Have More Energy!

Eating Right

There is a good reason that we are experiencing more premature deaths in the last number of years since the glut of fast and processed food.  We may have more people living longer, but they are certainly not very healthy.  The fact that most of us have desk jobs is bad for us as well.  Even before the economy tanked our society has kept us all running so fast, working overtime, more than one job with most of us trying to raise a family we seldom see.  Fast food restaurants were thought by most to be a blessing because we didn’t have to slave over making a meal and eating later in the evening.  Fast and convenient turned out to be too good to be true by giving the illusion of more time with the family by picking up prepared meals.
By preparing meals on Sunday you can include the family in the actual preparation and planning of much more nutritious and less expensive meals. You can then place them in the freezer or fridge to pull out later and allow to defrost in time to just place it in the oven for a quick reheat, or have the vegetables pre washed and sliced for salads and the sides. You can nuke potatoes in a very short time as well as boil noodles or rice to compliment any meal as needed. When you cook from scratch, you know exactly what you are getting. You don’t have to worry if they “held the pickles” or if an item will be cooked to your specification.  Of course it will, it was made with love, and not by some stranger who may not really care.
Be sure to bring a healthy lunch to work each day instead of buying prepared or restaurant food.  For sandwiches, I use a light, whole wheat/grain bread that I will sometimes bake myself if I can’t buy it on sale. They stopped making Koepplinger’s whole wheat lite that had only 40 calories & 3 grams of fiber per slice, bummer! Go easy on all processed meats.  Chicken, tuna, most cheeses or egg salad are your best choices besides peanut butter sans jelly because of the high sugar, unless you want to go with a smidgen. Fresh fruits, veggies, nuts, whole wheat crackers, cheese & plain yogurt is filling and more nutritious than other prepared snacks like chips or candy with way too much salt and sugar.
I only recently started drinking coffee again after many years with almost no caffeine in my diet. One or two a day is my usual limit and I always drip my own, nothing fancy. I will drip about 6/8 cups, what is not drunk right away, is poured into a container in the fridge. I will pour myself a cup the next day and nuke it because I refuse to waste anything! Aside from a very small amount of a flavored creamer, I try never to buy the expensive coffee drinks in the shops. I checked online for the nutritional info before going down to a new coffee shop and found the following stats for a 16 oz Hazelnut Mocha: 381 calories, 13.2 grams fat, 49.5 grams cholesterol & 53.1 grams of sugar! Sugar shock so I naturally did not make that purchase because I only use enough creamer or sweetener to take the edge off.
I usually eat sparse during the week and whatever I want on the weekends. Normally that is not a big problem since I don’t have super cravings very often. Usually it’s just Moose Tracks Ice Cream or Tangy BBQ Cheetos which the company thankfully stopped making. I do not binge eat, ever! My stomach and esophagus could not take it, so that helps keep my weight down.  It helps to know basic nutritional information of food when meal planning.  Once you learn this, you will be free to plan and cook by instinct so that your meals have enough protein, fiber and other needed nourishment.  There are a lot of books and online info regarding this.

DIET

    Another four letter word!  No one needs a special diet plan or program that wastes more of your hard-earned money.  You just need to know that you can control your appetite and no it is not glands or an eating disorder.  It is wrong thinking and bad habits that ruin health.  Discipline is hard, but anyone can be disciplined if they try.  It is done like all things, one day at a time and needs to be practiced regularly.  If you practice saying “no thank you” at parties, to second helpings, don’t look at the goodies some cruel co-workers bring in, take walks and keep busy you should have it made.  Slipping once in a while is to be expected, but catch yourself quick because you are trying to develop new habits to benefit you.  I always kept a weight journal when I tried to lose a substantial amount of weight. I documented my weight and measurements and kept track like they do on the Biggest Loser only I did bi-weekly weigh-ins so there could be a more noticeable difference that made me happy and gave me encouragement. I had one bad time of losing baby weight because I had to sit the entire day at my desk at work for 10 hours or more, 6 days a week. I hit a plateau even though I was almost starving myself. This is not recommended and is very bad for your system because you need natural nutrients found in food and the protein and fiber your body has to have to function properly. It helps to drink enough water and take vitamins when dieting. Lack of exercise was the reason that my body stopped losing weight, even though it was taking in fewer calories. This is the reason it is so hard for the average person to lose weight when they try just dieting. It’s really the physical movement of any kind that revs up your metabolism and burns calories. I had stopped teaching dance in which I was physically active for hours every day, to just sitting most of the day and trying to squeeze in a work out or two a week.
Movement of any kind is what is needed. Don’t just sit and watch a program, workout while you watch or listen. I know some that spin, some that use elliptical trainers when their programs come on. If there is something I want to watch during a good time to work out, I will do this in front of the set sometimes if I am only using my light weights, sit-ups, push ups and other various stretching floor exercises. Just dancing to music is the best. I really want to move when I am listening to something that really gets my motor running! It is recommended to check with your Dr before starting exercise, but unless you are morbidly obese or have some health issues that you may or may not be aware of, you should not have problems by starting slowly and taking walks or other types of easy exercises, even yoga. If there is pain, stop and don’t overdo anything. I was in shape and twice have torn a muscle because I moved wrong and my muscles were not properly warmed up.
If you are anything like me, you will probably find yourself feeling deprived and cranky at times, especially if you were in the habit of eating for comfort as I sometimes did and sometimes still do when I backslide. Comfort eating is emotion based rather than from actual hunger and it feels much more compelling to eat during those times of high emotion. Some eat more when they are sad, I became ravenous when I was frustrated and angry. If others are like me, it explains the obesity problems so many suffer from.

                      A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the Dr’s book.   Irish Proverb

   Sensible Beauty

Sleep

Rest and relaxation really can make a difference in your looks.  That is why they called it beauty sleep years ago and you probably can see the difference in how you look and feel after a good night’s sleep.  While our need for sleep differs, we could all use at least 7-8 hours a night in a quiet, dimly lit surrounding.  Some people nap, if they have the routine that allows this.  I find napping a detriment to a good night’s sleep later on.  Just laying down and closing your eyes to the point of relaxation without actually falling asleep can refresh in place of a nap.

Skin Care

The older I get, the dryer my skin becomes so I figure if I live much longer I will turn into a file of dust at a strong wind!  This is true with most women.  I have very sensitive skin and as a child, had to use prescription soap and shampoo at times before hypoallergenic, fragrance free was available over the counter.  I have tried various types of skin products and do like Clinique, but hate spending the money.  There used to be a Kroger brand Gentle Skin Lotion comparable to Lubriderm that was discontinued.  Lubriderm is still cheaper than Clinique.  I also use the fragrance free skin cream by 365 that is carried by the Whole Foods Market.  I have long used their fragrance free shampoo and conditioner.  Dove wash or soap for sensitive skin is the best!  It cleans well and is very gentle on the skin.  I recently used a regular Dove soap bar and could tell the difference immediately even though it is supposed to be mild.  Try it and see for yourself.
Drinking and smoking really does effect the skin adversely. Living a hard, stress filled life takes its toll on the body and mind, especially when the very things indulged in to comfort yourself are bad for you such as drinking and smoking and eating high fat, over processed foods and way too much sweets. Anything in moderation should not hurt you, but be aware of exactly how much you indulge or risk it getting out of control!

Clothing

No matter what you have for clothing, make sure that it is clean and in good repair.  This goes for your shoes too.  It is better to have a few decent outfits than to hunt and peck out pieces that don’t go together because they are on sale or you are bored and shop for a hobby.  Shopping can be very addictive!  Clothing not needed or worn is money down the drain, no matter how great the bargain.  Make sure to plan all your shopping trips and use a list.  Do an inventory of your wardrobe and see if there are any pieces you need to add to what you already have in order to create more outfits for little investment.  While doing this, check that there are no pulls or torn seams on the clothing you have.