Choosing Your Ideal Weight

There are several things to remember about your ideal weight.

First, it is a number that YOU should choose. There may be lists, charts and guidelines for your ideal weight based on your height, but those are only tools to help you make your own weight goals. There is nothing wrong with being a few pounds over what a list says you should weigh as long as it is a weight that you are completely happy with. Your body type and shape is different from everyone else's, so do not expect yourself to fall perfectly into the 50th percentile. 

Secondly, your health matters more than your weight. There are a lot of unhealthy, skinny people out there. If you focus more on health and less on weight loss, you will likely lose more weight! Weight loss is a natural result of healthy lifestyle decisions. On the other hand, starving yourself is bad for you, no matter what size you are. 

Thirdly, try to appreciate your body type and shape instead of hating your curves (or lack of them). Do not expect that weight loss in itself will make you love your body. Even when you lose weight, you likely will still have physical characteristics that you love and hate. They all are your God-given features, so at least accept them as part of who you are. 

Finally, do not compare yourself to others, whether friends, siblings or movie stars. This is an issue for most women and some men. Only a few women in the world look like models, but the rest of us are beautiful as well! And if we spend our time trying to be someone else, we miss out on our own life, beauty, talent and purpose. 

In your weight loss journey, it may be more effective to make goals for clothing size or waist size instead of pounds. Or select goals based on exercise instead of your weight (such as jogging 3 miles or exercising 40 minutes per day). Don't let the number of your weight become an obsession because it can fluctuate daily. Instead, weigh yourself once per week or less. Focus more on what you are doing to improve your health than the numbers on your scale. As you become healthier, you will feel great physically! And the weight will come off as a result (and stay off)! 

Weight Loss Perseverance

If you are in the process of losing weight, the single most important thing to remember is to persevere! Do not give up when you fail or cheat or gain a pound or go two weeks without exercising. Just start fresh right now (don't wait until tomorrow)! Review the weight loss program you are supposed to be on, and see how you may have fallen off track. Modify the areas you have not been consistent with, and maintain the ones you are doing well!

Don't forget that losing weight and keeping it off requires long-term healthy decisions, starting now and continuing after you have met your weight loss goals. A healthy lifestyle is not one you will ever give up because you will love the results: look amazing, feel even better, have more energy, sleep well, decrease the need for some medicines, do the activities you enjoy, and the list goes on!

It is never too late to start new, healthy habits! What are your bad habits that keep your weight above where you want it? If you do not have the willpower to eat less, then start with replacements. Replace your high-calorie, high-fat, high-grease, high-sugar foods with healthier ones. And for those here in the South, replace your sweet tea with ice water! You will not lose the weight you want without such replacements.

At some point you will grow tired of making excuses. Stop blaming other people/things, and take responsibility for your own body, your own weight and your own health! No matter how you became overweight, you are the only one who can lose the weight and keep it off. That is the choice before you today! Don't look at the past, your childhood, your family, your difficult circumstances, your prior failures, your successes, your previous diets, etc. Simply make the decision to be healthier starting now and to not give up on weight loss. If you persevere long-term, you will achieve weight loss and all your healthy goals! You will be able to do much more than you can imagine!


"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." -Philippians 4:13

Right Way To Load Dishwasher FUNNY

Top 7 reasons why sitting causes back pain

1. Most people sit with slouched posture, which puts your low back in a rounded or flexed position for hours each day. Our backs were not made to stay in one position all the time. This can cause future problems in the spine such as arthrits, herniated disks, and sciatica.

2. People who sit at work typically sit for too long without changing positions. If your job involves sitting all day, standing up, stretching or walking around briefly every 30-60 minutes will help.

3. Very few people sit with lumbar support, which helps to align the low back. Good posture starts with the pelvis. Tilt your pelvis forward so that less of your buttocks are supported on the chair. That way the bottom of your pelvis is supporting your trunk and you increase the arch in your low back. Once you have that position, use a lumbar roll/pillow to maintain it.

4. A slumped low back leads to a rounded mid back with shoulders rounded forward and the neck to be excessively forward. This can lead to progressive neck problems and even shoulder pain (especially with lifting overhead).

5. Aside from sitting at work, we tend to have a sedentary lifestyle, with many leisure activities done also in the sitting position. With present technology, we can do almost everything from the convenience of our homes. While it is convenient to buy clothes and even stamps at home, it is taking a toll on our backs. Having a sedentary lifestyle leads to obesity, which carries multiple health risks.

6. We do very few activities with our spines extended backward, which is an important position to achieve regularly for optimal back health. If you do not regularly lean backward (increasing the arch in your low back), then start doing so several times daily. It can be done sitting or standing. Another way to arch backward is to lie on your tummy and prop up on your forearms.

7. Slumped sitting posture puts the back muscles (and other back tissues) in a lengthened or stretched position while also causing the muscles and tissues on the front of the hip, abdomen and chest to be in a shortened position. This imbalance can cause further posture problems, weakness and instability with greater risk for back pain and injury.

Alternatives to fast food

If you learned from yesterday's post that you should decrease your fast food intake, then you need some good alternatives! So here are some ideas:

1. Soup (preferably one with vegetables) and salad (not too much dressing)
2. Salad with grilled chicken (My favorite is from Moe's)
3. Sandwich or sub with lean meat and lettuce/tomato (don't forget the whole grain bread)
4. Chicken or veggie quesadilla
5. Sushi
6. Teriyaki chicken with brown rice and sauteed vegetables
7. Peanut butter sandwich on wheat bread, yogurt, and a banana
8. Leftovers from your healthy supper last night
9. Gyro or chicken pita, served with a side of hummus
10. Grilled chicken sandwich and a side of mixed fruit
11. Regular chili or white chili with a cornbread muffin
12. Veggie burger
13. Chicken or turkey wrap with vegetables and light dressing

Do not use the excuse that your only options are fast food. Even fast food joints have healthy options nowadays. And there are other fast options (like a deli/sandwich shop). Please comment if you want to add to the list!

My take on FAST FOOD

There are two kinds of people in relation to fast food: those who can partake in small amounts and those who should quit cold turkey and never turn back. Which one are you? Do some soul searching and then read the one that applies to you.

1. If you are presently at a healthy weight, you can probably partake of fast food in small amounts (no more than 1x/week). Your cholesterol and blood pressure are at good levels. You can be content with a small burger and small fries. You can go to McDonald's and order 1 item without getting back in line. You eat healthy most of the time. You exercise regularly. You do not eat fast food multiple days out of the week.

2. You are addicted to fast food and junk food. You eat fast food more than 1x/day. You eat fast food more than 3x/week. Every time you go, you eat large or extra-large burgers and fries (and shakes). You cannot go to a fast food restaurant and order anything healthy. You are trying to lose weight. You are not trying but you need to lose weight. You can honestly say that you lack self-control in regards to fast food. You have uncontrolled cholesterol, blood pressure and/or heart disease. You have suffered a stroke or heart attack in the past and have not changed any bad habits as a result.


The reason for this breakdown is that I have learned the things I cannot eat in moderation. That is why I do not keep ice cream or Coconut Delights (girl scout cookies) in my house. We all have different weaknesses in regards to eating, so first figure out what yours are. Once you know your weakness, then you can take steps to avoid it.

LOSING WEIGHT in February

January is almost over, and so far this year you have worked hard to lose weight. But how do you keep your New Year's drive and motivation for losing weight and/or improving your health as the year continues?

1. Select a diet program that you actually enjoy. Don't do the "subway diet" if you hate sandwiches. And don't do weight watchers if you hate counting calories. Don't go vegetarian if you love meat. You get the idea. Know yourself and your strengths/weaknesses. Nutrisystem may work for you or may be the worst option for you. If you cannot leave the grocery store without your stash of junk food, then consider something like Nutrisystem because they will send all your meals/snacks to you. If you hate cooking, don't select a diet that requires cooking your own foods. There are a ton of weight loss techniques out there, so be sure to choose the right one FOR YOU! Don't choose one simply because a lot of people are doing it. If you enjoy it, you will stick with it (year-round)!

2. Select an exercise program that you actually enjoy. Be creative in selecting your choice of exercise(s)! There are endless options for exercise/sports, so find one that you like! If you cannot motivate yourself, join an exercise class or group. Is there a sport that you and your family/friends could play together? Or would it be most convenient for you to start a walking program with some co-workers during lunch? P90X or Cross Fit might be ideal for you to do at home by yourself. If you have cable/satellite, check out the exercise channels for some good challenges. Find an exercise that you enjoy, so you will continue it after January ends.

3. Select a partner to lose weight with. You must know someone who is also trying to lose weight, so join together to motivate each other! Your spouse, a friend, a co-worker, or family member can provide the accountability you need to actually stick with your improved eating and exercise habits. Losing weight is not easy, so you need all the support you can get! If you have the means, hire a personal trainer to help. We need each other, especially when we are trying to make difficult choices/changes in life. So find a partner, and get to work! Let 2012 be the year you actually fulfill your New Year's resolutions!

Overweight Excuses

This does not apply to everyone, so please do not be offended or become anorexic.

So you are OVERWEIGHT, and you have been for some time now. You may have been able to lose some weight in the past, but lately you just can't. And you wonder why. We all make excuses for why we overeat, eat the wrong foods or do not exercise. I am the first to admit that. So let's look at some common excuses for being OVERWEIGHT.

1. "I don't have time to exercise."  That is why you have not lost weight! Make time!
2. "I don't have money to join a gym."  Then exercise at home or start walking!
3. "I don't have money to eat healthy foods."  Then take money from your unhealthy food budget and allot it to your health. Chicken breast costs less per pound than most cuts of beef.
4. "I am too busy with all my children to exercise." Then exercise together with them. Teach them the importance of healthy living.
5. "I work all the time."  Then exercise during every 5-10 minute break you get.
6. "I don't know how to lose weight."  There are a ton of free resources out there. Start online or at the library.
7. "I like to eat junk food."  If you want to lose weight, you must decrease the volume of junk food you consume.
8. "I don't have time to cook."  Then buy lots of salads. They take less than 5 minutes to prepare.
9. "Diets don't work for me."  Then stop dieting and start learning about a healthy, active lifestyle.
10. "My entire family is overweight."  Then be the first to start a healthy lifestyle. Then you can teach others!
11. "I am big-boned."  Have you ever watched Biggest Loser? Even "big-boned" individuals can go from 250 lbs to 150 lbs.


It takes a lot of hard work and difficult (but healthy) choices in order to lose weight, but the first step is to stop making excuses. You CAN do it!!!

How To Improve SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE

Do you ever get annoyed when you are relaxing and you get interrupted? Picture this: you work all day, go to the gym, eat supper, get your children into bed, take a shower, and finally at 10 pm you are ready to relax (or just sleep). The moment you sit down to watch House Hunters, your dog starts scratching the back door. So you grudgingly get off your comfy sofa to let him out. You don't know how long he will be wandering around the backyard, so you go back to the couch and get cozy in the new, fuzzy throw you got for Christmas. After 1 minute, the dog is at the door again, scratching to get back inside since it is freezing out there! So you get up again and tell the dog how annoying he is and how he acts like a child.

So the next time you get interrupted, at least there are some benefits:

1. Burning calories.
2. Stretching out your back.
3. The excuse you needed to run to the bathroom.
4. The opportunity to get a glass of... WATER!
5. A few more steps on your pedometer for the day.
6. The chance to move, since you sat on your behind all day.
7. A friendly reminder that you are addicted to House Hunters and American Idol and ...
8. With DVR, now it's not so bad to get interrupted.
9. A chance to pet your sweet but annoying puppy.

The common sense DIET

1. Eat smaller portions. You may be surprised at how little food can fill you up and hold you over until the next meal. Learn to listen to your body to tell you when to eat and when to stop eating.
2. Keep yourself busy. That gives you less time to sit down and munch on junk food. Fill your free time with productive tasks, activities and hobbies. I know that if I am alone for very long and turn on the TV, I then start and continue munching indefinitely.
3. Eat slowly. My husband is naturally good and this, and he usually ends up eating much less volume than the rest of us who eat fast.
4. Replace juice with fresh fruit. 100% juice is ok, but the best choice is the fruit itself. It is packed full of nutrition and fiber!
5. To eat your 5 servings of fruits/vegetables each day, plan them into your meals/snacks. For example, have 1 serving with breakfast, 1 for a morning snack, 2 servings with lunch, 1 with supper and 1 for an evening snack.
6. Cut out soda (even diet soda). Replace it with water!!!

SAMPLE MENU
Breakfast: cereal, skim milk, 1 large banana (counts as 2 fruit servings)
Snack: yogurt
Lunch: Turkey on whole wheat with tomato/lettuce/cucumber
Snack: apple
Supper: grilled chicken, whole wheat pasta with sauteed vegetables and marinara sauce
Snack: almonds

BALANCE for Pain Prevention

Balance exercise helps to strengthen your legs and core, which helps to decrease your risk for joint pain and injuries. So here is one way I add balance exercise to my usual routine.

First, pick a standing activity that takes you at least one-two minutes (for me, it is blow-drying my hair, which takes much longer). Next time you do that activity, do so by standing on one leg. See if you can hold that position for at least 30 seconds before you switch legs. If you do not have good balance, be sure to stand close to a table or counter so you can catch yourself. Be careful not to fall. If you lose your balance, you can always touch your other foot down and then start again.

Once you are good at balancing on one leg and can do so for 30-60 seconds easily, here is the next step. Stand on your left leg and slowly kick your right leg straight out to the side. Kick slowly (about 1-2 seconds up and 1-2 seconds back down). Do not kick very high (about 2 feet). Repeat at least 10x on each side (try to not use arm support if you can do so safely). This exercise is great for improving balance and hip muscle strength!

Why PREVENT PAIN when you are YOUNG?

1. So that you do not have to get your knees replaced later in life. That is no fun--I promise!
2. To avoid having a rotator cuff repair. That and knee replacement are fighting for the title: most difficult surgery to recover from.
3. To be able to stand upright when you are 80. A lifetime of poor posture leads to losing the proper curves of your spine.
4. To live a longer and healthier life!
5. To be happier both now and in your future!
6. Because you hate pain.
7. To avoid chronic back pain when you are older.
8. Because it is easier to prevent it now than to treat it later in life.
9. To avoid becoming friends with your Physical Therapist. :)
10. To save money! Pain is expensive!