posted prior I am participating in Shari's 30 day clothing challenge. The article of clothing that I am using for the challenge is my favorite pair of 9/10 jeans from my favorite store of all time, Maurices (they sell there jeans in a weird size run kinda way cause according to the lady at the store that I shop at the jeans are made to stretch/give hence the way their brand of jeans are sized). Currently, I can get into them but they do not sit or fit right on my body yet. The area's that I am going to be working on primarily during the challenge are my "belly buldge," my hips and my thighs. So please wish me luck in the challenge. I can hardly wait to see what I look like at the end!


Jamie

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Today's Affirmations

I'm a good blogger!
I will not be angry with what the scale reads!
I will fit comfortably in my size 9/10 jeans in 30 days!

Shari I am in the process of getting pix to e-mail to you for the challenge.

10 Lessons Fitness Teaches You About Life

I found this article on fitnesscure.com and I thought that I would share it with everybody!

10 Lessons Fitness Teaches you about LIFE
Posted by Maria Kang on October 23rd, 2006

#1 No Good Pain, No Good Gain

In order to achieve results, you have to put your muscles under uncomfortable circumstances. You have to have the body and mind power to push yourself past the limits of comfort and to a place where you felt it was not possible to achieve. During periods of discomfort, your body will have to adapt to the new stress you are putting upon it.
Your body could react by losing body fat for energy, or gaining muscle for strength. At the same time, your body might negatively react by tearing a ligament, so be sure that you understand the difference between good and bad pain. Similarly, in life, you must also put yourself under circumstances that cause you to become fearful, unstable, and unpredictable.
These circumstances will challenge your mind to gain the survival tools necessary to adapt to this new environment it’s forced to live in. If you want to grow and develop, you have to take risks, and see how your body, your mind and your spirit adapts to the changes you are placing upon it.

#2 If You Want To Change, Something Has To Change

If you want to achieve great things in fitness, then you have to change your habits. Changing your habits is one of the hardest things to overcome because it is the bread and butter of who you are. But in order to create results, you have to identify the habits holding you back from achieving your goals, and change them.
While the hardest thing to do is identify the problem; the second hardest thing to do is create an action plan that prohibits you from repeating the pattern, over and over again. Just like in life, there are things that we want to achieve, such as saving more money, being kinder to others, or being less angry, but in order to change, something has to change.
So find what triggers your bad habits, and then create a different action to change them.

#3 Every Day Is A New Battle

It doesn’t matter how much you lifted yesterday, or if you did cardio everyday last week. It doesn’t even matter if you were Mr. Olympia, or just completed your best exercise set five minutes ago?what are you going to do right now to change your life, to progress you even further, to where you want to be in the future?
Every day we begin our day with specific short term goals, and every night we go to
sleep having completed, or not completed that goal. But every day, is a new day, and the cycle continues. In life, we have to constantly remind ourselves that this cycle will not end until the day we die.
We have to constantly struggle to be better than we were yesterday, to test and overcome the limits of our body, mind and spirit is what creates a true champion of life.

#4 Get To The Core Of The Matter

Our body is a mobile, fluid, flexible machine that is held together through balance from the core muscles: your lower back and abdominal regions. In order to gain true strength, you must not avoid the strengthening and conditioning of this stabilization area. Bad posture creates muscle imbalances, which therefore places more stress on the core.
A common example is the lower back region, an area where most people will experience some pain in their lifetime. For many, the lower back is stressed due to increasing weight in the frontal plane; whether it is forward shoulders from continued slouching or belly fat that weighs down the front part of your body adding additional stress on that lower back.
As a result, our core becomes stressed due to this muscle imbalance. In life, most of your behavior and habits can be traced back to your brain and how you mentally perceive a problem or situation.
In order to change things in your life, you must get to the core of the problem: you must figure out why you do the things you do, and where it stemmed from, because if you don’t, it will reoccur again, and again, and again?until you find the reasons behind your behavior.

#5 Nothing Great Comes Without Sacrifice

Let’s face it. Even though becoming a healthier person is obviously a very good endeavor to shoot for, it is definitely a challenge to stay focused, determined, persistent and consistent. There are going to be times when you have to choose between two equally important things and you have to choose fitness.
There are going to be temptations to eat bad, drink, skip workouts, not workout as hard, etc. However, if you want to realize your fitness goal, you have to make these necessary sacrifices. The amount of what you are willing to sacrifice is what will determine how successful you will become. At the same time, while these sacrifices sound harsh, the good part is: is that the more you make fitness a successful habit, the less ‘perceived’ sacrifices you will have to make.
In life, everything comes with a sacrifice. If you want to change your life to get to higher goal, then expect sacrifice to be part of the game plan. Be prepared that the road to your destination will not be easy, and understand that nothing great occurs without sacrifice.

#6 Rejoice In Your Uniqueness

In order to win at this Fitness Game, you have to learn the rules and create your own Game Plan. You have to understand nutrition, exercise, supplementation etc. Now that you understand the time tested rules of what your body can and cannot do, now its time to make the plan work for you.
While workout programs and popular diets in magazines and books or helpful, they may or may not work for you for a variety of reasons. Your body’s ability to respond to these programs will be dependent on your age, ethnicity, sex,
metabolism, past injuries, and muscle imbalances. So it’s up to you, to play with the different tools you’ve been given, and shape it to fit who you uniquely are.
Just like in life, while other people can succeed in achieving your similar professional or personal goals by doing a certain thing, it does not guarantee that it will work for you. You have to understand your different options first, then create a unique program, tailored to your strengths and weaknesses, and then follow it.

#7 If There Is A Will, There Is A Way

If you want to live to see your grandchildren, you will do it. If you want to win your first local competition, you will do it. If you want to finish a triathlon best in your class, you will do it. If you want to do anything, you have to find the will, or the reason, why you want to set that goal.
Once you are able to process these emotional reasons why you need to make a change in your life, or achieve that goal, then you found the key that will make you succeed. Finding your will, or identifying the emotional reason why you want to complete something is what separates the winners from the losers.
This emotional will is what will keep you strong when times are tough: when you don’t want to work out, when you want to eat bad, when you want to give up?this emotional will is what will give you the strength to build mental and physical toughness, because this emotional will is the spiritual element that will guide you when there is no light at the end of your tunnel.
One of the hardest things to do is truly identify when you are goal setting, the true reasons why you need to complete that goal: instead of asking yourself why you want to do this, ask yourself why you need to do this. Just like in life, if you are able to find the deep rooted, emotional reasons why completing your personal goal is important to you: then you are going to find every way possible, to achieve the goal you set yourself out to overcome.

#8 Your Number One Competitor Is Yourself

While we all want to be the fittest person in the gym, or the fastest marathon runner or the strongest person in the world, the only real competitor you have, is you. Your genetic capabilities and your environment will determine how far you can go.
These limitations challenge us to use the tools God has presented us with, and challenge ourselves to see how we can change the evolutionary course of our genes. While competition with others brings out the competitive animals in us, we must ask: what if there was no competition? What if it was just you? By focusing on you, you are able to bring out the best in what you have to offer and achieve.
In life, by focusing on your own personal development, every step of the competition, you are able to tackle problems and challenges because you understand yourself. By focusing on you as your prime competitor, you are able to test your personal limits and focus on your gifts as a competitor of not just fitness, but of life.

#9 Keep A Journal

If you want to make sure that you are doing everything correctly to win your fitness goal, you should document your food, your activity, even your emotions, so that you can always retrace when you did your best. This journal is not only handy to research when you ate or exercised the best, it can also help you understand when you did your worst, and why you did your worst.
While we would all like to have awesome memories, the fact is, is that sometimes we forget. Sometimes the habits or actions we create become second nature to us, so much so, that we don’t realize that it has become negative. In life you should also keep a journal.
This journal allows you to not only document your emotions and see how you process them, but also help you reminisce and reflect on the powerful emotions underlying what made you successful, or happy, during different periods in your life. By personal reflection, you find resolution in things you’ve done wrong, and restoration in things you do right.

#10 Create A Successful Environment

Sure it would be wonderful to have all your healthy meals cooked for you, and your home gym fully equipped with the latest and greatest fitness equipment, but only few can afford such luxuries. But in order to achieve success, you have to perceive success; your environment around you should scream success.
Create an environment that spurs your goal: have your food journal everywhere you go, don’t buy bad foods, place your favorite fitness model on your fridge, write encouraging quotes everywhere, hang around healthy people, join a recreational sport, walk up the stairs, park really far etc. Create an environment that helps you become successful.
In life, if you want to achieve anything great, create an environment where you don’t have to fiercely battle every day, because lets face it, it gets tiring to face temptation in the eye every day. Be in the company of people with similar professional, physical and personal goals.
Be in an environment that appears controlled, whether it is keeping a clean house, or fixing your bed every morning; create a mind frame that is positive and optimistic, a mind that can believe it can achieve greatness through hope and faith. Create a successful environment that loves you, so that you can love it and live in it, successfully in return.

Motivation


Trust only movement. Life happens at the level of events, not of words. Trust movement. - Alfred Adler

Fitness Motivation:
If you are moving - something is going to change.
It’s physics y’all!
If you are challenged mentally, spiritually or physically by a person, place or thing…
EXPECT yourself to change because of the challenge.
You will change the way you think of yourself - and the way you think of the ‘thing’ that challenges you.
When you are moving ….when you are challenged…
YOU ARE CHANGING.
You can change the direction of your future by a single moment…
You can change the opportunities you see by a single thought…
You can change the body you have by a single decision…
MOVE!
MOVE TODAY!
And TRUST in that MOVEMENT>>>
For movement is what causes change.
And change is what causes progression.

Monday, April 28, 2008

Redeeming myself

So I've already confessed to being a "bad" blogger. But on the upside I haven't had a drop of caffeine in anyway, shape, or form for over two weeks! My size 14 jeans are way TOO BIG! They were a little snug when I started my weight loss journey and now I SWIM in them! My 13/14 are too big also. So right now I think I'm in a 11/12, so I guess I'm going to have to go out and get me a pair of jeans that ACTUALLY fit! I have yet again fallen off of the wagon. But like last time I'm not going to beat myself up over it. I'm just going to dust myself off and carry on!

Shari has posted a clothing challenge on her blog "Becoming Fit At 50". I've decided that I am going to try it and see if I can get my 9/10 jeans to fit a little more "comfortably." I can get into them but it's a little bit snug in certain area's....Area's that I already know I needed to work on. The challenge itself is 30 days. It starts on May 1. Please check out Shari's blog if you are interested in particpating.

Motivation

You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take. –Wayne Gretzky

Fitness Motivation:

Go ahead - try it.

Shoot for a solid, fat free, exercise regimented day…

Shoot for a size 4 jeans or a bright bikini this summer…

Take a shot at being the best version of yourself…

Most people are too scared to try -

Most can’t even fathom being anything but who they are now..

Are you taking the shots?

Are you taking risks?

Are you trying, over and over again….even if you miss?

The higher the ratio, the higher the possibilities…

As you keep performing and fine tuning your mind, body and spirit -

That ratio will change.

And so will you.

I've been a bad blogger!

I'm sorry I haven't been posting on here as often as I should. I've been pretty busy lately and now I'm pretty much afraid to step on the scale knowing how "bad" I've been lately.

Today's Affirmations:

I will be a good blogger!
I WILL kick my caffeine habit!
I will get my "emotional" eating under control!
My size 14 jeans are TOO BIG! YEAH ME!
I'm going to start walking more!

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

How to lose weight without dieting

Instructions
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Step 1:Decrease your caloric intake. Your body burns calories every day, all day, just by being alive. If you eat fewer calories than your body burns, you will lose weight without having to feel like you are dieting. You need to be sure that you eat enough calories so that you don't go into "starvation" mode.

Step 2:Eat frequently and consume small portions. You need to eat regularly in order to keep your body burning calories. Your metabolism will slow down if your body isn't given food. Eating breakfast within an hour of getting up in the morning will help get your body's metabolism going.
Step 3:Walk. Walking is the best exercise you can give your body. It gets you moving and isn't too intense. If you aren't in very good shape, you need to start slow. Make sure that you dedicate some time each day to getting out and walking. It doesn't have to be for very long, but it has to happen. Adding exercise to your daily routine will help you lose weight without putting yourself on a diet.

Step 4:Mix up your exercise. Add variety to your exercise regimen. That way you won't get bored and want to quit. Taking classes at the local recreation center or a gym is a great way to see what sort of classes are out there.

Step 5:Take a ride. Get on a bike and tour the streets of your neighborhood or local park. Riding a bike is great exercise and is a good way to see things. Get a friend to join you and share in the adventure.

Step 6:Re-evaluate your reward system. If something good happens and you always reward yourself with food, change your rewards to non-food items. Treating yourself to a pedicure or a night at the movies for a job well done is a better reward than some cookies or ice cream.

Step 7:Start a new hobby. People tend to eat when they are bored. If you don't let yourself get bored, your desire to eat may decrease. If you start a hobby, such as knitting, your hands will be tied up so that you can't mindlessly snack. Other hobbies, such as playing tennis, will keep your body active and your mind stimulated.

Building a Healthy Body Image

Feel Great About Your Size And Shape With These Tips

Building a healthy body image means you'll be confidence in your appearance, no matter what your size and shape. Here's 5 ways to build a healthy body image.
Building a healthy body image takes practice, time, and patience – but before you know it you'll be setting amazing but attainable goals and taking exciting risks! Here's how to build a healthy body image and be confident in your size and shape.
Building a Healthy Body Image: At War With Our Bodies
The textbook definition of body image is: the inner perception of physical appearance, or size and shape. When you've built a healthy body image you feel good about yourself no matter how you look.
A more well-rounded definition of healthy body image is: how we perceive our bodies to fit (or not fit) the expectations of our culture and ourselves. It's all about what we "should" look like and how slim we "should" be. We learn to be at war with our bodies, fighting them to be thin, flawless, smooth, unblemished, and perfect. This is where unhealthy or bad body image comes in, and why it's important to build a healthy body image.
Building a Healthy Body Image: How Bad Body Image is Created
To build a healthy body image, you need to know how a bad body image is formed. A bad body image is built in part by our experiences with other people. Parents, teachers, siblings, spouses, children, family, and friends can influence bad body image with a look – not to mention comments about our weight or various body parts. Bad body image is influenced by the pictures we see in magazines and on tv. We constantly compare ourselves to flawless models, and we come up short every time. Building a healthy body image is crucial to a healthy, happy life.
A bad body image can develop into body dysmorphic disorder, which is a psychological condition. This is another reason to build a healthy body image.
Building a Healthy Body Image: Women Versus Men
Women are literally more in touch with their and other people's bodies than men are, which often develops into bad body image. We may be more sensitive to our physical selves because our daily lives are more focused on bodily functions – ours and other people's – than men's. We get our periods, ovulate, get pregnant, and give birth. Men don't really notice their bodies the same way. This could set the stage for a bad body image. Building a healthy body image involves accepting our whole bodies.
Women are more likely to take care of the natural functions of kids (the contents of diapers, potty training, vomit, snot, blood, and whatever else oozes out of their bodies). Women are also more likely to be nurses, home care givers, and other professions that involve taking care of ill or elderly people. Again, this could be the start of a bad body image. Building a healthy body image is about taking care of and honoring our own bodies.
Builidng a Healthy Body Image: Accepting Your Size and Shape
Many women have a distorted image of their bodies, or bad body image. Specifically, we think we're fatter and uglier than we really are - which could develop into fear of intimacy. We tend to focus on what we don't like about our bodies and selves, which is the basis for a bad body image. Other people don't see what we see; they're usually less critical of our bodies than we are.
Building a healthy body image is about focusing on what we like about our size and shape - even if we're not perfect.
5 Ways to Build a Healthy Body Image
Different people will find different tips helpful when it comes to building a healthy body image.
1. Focus on your strengths and positive qualities.To gain confidence in your appearance, notice what you love about your body! Building a healthy body images means dwelling on your strengths.
2. If your friends or family comment on your flaws, consider limiting the amount of time you spend with them. Boosting a bad body image includes looking out for your best interests.
3. Figure out who you are and what you want out of life! What are your dreams, passions, and goals? Concentrate your, and worry less about your body image. This, ironically, will help build a healthy body image.
4. Get healthy. Move your body around, learn how hunger works, try new physical activities. Enjoy the confidence movement and fresh air brings! Building a healthy body image is about being strong and active.
5. Learn to be comfortable – and fearless! – when you're naked. Building a healthy body image means enjoying your nudity.

How to Lose Weight Without Dieting

32 Easy and Effective Weight Loss Tips

Weight loss programs and fitness regimens aren't for everyone. These easy & inexpensive weight loss tips double as permanent weight loss strategies.
There are millions of diets available and not all of them work for everyone -- so it's smart to find the weight loss plan that works for you. You can choose from low cholesterol, high protein, Dr. Atkins, low fat, vegan, zone diet, low carb, low glycemic index diet, diet supplements, diet meals, Mediterranean diets, or adult weight loss camps. Or, you can lose weight without dieting.
To find what works for you, you may need to experiment with different lifestyles, foods, and weight loss strategies (unless you're lucky enough to be successful on the first try). Figuring out the best weight loss plan could involve Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers or LA Weight Loss - or it could be adult weight loss camps or weight loss surgery. Losing weight permanently depends on your personality and lifestyle.
It may help to learn how hunger works and why it's important to nurture a healthy body image.

How to Lose Weight Without Dieting: 32 Easy & Effective Weight Loss Tips
1. Get a support group or diet buddy.
2. Drink lots of water.
3. Focus on what you did well today! Building your self-esteem helps you lose weight without dieting.
4. Skip the mayo, salad dressing, and other high fat condiments.
5. "Exercise" every day - including short walks or a series of stretches.
6. Eat small, regular meals. Enjoy it when other people compliment you!
7. Limit yourself to half a dessert or just a few bites. When you lose wieght without dieting, you don't have to deny yourself.
8. Stop eating after a handful of potato chips or peanuts.
9. Find an exercise pal – one to work out, walk, or go to yoga class with.
10. Quit any exercise you hate or have to force yourself to do.
11. Nurture your body with bubble baths, massages, lotions, and sensual touches.
12. Hire a personal trainer. He or she might be the motivation you need to lose weight without dieting.
13. Keep a weight loss and/or food journal.
14. Eat snack-size portions between meals.
15. Avoid diet pills or diet shakes. Losing weight without dieting means sticking to a normal eating plan.
16. Enjoy other people's successes and achievements.
17. Never criticize your body, behavior, or thoughts. Keep a healthy self-regard when you're losing weight without dieting.
18. Eat home-cooked meals and snacks (not take-out) as often as possible.
19. Focus on "slow but sure": lose a pound a week. When you're losing weight without dieting, it's best to go slow.
20. Only eat when you're physically hungry, not when you're sad or angry.
21. Get enough sleep, at least 7 or 8 solid hours.
22. Deal with any food issues or eating disorders you struggle with.
23. Love and appreciate your body no matter what weight you are. When you're losing weight without dieting, you need to accept yourself at all sizes.
24. Do what you love: watch movies, garden, talk on the phone, play games, read.
25. Enjoy fiber (bran muffins, cereal, prunes, pears, raspberries, etc). When you lose weight without dieting, you need to learn to like nutritious foods.
26. Allow yourself to indulge in savoury or sweet snacks occasionally.
27. Eat less sugar. Eating half the amount you usually do will help you lose weight without dieting.
28. Avoid white rice, white bread, white pasta (try the brown versions).
29. Surround yourself with people who love and support you. Be honest that you're losing weight without dieting.
30. Let go of past mistakes, failures, guilt, and shame.
31. Deal with any food issues or eating disorders you struggle with. When you're losing weight without dieting, you need to be free from emotional eating.
32. Enjoy being naked without being nervous. The more comfortable you are with your body, the more you honor it. If you respect and accept your body, you may lose weight naturally.

Tomorrow...

I've caved and tomorrow I am going out and getting a full one hour message at the place uptown. I can hardly wait! It's something that I've never done before and I'm hoping it will losen me up a little bit for when I go back to work on Friday.

In other news I'm also in the process of growing my hair out. I went from really short (think Allysa Millano short) in December to my sides are almost down to the bottom of my ears. I'll try and get pictures up shortly, too.

My newest addiction....my new heeled sandles. I don't know what it is about them, but I just love wearing them. I feel really good in them and they go with just about everything that I currently have in my closet. Speaking of closets....I can hardly wait until I can start buying clothes in smaller sizes!

I galdarn gone and done it

I've fallen off the wagon yet again! I was good all through my vacation and even for the first couple days after I got home. But yesterday was absolutely TERRIBLE! I gave in to my cravings for fried chicken and Subway. I'm not going to beat myself up too badly about it though. I am on the road to a new me. I can feel it, I'm just having a little trouble believing it cause I'm not physically seeing any changes.

So here are today's affirmations:

1. I believe that I'm on the road to change.
2. I WILL lose weight without dieting.
3. I haven't had a can of caffineated soda since Sunday.
4. I'm not going to give in to my craving's near as easy from now on.
5. I want to have flatter abs.
6. I can finally start visualizing what I'll look like in my size 6 jeans!

I was just thinking....

Where did our society go wrong? When did it become a "quest" to be the skinniest person? When did it become all about size zero's and eating disorders? Why can't we just love ourselves for who we are? Well I know the answer to that last question....Cause the media says that in order to be "cool" you've gotta look undernourished. That's just NOT healthy! I don't feel the need to be a size zero but I do feel the need to lose some weight so that I can live a healthier life.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Lose Weight Without Dieting

By Selene Yeager, Prevention
Many people struggling with their weight are what Stephen P. Gullo, Ph.D., a prominent weight loss expert in New York City, calls food therapists—people who use food to deal with stress and the problems of life.

"They have developed a one-word response to any and all problems: Eat!" says Dr. Gullo, author of Thin Tastes Better (Carol Southern Books, 1995).

It's not surprising that so many people use food as a tranquilizer, says Dori Winchell, Ph.D., a psychologist in private practice specializing in eating disorders in Encinitas, CA. "From the time you're a baby through childhood, whenever you're unhappy, someone soothes you with a cookie. We've been pairing emotions with eating for so long that it's little wonder we know anything else." What's more, admits Dr. Winchell, food works. "Food can create soothing changes in brain chemistry, and even the simple act of chewing will increase endorphins and ease your pain."

To top it off, the stress you feel when you're upset actually makes you feel hungry and creates body fat. Chronic stress from deadline pressures at work to painful baggage from your past triggers your body to increase the production of cortisol, the hormone that encourages fat storage, particularly around the belly. Your body also pumps increased adrenaline into your bloodstream, which makes your pancreas churn out insulin. That leads to incessant hunger, explains Pamela M. Peeke, M.D., M.PH., assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore and author of the best-selling book Fight Fat After Forty (Viking Press, 2000).You eat for relief, which, unfortunately, lasts only as long as the last bite. Then the problems you were trying to solve with food suddenly reappear. (Surprise: They never went away.) And you feel like a failure: Not only didn't you solve your problems, you created a new one, right there around your waist!

The solution? Find tools besides a fork to attack emotional angst. In the time it takes to forage for your favorite quick-fix food, you can take steps to break the cycle, beat stress, eliminate emotional eating, and yes, finally drop that excess weight for good without even trying.

Feed Your Real Hunger

Sometimes food cravings mean you want food, but often, especially for emotional eaters, they're saying you want something else: It could be creative stimulation, companionship, or more satisfaction in life. That was true for Karen Jones (not her real name) of Rockville, MD, who shed 70 lb from her 210-lb frame when she identified her eating triggers as boredom, frustration, and loneliness. "I'd tried, and ultimately failed, countless diets," says Jones. "But once I understood why I was eating and started confronting those issues head-on, the weight came off without any diet at all." Not sure what you're actually "hungry" for? Here's how to figure it out and "feed" it.

Play detective.

Keep a food journal, suggests eating expert Joan Chrisler, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Connecticut College in New London. "Every time you reach for food, write down what you eat and how you were feeling. Bored? Frustrated? Happy? Before long, you'll see a pattern. Then you can start to break it."

Shop for some stimulants.
Do you eat when you're bored? Time to make a new "grocery" list, says Dr. Chrisler. Buy inexpensive, accessible things such as books, CDs, and tapes or DVDs of favorite films that provide the emotional lift you're seeking from food. Keep them handy, and turn to them when you're down.

Make a human connection.

"For some people, food is love," says Prevention columnist Edward M. Hallowell, MD, psychiatry instructor at Harvard Medical School. "You may be hungry for feeling, closeness, and companionship." Or, like Karen, you eat to escape painful feelings. "Make a human connection instead," suggests Dr. Hallowell. "Call your best friend." Make sure you pick someone who makes you feel good. If you have issues with a parent or friend, calling them could lead you to finish off an entire row of cookies.

Create new habits.

Many people eat every time there's a lull, such as during TV commercials, says eating disorders expert Sandra Haber, Ph.D., adjunct associate clinical professor at Adelphi University's Derner Institute in New York City. Be prepared for those lulls. "Keep manicure supplies, stacks of empty photo albums, or a cross-stitch project by the TV for something to do," she suggests. Even better, find a hobby. When you're engrossed in something you love, you forget all about eating, especially if you're active. Falling in love with bicycling, for instance, has helped Karen Jones maintain her new 140-lb figure.

Head toward your dreams.

Maybe you're hungering for a big change, such as a more satisfying career. Go for it, one little step at a time. "Take a class at a community college, or just start talking to people in that field. Moving toward goals is exhilarating," says Dr. Peeke, who saw one client drop 60 lb once she left a safe but unfulfilling job and pursued her dreams to be a caterer.

Rethink your rewards.

Like most people, you probably eat to celebrate happiness too. (Don't most happy occasions involve eating?) Find new, affordable rewards such as earrings or tickets to a play or movie.

Put Down Your Pain

Suppressed emotional pain can show up as excess pounds, even if that pain is from your deep past, says Dr. Winchell. Research shows that bad childhood experiences can lead to self-nurturing with food. You can't change the past, but you can improve the present. Here's how.

Confront the here and now.

"If dwelling on the past burned calories, no woman would be overweight," says Dr. Peeke. "Instead of ruminating, take action." If your mother was abusive, resolve to be a better mother yourself. If certain relatives upset you, limit your time with them. And if you need help, get therapy. "When you confront your pain head-on, it gives you control of it, so you don't need food," says Karen Jones.

Speak up.

"We all want harmony, but achieving true harmony doesn't mean stuffing down feelings—and food—like many women do," says Dr. Haber. "It means speaking up and letting the people in your life know how you feel. Finding that courage is empowering," she says, and it can help you deal both with the people in your life and food.

Rewrite history.

"When was the last time you succeeded, laughed, or had a great time?" asks Dr. Winchell. "How did you feel? Rewrite your mental history books to focus on those moments, and you'll spend less time eating your sorrows away." School, work, and society teach us to concentrate on our mistakes, so we can correct them. The result: We remember all the bad stuff. Every time a bad memory pops up, replace it with a good one. You'll feel better about your life.

Make nice with yourself.

For a day, pretend you have a cartoon bubble over your head, and catch everything you say to yourself, suggests Dr. Haber. Write it down, and read it back. Negative self-talk keeps you buried in your pain. "Keep saying you're fat and lazy, and it's little wonder that you hide away and feed yourself junk," she says. Instead, offer yourself the same encouragement you'd give to a friend. It feels artificial at first, but when you catch yourself saying something mean, stop, and make it nice.

Feed your soul.

Nurturing your spiritual self is a way to heal pain and lose weight. In surveys by The Solution, a weight loss program that focuses on skills in self-nurturing and limit setting, program founder Laurel Mellin, RD, the author of a book by the same name (The Solution, Regan, 1998) found that the 73 percent of participants who developed a deeper sense of spirituality were more likely to maintain their weight loss and lost seven times as much weight as those who didn't gain spiritual depth. Church is one place to find spiritual purpose, but there are other places to look. "Try volunteering," says Dr. Peeke. "Serve food at a shelter. Help an adult learn to read. When you teach someone else, you learn to believe in yourself. You also get in touch with your human spirit."

Step toward success.

Don't let the fact that kids used to taunt you for being fat define you, says Dr. Peeke. "Say, 'Okay, I have a problem with weight, but that doesn't make me a terrible person.' Focus on something you do well. When you succeed at something, your self-worth increases, and you feel able to succeed in other areas of life, too."

Learn to Relax

To completely conquer emotional eating, you need to trump stress, the source of anxiety and artificial food cravings. "I was amazed to learn that all my pangs didn't mean I was really hungry," says Naomi Henderson, 58, an entrepreneur in Bethesda, MD, who found herself growing along with her new company. "I'd eat a full meal and be ravenous 45 minutes later! All my cravings were from stress." Stress-taming tricks such as beginning each day with a 20-minute blissful bath instead of a hurry-up shower helped her drop from a size 18 to a 12.

Of course, tried-and-true stress blasters such as steamy baths and good books help douse stress for the moment. But to really give it the heave-ho, you need to stress-proof your body with lasting relaxation exercises. Two of the best: yoga and meditation. These practices use deep breathing and mental concentration to make you more aware of your body and emotions. Deep-breathing relaxation exercises also affect your body's physiology, lowering blood pressure and slowing heart rate, making it easier to distance yourself from the everyday worries that trigger stress and overeating.There are many variations of meditation. Some require professional instruction; others are extremely simple.Or try yoga. Yoga classes and videotapes are available nearly everywhere.

Tips to Stop Emotional Eating
1. During down times, remember good times: Stick old photos in albums instead of eating chocolates.
2. Comfort yourself with a new pair of shoes. They'll look better on you than the extra weight you'll gain from a Boston cream doughnut.
3. Keep a little project near the TV to avoid eating during commercial breaks. This one will really pay off.

http://health.yahoo.com/weightloss-dietplan/lose-weight-without-dieting/prevention--19460.html

The 10 Best Foods for Flat Abs

Eat up for flatter abs -- these waist-whittling foods give you a dose of ab-ulous nutrients in every bite.

The sad truth: You can crunch yourself into a coma and still have ab flab. If you really want a sleek, sexy midriff, you've got to tweak your diet. All of the best waist-whittling foods contain fiber to banish bloat, antioxidants to boost your abs routine's effectiveness, and protein to help maintain a healthy metabolism. Here, the top 10 choices for flatter abs.

1. Almonds
These delicious and versatile nuts contain filling protein and fiber, not to mention vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. They're also a good source of magnesium, a mineral your body must have in order to produce energy, build and maintain muscle tissue, and regulate blood sugar. "A stable blood-sugar level helps prevent cravings that can lead to overeating and weight gain," says David Katz, MD, a professor at the Yale University School of Medicine. But what makes almonds most interesting is their ability to block calories. Research indicates that the composition of their cell walls may help reduce the absorption of all of their fat, making them an extra-lean nut.

Try for: An ounce a day (about 23 almonds), with approximately 160 calories. An empty Altoids tin will hold your daily dose perfectly.

2. Eggs
You won't find a more perfect protein source. Eggs are highly respected by dietitians because of their balance of essential amino acids (protein building blocks used by your body to manufacture everything from muscle fibers to brain chemicals). We like them because they keep our hands out of the cookie jar. Researchers at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center found that when people ate eggs in the morning, they felt less hungry throughout the day than when breakfast consisted of complex carbohydrates like bagels. "The protein and fat in the egg may be contributing to the feeling of satiety," says lead researcher Nikhil V. Dhurandhar, PhD.

Try for: One egg a day, unless you have high blood cholesterol, in which case you should check with your doctor first. (One egg packs about 213 milligrams of cholesterol.)

3. Soy
Soybeans are a great source of antioxidants, fiber, and protein. Plus, they're incredibly versatile. Snack on dry-roasted soybeans, toss shelled edamame into soups, and slip a spoonful of silken tofu into your morning smoothie. Liquid soy also makes a good meal replacement: A study from the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that overweight subjects who drank a soy milkbased meal replacement lost more weight than those who consumed a traditional dairy-based diet drink.

Try for: Twenty-five grams of whole (not isolated) soy protein daily. A half cup of steamed edamame contains about 130 calories and 11 grams of protein. Four ounces of tofu (94 calories) contain 10 grams. Choose whole soy foods over products packed with "isolated soy protein" -- the latter may not provide all the benefits of whole soybeans.

4. Apples
A 2003 study in the journal Nutrition found that overweight women who consumed three apples or pears a day for three months lost more weight than their counterparts who were fed a similar diet with oat cookies instead of fruits. "A large apple has five grams of fiber, but it's also nearly 85 percent water, which helps you feel full," explains Elisa Zied, RD, author of So What Can I Eat?! (Wiley, 2006). Apples also contain quercetin, a compound shown to help fight certain cancers, reduce cholesterol damage, and promote healthy lungs.

Try for: An apple (or two) a day. A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that the Red Delicious, Cortland, and Northern Spy varieties had the highest antioxidant activity.

5. Berries
Most are loaded with fiber, every dieter's best friend. The more fiber you eat -- experts say that it's best to get between 25 and 35 grams every day -- the fewer calories you absorb from all the other stuff you put in your mouth. That's because fiber traps food particles and shuttles them out of your system before they're fully digested. Berries (and other fruits) are also high in antioxidants, which not only help protect you from chronic diseases like cancer but may also help you get more results from your workouts. "Antioxidants help improve blood flow, which can help muscles contract more efficiently," says Dr. Katz.

Try for: At least half a cup daily, or about 30 calories' worth. Don't limit yourself to the usual suspects, like raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. If you can find them, add boysenberries, gooseberries, and black currants to the mix for excitement.

6. Leafy Greens
Their cancer-preventing carotenoids won't help shrink your waistline, but their low calorie count definitely will. One cup of spinach contains only about 40 calories, while a cup of broccoli has 55 calories and satisfies 20 percent of your day's fiber requirement. Most leafy greens are also a good source of calcium, an essential ingredient for muscle contraction. In other words, they help fuel your workouts.

Try for: Three servings daily. Keep a bag of prewashed baby spinach in your fridge and toss a handful into soups, salads, pasta dishes, stir-fries, and sandwiches. When you get sick of spinach, reach for a bunch of arugula, broccoli rabe, or broccolini, a cross between broccoli and Chinese kale.

7. Yogurt
People who get their calcium from yogurt rather than from other sources may lose more weight around their midsection, according to a recent study published in the International Journal of Obesity. The probiotic bacteria in most yogurts help keep your digestive system healthy, which translates into a lower incidence of gas, bloating, and constipation, which can keep your tummy looking flat.

Try for: One to three cups a day of low-fat or fat-free yogurt. Choose unsweetened yogurt that contains live active cultures. Add a handful of fresh chopped fruit for flavor and extra fiber.

8. Veggie Soup
Researchers at Pennsylvania State University found that people who ate broth-based (or low-fat cream-based) soups two times a day were more successful in losing weight than those who ate the same amount of calories in snack food. Soup eaters also maintained, on average, a total weight loss of 16 pounds after one year. "Plus, it's a simple way to get your vegetables," says Susan Kleiner, PhD, RD, author of Power Eating (Human Kinetics, 2001).

Try for: At least one cup of low-calorie, low-sodium vegetable soup every day.

9. Salmon
Seafood, especially fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel, is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. These uber-healthy fats may help promote fat burning by making your metabolism more efficient, according to Kleiner. An Australian study showed that overweight people who ate fish daily improved their glucose-insulin response. Translated, this means that seafood may help slow digestion and prevent cravings. If that doesn't hook you, consider this: Seafood is an excellent source of abs-friendly protein.

Try for: Two four-ounce servings per week. Wild salmon, though pricey, contains more omega-3 fatty acids than farm-raised. (If it doesn't say wild, it's farm-raised.) If seafood's not your thing, you can get your omega-3's from flaxseed (grind and sprinkle on your cereal) or walnuts.

10. Quinoa
Never heard of it? Pronounced KEEN-wah, this whole grain contains 5 grams of fiber and 11 grams of protein per half cup. Cook it as you would any other grain (although some brands require rinsing). Quinoa's nutty flavor and crunchy-yet-chewy texture are like a cross between whole-wheat couscous and short-grain brown rice.

Try for: At least one half-cup serving (a third of your whole-grain requirements) per day. Try substituting AltiPlano Gold brand instant quinoa hot cereal (160 to 210 calories per packet), in Chai Almond and Spiced Apple Raisin, for oatmeal. Look for it in health-food stores.

Originally published in Fitness magazine, June 2006.
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/weight-loss/plans/diets/foods-for-flat-abs/?page=1

I'm Home!

I'm back from vacation! We had a great time and I promise I'll share some photo's and our "Dear Diary" from our trip to Omaha. Now back to business. Since I've been without internet access here are my affirmations for today:

1. I want to lose weight without dieting.
2. I want to take up running.
3. I will lose the arm jiggle.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Vacation

I will be on vacation and won't have internet access until I get back sometime Sunday. I'll be sure to share some of my photo's and possibly my "Dear Diary" from our trip.

Today's Affirmations

I am a size 6.
I have all but kicked my caffeine problem.
I am happy and healthy in all aspects of my life.
I'm not going to let set backs stop me from reaching my goals.
I am not going to sweat the small stuff.
I am going to keep postive thoughts, cause those along with my hard work are going to create my new body.
I now have a high metabolism.
I don't crave sugary foods in large quantities.
I don't crave "junk" food all the time.
I've got my "emotional" eating undercontrol.I feel better in my clothes.
I have a little more energy.
I feel better in my own skin.
I am able to climb a hill and not be huffing and puffing at the top.
I will climb my weight loss "mountain".
It's ok to be "bad" every now and then.
I can already see me in my size 6 jeans.
I will give up the caffeine!
Caffeine is BAD!

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Today's Affirmations

I am a size 6.
I have all but kicked my caffeine problem.
I am happy and healthy in all aspects of my life.
I'm not going to let set backs stop me from reaching my goals.
I am not going to sweat the small stuff.
I am going to keep postive thoughts, cause those along with my hard work are going to create my new body.
I now have a high metabolism.
I don't crave sugary foods in large quantities.
I don't crave "junk" food all the time.
I've got my "emotional" eating undercontrol.
I feel better in my clothes.
I have a little more energy.
I feel better in my own skin.
I am able to climb a hill and not be huffing and puffing at the top.
I will climb my weight loss "mountain".
It's ok to be "bad" every now and then.
I can already see me in my size 6 jeans.

11 Things Children Can Teach You About Weight Loss

11 Things Children Can Teach You About Weight Loss
The Littlest People Know the Biggest Motivation Secrets
-- By Mike Kramer, Staff Writer
SparkPeople Sponsors help keep the site free!
The answers to weight loss success aren’t in the bookstore. You won’t find them in the latest government research labs. Forget about talk radio, late night TV, or a magazine rack full of scantily clad, impossibly thin cover models.

You’ll uncover information and data there, for sure. You’ll find plenty of opinions, ideas and "proven techniques" too. But the REAL answers – the stuff you can use every day – can be found anytime at your local playground.

Everything you need to know about fitness and weight loss, you can learn from kids.

Have you ever watched a child completely engrossed in a project? They have the magical ability to be serious about what they’re doing without taking it too seriously. You can do the same with your weight loss. You can live every day with more focus, and every week with more motivation.

Here’s what every child knows that you may have forgotten. See if you can apply some of these lessons to your daily program:

Everything can be a game. Why slog through the same workout routines in boredom, when you can add a little fun? Make up rules, shoot for personal records, regain your competitive spirit.

Don’t walk when you can run. Every day is full of opportunities to increase your fitness. This rule is closely related to "don’t drive when you can walk."

If you don’t like it, don’t eat it. Once you hit your goal weight, chances are your eating habits won’t stick around long if you hated what you were eating. Healthy eating involves balance and moderation.

Laughter feels good. Kids seem to inherently know that laughter can ease blood pressure, help your brain function, give you energy, and help you reach your goals. Smiling and enjoying yourself can be serious help.

Playtime is important. We get so caught up in work, chores and a host of "have-to's" that we forget to take time for ourselves. Not only does relaxing and regrouping make life worthwhile, it has real health benefits. Most of all, it will help you stay consistent and motivated.

The world should be full of color—especially on your dinner plate! Splash it with as many colors as possible, paint it like a rainbow with food. It’s more fun to look at and chances are you’ll be eating a healthy, balanced meal.

It’s always more fun with friends around. Children tend to gravitate toward other children. It gives them spirit and makes them want to play all day. Working out with other people is almost like having your own little playgroup.

Adventures are found outside, not inside. Every kid knows that the good stuff is in the great outdoors—fresh air, wide open spaces, limitless possibilities. You can’t find those things cooped up in a tiny, stale gym. Open the door and start a new adventure every day.

It’s important to use your imagination. You can be Captain Fantastic or Stupendous Woman any time you want. Give yourself permission to believe in your own super powers and let your mind take you wherever it wants to go.

Anything is possible. No fear, no self-doubts, no negative self talk, no self-criticism, no worries, no destructive anxieties or thoughts of failure. To a child, he/she can do anything. And do you know what? They’re right.

You have your whole life ahead of you. Here’s your chance to do it right.

The answers to weight loss are probably about 3-4 feet tall, and may be closer than you think. When you act more like a kid, suddenly the world opens up. Living a healthy lifestyle becomes something you want to do every day. Start enjoying yourself again!

Monday, April 7, 2008

Today's Affirmations

I am a size 6.
I have all but kicked my caffeine problem.
I am happy and healthy in all aspects of my life.
I'm not going to let set backs stop me from reaching my goals.
I am not going to sweat the small stuff.
I am going to keep postive thoughts, cause those along with my hard work are going to create my new body.
I now have a high metabolism.
I don't crave sugary foods in large quantities.
I don't crave "junk" food all the time.
I've got my "emotional" eating undercontrol.
I feel better in my clothes.
I have a little more energy.

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Today's Affirmations

I am a size 6.
I have all but kicked my caffeine problem.
I am happy and healthy in all aspects of my life.
I'm not going to let set backs stop me from reaching my goals.
I am not going to sweat the small stuff.
I am going to keep postive thoughts, cause those along with my hard work are going to create my new body.
I now have a high metabolism.
I don't crave sugary foods in large quantities.

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Affirmations for today

I am a size 6.
I have all but kicked my caffeine problem.
I am happy and healthy in all aspects of my life.
I'm not going to let set backs stop me from reaching my goals.

Friday, April 4, 2008

Why should losing weight not be rewarding....

Since I've found out that I've lost a grand total of 12 pounds since we've brought home our second dog and all I've done exercise wise is take them both on daily walks....Well ok I've missed a few (I can count them on one hand) . Food/eating wise hasn't been as hard has I thought it would be...Sure I've had my moments, but everybody has those right? All I've really done in that department is subtract a lot of the "junk" food I used to eat and replace it with healthier snacks/meals and watch how big my portions are.

So why haven't I been rewarding myself for all the hard work I've been putting into cutting the extra weight I'm carrying around? Well, I'll be honest I have no idea. So now I'm going to come up with a bunch of rewards for myself to treat myself with as I reach certain mile markers. You should try it too, if you aren't already.

12 pounds - Since I've achieved this one already, I'm throwing caution to the wind and having pizza for lunch to night at work....Of course I'll have some healthy snacks to munch on on my other breaks of course.

20 pounds - I'm going to go out and get myself a massage.

25 pounds - I'm going to buy myself a couple fo pairs of my favorite jeans. I'm addicted to the store Maurices and their Silver brand of jeans.

30 pounds - Buy myself a brand new swim suit...Maybe even a two piece...who knows right now

34 pounds - I'm thinking that I'll suck up my fear of needles and possibly get a tattoo.

I've shared mine, so what are your's?

Peace,

Jamie

A little bit about me

Here's a little bit about me. I was born one of three girls (5 boys)on my father's side of the family and the only girl on my mother's side (3 boys) of the family. My whole life I've been kind of a "Tomboy" because I just didn't feel comfortable with all those girly things that my friends were doing. I had graduated high school before I felt comfortable enough to wear makeup. I was 21 when I bought my first pair of heels. I'm still trying to master the art of painting my toenails without wearing more polish than what ends up on my nails. I'm what I like to call a "work in progress" how about you?

Affirmations

On one of the blogs that I read "Becoming Fit at 50" the writer has started adding affirmations to her blog on a daily basis. The writer also challenged her readers to do the same. So I too am going to start adding affirmations to my blog. I'm going to start small and add more as time goes along so please keep checking back.

Today's Affirmation:

I am a size 6.
I have all but kicked my caffeine addiction.

Peace,

Jamie

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Update

Today has been a good day for me. I've weighed in and the scale says that I'm a whopping 167 pounds. I started out at 178 pounds, so that means that since the beginning of March I have lost a total of 11 pounds!

I've also been running around in my goucho's that I haven't worn since Christmas (cause they were a little tight around the middle for awhile). I absolutely love them and because they didn't fit right for awhile haven't been able to wear them. I'm also running around in the bright blue top that I purchased last week. I really love the cut and the way it brings out the color of my eyes. To top off the ensemble, I'm also wearing the heeled sandles that I purchased last week.

I'm going on vacation next weekend to Omaha, Nebraska. I've already purchased a bunch of healthier snacks to munch on in transit and while we are there. One of my weakness' is fast food so I'm trying to fill myself up on healthier snacks and keep the "junk" food to a minimum.

Peace,

Jamie