Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Losing Weight Made Easy



It’s not that hard to lose weight but there’s a “but” clause in here. There’s many different way to lose weight and not every way will work for you. That’s the BUT CLAUSE, "not every way is going to work for you". There's going to be some "trial and error” if you’re going to find the best way for you. 

There is one constant that applies to any diet, YOUR BODY HAS TO BURN MORE CALORIES THAN YOU CONSUME. The way the body works is what we might call “real time”. In other words, We are suppose to first eat (that first hour after we wake-up from a nights sleep) and then use that food for energy and then eat again and use that food for energy and so on. You want to eat first thing because your body has been working all night on repairing the body and doing the basic organ functions like pumping blood and breathing air. So you need some nutrition and you need to drink a full glass of water to hydrate your body after that long sleep.

As I mentioned before you have to burn more calories then you eat. So the big question is "how many calories do I burn?” That’s the part that most everyone gets wrong. And if you get that wrong you won’t lose weight. 

Statistics show the the average women who works 8 hours a day may only burn about 1200 calories all day, because most working women will spend most of that 8 hours sitting at a desk.  While the average mother with school age children will burn a little more because there more active and have more time to workout, so the average goes up to 1500 calories for non-working or unemployed women. For men the number are a little different. Actually most men not working out of the home will burn less calories, about 1500 and men working out of the home will burn closer to 1800 calories. 

Now these are marly averages, and that’s were most dieters go wrong. I thing the numbers may be correct if your of normal weight, but if you’re overweight you’ll burn less calories. Why, you might ask. As you gain body fat you tend to burn less calories. You may not realize it, but you’re slowing down as you add weight. It’s a gradual process so in most cases you don’t realize that you’re slowing down. Most people don’t realize their overweight until their 30+ pounds over. 

So what has really happened is that you may be only burning 800 or 900 calories a day. At this point you have to cut your calories down to 800 a day to see if you can start losing fat. I understand that it’s not going to be easy and here is were exercise can help. If you don’t exercise now and you want to lose weight, one hour a day of real heart-pumping exercise will burn about 300 calories, so if you were burning an extra 300 a day you could eat more calories.  So now you would be up to 1100 calories. If you change your meal plan and go with 5 small meals a day about 3 hours apart, eating 200 calories per meal, you can stay under 1100 calories and control food cravings. 

Now you have to find 200 calories that will give you nutrition to hold you for that 3 hours. Your in luck, just GOOGLE “200 calorie meals” and there’s several websites to help you. Remember to spend your 200 calories wisely, that’s all you get for 3 hours. If you just eat a snack and think that if you save 200 calories now so I can eat more later, that doesn’t work. It takes your body time to process food and if you eat say 500 calories for one meal, your food won’t have fully processed in 3 hours and your body will have to store some of those calories in fat cells so it can begin to process the next meal. 

If you find that your losing weight and you want to increase calories, I suggest 6 small meals a day about 2 hours apart. This is better for cutting out food cravings but you have to be the judge of which plan will help you lose weight.


If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 
There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.comScribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Monday, July 23, 2018

Is Sugar Bad For Your Brain?

5.3 million Americans currently have Alzheimer's disease, and that number is projected to sharply increase as our population ages. As we look at various ways to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia, including mild cognitive impairment, one of the many areas that have been studied frequently is that of sugar.
We Americans, in general, love our sugar. But is it possible that sugar increases our likelihood of developing dementia?

Research on Sugar and Cognitive Functioning

There's an already established link between type 2 diabetes and the development of dementia. But how does sugar affect people who don't have diabetes?
Multiple studies have been conducted on how sugar, or more specifically, glucose levels in our blood, impact cognition. A few of them include the following:
  • In 2008, the journal Neuroepidemiology published research that measured the fasting insulin levels of more than 1,400 middle-aged women who did not have diabetes. Beginning 10 years later, the researchers measured the cognitive ability of these women over the next four years. They found that the women who had higher insulin levels in mid-life were more likely to experience cognitive decline later in life.
  • In 2013, the journal Neurology reported on a study where researchers again found that higher blood sugar levels were associated with significantly poorer performance on cognitive tests measuring delayed recall, memory, and learning. This study involved 141 participants with an average age of 63 years old, none of whom had diabetes.
  • An article published in 2013 in the Physiology and Behavior journal described research involving 98 participants without diabetes. The scientists measured each person's cognition by using the Stroop test, which is widely considered to be an accurate measure of the brain's executive functioning ability. The results indicated that participants with an inability to regulate their glucose levels achieved lower scores on the Stroop test, indicating decreased cognitive ability. The researchers stated, "Our results indicate that even mild hyperglycemia in the non-diabetic range is associated with attentional processing difficulties in a sample of younger adults." 

    How About Sugar Intake?

    The British Journal of Nutrition in 2011 outlined a study that sought to determine if sugar intake (not blood glucose levels) affects cognitive functioning. 737 people without diabetes, ages 45 to 75, were involved in this study, which was part of the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study conducted from 2004-2009. The participants' cognition was measured by a variety of tests including the Stroop test, clock-drawing test, digit span test, and verbal fluency tests. These results were compared to the amount of sugar ingested by each person. The researchers found that in general, higher levels of sugar intake were correlated with lower cognitive scores.

    Effect on the Brain

    Not only does research show a connection between cognitive functioning and blood sugar levels, it also has demonstrated a correlation with actual brain size and structure. A study reported in Neurology found that higher blood glucose levels in people without diabetes were correlated with brain atrophy (shrinkage) in the hippocampal areas and the amygdala.
    White sugar or refined sugar is the problem and it should be avoided like the plague. 

    If you really want to lose your body fat then look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 
    There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, BN.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

    My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

    Until February 23 Smashwords is running a sale on my ebooks for $.99 this is your chance to pick up a good read very cheap. I one-stop shop for all the information you need to change your diet, lose weight, lose body fat, and find out why you’re having trouble.  Use the code CL77K


    Saturday, July 21, 2018

    The DASH Diet Wins Again

    The Dash Diet has been voted the best overall diet by all the diet publications for several years in a row. Your doctor will love you if you can stick to this diet.

    One of the steps your doctor may recommend to lower your high blood pressure is to start using the DASH diet. Let's face it, if your overweight, you have high blood pressure. You might not even know it. You don't necessarily have to be overweight to have high blood pressure, but if you aren't following a healthy diet plan, you are probably consuming too much sodium and that will cause high blood pressure.

    DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The diet is simple:
    • Eat more fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods
    • Cut back on foods that are high in saturated fat, cholesterol, and trans fats
    • Eat more whole-grain foods, fish, poultry, and nuts
    • Limit sodium, sweets, sugary drinks, and red meats
    In research studies, people who were on the DASH diet lowered their blood pressure within 2 weeks.


    Another diet -- DASH-Sodium -- calls for cutting back sodium to 1,500 milligrams a day (about 2/3 teaspoon). Studies of people on the DASH-Sodium plan lowered their blood pressure as well.

    Starting the DASH Diet

    The DASH diet calls for a certain number of servings daily from various food groups. The number of servings you require may vary, depending on how many calories you need per day.
    You can make gradual changes. For instance, start by limiting yourself to 2,400 milligrams of sodium per day (about 1 teaspoon). Then, once your body has adjusted to the diet, cut back to 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day (about 2/3 teaspoon). These amounts include all sodium eaten, including sodium in food products as well as in what you cook with or add to the table.

    Dash Diet Tips
    • Add a serving of vegetables at lunch and at dinner.
    • Add a serving of fruit to your meals or as a snack. Canned and dried fruits are easy to use, but check that they don't have added sugar.
    • Use only half your typical serving of butter, margarine, or salad dressing, and use low-sugar, low-fat or fat-free condiments.
    • Drink low-fat or skim dairy products any time you would normally use full-fat or cream.
    • Limit meat to 6 ounces a day. Make some meals vegetarian.
    • Add more vegetables and dry beans to your diet.
    • Instead of snacking on chips or sweets, eat unsalted pretzels or nuts, raisins, low-fat and fat-free yogurt, frozen yogurt, unsalted plain popcorn with no butter, and raw vegetables.
    • Read food labels to choose products that are lower in sodium.

    Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.


    If you really want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 


    There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.


    My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

     

    Saturday, July 14, 2018

    Does Cutting Portion Sizes Help You Lose Weight?

    Portion control is said to be the answer to losing weight. I don't think so. I tried to cut back on the same foods I like, but that was the same food that made me fat, so if you like starving, "go for it".     I have tried dozens of ways to lose weight and for most of us my way is not going to work for everyone, but I think it's the easiest plan to stick to and you can eat all you want, just don't cheat. 


    Portion control for me was a form of starvation like those diet plans that sell you a meal in a box and it looks like a child's portion. Really, how long do you think you can stay on that diet? When I decided I had to lose all this fat I had; I did some research and decided to change all the food I was eating. I gave away almost all the food in my kitchen, including the alcohol, All the alcohol, beer and wine included.

    I kept the bottled water, coffee, tea, rice, and seafood I had in the freezer. I read a lot about the Mediterranean diet plan, it's not a weight loss diet, it's the meal plan that Mediterranean people have eaten for generations. I found that I could eat all the food I wanted if I stuck to my plan. I would eat something every three hours, that way I was never hungry. I started with breakfast. I'd fry up some eggs and potatoes with some frozen peas, a glass of water and some black coffee. And whether I was hungry or not I would eat something nutritious like Greek Yogurt or fruit every three hours. Some times I would bring a half of sandwich and eat that around lunch time. I would never go over 300 calories at one time and I would eat 6 times a day. The last meal was around 7 pm and I always had a salad for the last meal. You should only use extra virgin olive oil and use a wine vinegar or lemon juice, nothing with sugar or anything sweet. You're want to keep the calories down.

    If you take suggestions from the Mediterranean diet plan and stick to those foods and only drink what they suggest, you will never be hungry and in time, you will lose body fat. Part of the Mediterranean diet is more walking and with any plan you have to increase your activity level every day. When I first started I was skimping on breakfast and that's a big mistake. Whether you eat breakfast or not, that's the time to eat the heaviest foods. I was skimping and then during the day I was getting hungry but I increased the breakfast foods and then I didn't have any trouble getting through the day.

    If your not losing fat on this diet plan you must be cheating. You're either eating food you shouldn't or skipping some meals and trying to make it up later. If you follow the plan it will work, but it will take time. Your body always needs a couple of months to adjust to a new diet. Have patients you will lose fat and become a healthier person. I lose most all my body fat. My BMI shows 20%body fat and I'm off the medications, I'm 71 and I jog, ride a bike and do yoga and my knee pain is gone. If you lose body fat and eat nutritious food you'll become a healthier, happier person and you can enjoy life.

    If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 
    There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

    My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

    Thursday, July 12, 2018

    How Healthy Are You Really?

    Surprisingly Simple Longevity Tests


    Your physical condition is a good indicator of "how long you'll live". Most people think they're in better shape than they really are. As a result, they're usually shocked to find out the results. Try it for yourself.

    No one can predict exactly how long you'll live, but researchers have devised some surprisingly simple tests that are strongly correlated with a risk of early death - or a longer life - in the years to come.  Here's a look at some basic ways scientists are attempting to assess your physical capability and the associated chances of living longer.

    1.   Sitting-Rising Test:  Developed in the late 1990s by Brazilian scientist Claudio Gil Soares de Araujo at Gama Filho University in Rio de Janeiro, this test simply involves going from a standing position in a small (2 meters by 2 meters) area to a sitting position on the floor, and then rising again.
    Subjects are scored according to how many supports they require to perform the cycle: a point lost for using a hand, forearm, or knee, for example, to either sit or stand.  Another half-point is deducted for generally unstable execution.  A total of 10 points can be achieved for each full cycle.
    In a 2014 paper published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, Araujo and others discovered that older adults had a 5 times greater risk of mortality during the 6.3-year follow-up period, if they scored only 0-3 points on the test, relative to the top-performers scoring between 8-10 points.  A total of 2002 adults between the ages of 51 and 80 years participated in the study.
    Araujo's team writes that the Sitting-Rising Test (SRT) is a simple gauge of musculoskeletal fitness, with the capacity to predict mortality among community-dwelling adults in this age range.

    Another version is the Chair Rise Speed Test, which calculates how many times you can rise from a chair and sit back down again, within a minute.
     A 2014 paper published in the British Medical Journal compared the fastest sitters with the slowest among 2766 53-year old adults. At baseline, women performed anywhere from 21 stands/minute on the low end to almost 37 stands/minute.  The range among men was just under 22 stands/minute for the low performers, to 39 stands/minute at the high end.
    After 13 years, those of either gender who performed poorest at the outset had more than twice the risk of death from any cause when compared with those with a higher chair rise speed at the start of the study.

    2.    Grip Strength:   The strength of your hand grip is typically measured using an electronic dynamometer.  In numerous studies, a stronger grip has been linked with lower all-cause mortality, especially among older adults. In the 2014 UK study of adults aged 53, women's grip strength ranged from 21kg (46lb) to almost 34kg (75lb), while the men squeezed from 36kg (79lb) to 54.5kg (120lb).  Averaged across both sexes, and taking other risk factors like body mass index, smoking status and physical activity levels into account, the 53-year olds with the poorest grip strength had anywhere from a 29% to 98% greater risk of death from any cause during the 13 years of follow-up.

    3.    Standing Balance Time:  The same 2014 BMJ paper examined how long its subjects could stand on one foot with their eyes closed.
     The resulting times were short, with a maximum average of just 19 seconds for men, and 10 seconds for women.  The good news: achieving simply those brief standing balance times was linked with lower mortality.  Poor performers of the standing balance test -  clocking in at just 3 seconds for both women and men - had a 2.5 greater chance of dying from any cause, during the 13-year study.

    4.    Sitting Height:  If you think your overall height is the only tallness measure researchers are interested in, you're wrong.  Sitting height, an anthropometric measurement which compares the relative proportions of the torso and legs, has been linked in Western populations to the incidence of heart disease. Greater leg length (and less relative sitting height) has been viewed as an indicator of better childhood health, which may protect against age-related illnesses like heart disease and diabetes in adulthood.  
    Data on other ethnic populations are less clear, however; a 2007 Chinese study found that greater sitting height was linked to more diabetes and abnormal lipid levels (dyslipidemia), whereas a 2011 paper published in the International Journal of Epidemiology found no relationship between height (including sitting height) with mortality among 136,202 adults in the Shanghai Women's and Men's Health Studies.

    5.    Gait Speed:  Can how fast you naturally walk say anything about your longevity?  Yes - according to epidemiologists from the University of Pittsburgh and elsewhere, in their 2011 paper published in JAMA. The researchers examined 9 separate studies involving a total of 34,485 participants and found that among both sexes, gait speed was linked with survival at all ages. A natural gait speed of 0.8 metres/second (about 1.8 miles/hour) corresponded with average life expectancy for each age; walking faster than that as a natural pace was linked with better than average longevity.
    Since walking requires energy, balance, and engages multiple organ systems to work together, the researchers suggest slower speed may indicate hidden illness or poor overall conditioning.

    6.    Waist to Height Ratio:  Some researchers believe that waist to height ratio - calculated by dividing the waist circumference in centimetres by a person's height (also measured in centimetres) is a better predictor of disease than weight or body mass index.  The advice is simple: keep your abdominal fat down, and make sure your waist measurement is not greater than half your height.

    Bottom line:  These tests are simple tools to measure the statistical probability of an early death, as indicators of overall health and conditioning.  You can improve your own odds of living a long, healthy life by staying physically active, eating an anti-aging diet, staying active within your social circle, keeping stress at bay, not smoking, and drinking only in moderation.

    If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 
    There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

    My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

    Tuesday, July 10, 2018

    Define Clean Eating

    Eating "clean" is gaining traction — but what does it actually mean, and how is it good for the body? You here about it almost everyday if your reading food blogs of watching cooking shows.

    Clean eating is a deceptively simple concept. Rather than revolving around the idea of ingesting more or less of specific things (for instance, fewer calories or more protein), the idea is more about being aware of the food's pathway between its origin and your plate. At its simplest, clean eating is about eating whole foods, or "real" foods — those that are un- processed, refined, and handled, making them as close to their natural form as possible. However, modern food production has become so sophisticated that simply eating whole foods can be a challenging proposition these days.

    Stores like Whole Foods have changed the food scene. We have more mini grocery's that specialize in fresh foods, organic foods and healthier brands. Ten or fifteen years ago we had 3 major grocery's where I live, and we had Whole Foods and convenient foods in gas stations. Today the scene is much different. Healthy foods are becoming common place in the majors and small grocery chains are springing up throughout the city selling organic, fresh, healthy food. Restaurants are starting to offer healthy food on the menu. The difference is today the public demands it. Menu will have to show the calorie count. And recently the FDA what's food manufacturers to put the amount of added sugar on food labels. These changes won't happen immediately but the changes will be a good thing for consumers.

    Not eating processed foods is the biggest part of "eating clean". I was surprised to learn how many people don't really understand what foods are considered to be processed foods. Most people don't realize that bread is a processed food and that some cheese is processed. These new milks like soy milk and almond milk are processed foods and may have chemical additives.

    I just finished a sugar detox recently. For 10 days I couldn't eat anything with added sugar. I'm glad I did the detox, but it's difficult finding foods or drinks without sugar.  I had to just buy the basics and make my own food. It's very healthy and I learned a lot and I have no regrets. The hardest part was not eating in restaurants. The other hard part was only drinking water, tea and coffee. I could add lemon for flavor and add cinnamon to black coffee. I could eat salads in some restaurants but no salad dressing, only lemon, oil, or vinegar.

    The reason I mentioned the sugar detox is, if you want to get a taste of what it's like to "eat clean", try a sugar detox.

    If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 
    There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.comScribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

    My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

    Saturday, July 7, 2018

    Why I Workout After The Kids Go To Bed

    I copied this post for you because it's a misconception that we have to exercise in the morning. I always do yoga at night because it helps me to sleep. It relaxes me. I actually do about 20 minutes of yoga twice a day, but that's me and I don't do yoga to lose weight.


    By Charity Curley Mathews

    My baby weight isn’t going to lose itself -- and believe me, I’ve tried waiting around to find out. I’ve had three babies in the last four years, which means the same 25 pounds has come and gone three times. Problem is, the other 10 extra pounds I've had for years hasn’t gone anywhere, either. Here it is, right around my waist, enjoying life in elastic pants.

    This ladies weight problem is more a fat problem. She needs to lose the excess fat and get her shape back again.

    It makes me feel better emotionally. Even though I’d rather collapse on the couch the moment all three of my little rascals are tucked in tight, finding the gumption to fire up a fitness DVD or head out for a walk gives me a sense of freedom. When I start carving out time for myself, feel better taking care of me, like our household isn’t quite as chaotic as it usually seems. Life with young children is tiring, and when you’ve been dealing all day with tantrums, pull-up diapers and tiny people who insist on dressing themselves even though they can't fasten buttons, it’s easy to sink into an emotional rut by nighttime. 

    It makes me feel better physically. By now, everyone knows the chemical benefits of exercise. Working out is scientifically proven to provide endorphins, the same kind you get while sneaking a big piece of dark chocolate while the kids are playing in the other room. The difference being, exercise endorphins actually whittle your waistline, instead of expanding it. 
    I can focus on two of my needs at once. Ever the multitasking mom, I make sure that even my workouts are twofers: Since private time is at a precious premium, I throw in a fitness DVD and then I turn the volume down and fire up a fun show or podcast. It’s a system that combines genuine entertainment with physical stimulation -- and both on the cheap. No wonder I’m loving my routine! 
    It's an automatic out from my kids' bedtime clutches. When my 3-year-old climbs on my back, demanding one more snuggle before bed, I can truthfully tell her, “I’ve got to do my exercises now. Love you!” And she totally gets it. Love that kid. Sticker for her.

    It keeps me loose. I’ve always been an active person, but I've never been particularly thin. That’s a whole other ball of wax, one that involves eating a lot less, especially given my height and metabolism (sea slug-ish). Right now, after baby number three, my fitness goals are purely focused on moving all my body’s parts every day, and noticing how good it feels. My creaky neck, that pinch behind my left shoulder blade and oh, those hips... ouch! What they need is movement, strengthening and stretching.
    It makes exercising seem like a treat instead of a chore. Ever since my kids were born, I’ve been a work-from-homer instead of an online executive leading a team from the comfort of a fancy office. Nowadays, my time spent being a professional and my time spent being a mom totally blur together, to the point where my average day goes something like this: Interview an expert for an upcoming article. Throw a load of clothes in washing machine. Edit photos for Foodlets.com. Check emails. Get dinner going. Throw clothes in dryer. Set up a conference call with new consulting client.With a schedule like this, I find that it’s honestly just too tiring to consider doing ONE MORE THING at the end of the day -- unless I make it feel like a reward.
    For a while, I really resented the whole idea of having to stick to a nighttime fitness routine. Wait, now my "special thing" is exercising? Since when is that “fun”? Then I had a change of heart. Life requires effort. Should one of my daughters ever find herself in a similar situation someday, I'll be able to tell her: “Make the effort. Make yourself healthy.” Because I've learned from personal experience that along the way, she'll be happier.

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    My new ebook is in online bookstores now. You can go to Amazon.com and type the title in the search bar: How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight? The price is $3.99. I think you'll find it interesting. I write about myself and my battle with weight and all the mistakes I made and how you can avoid the mistakes and lose the unwanted body fat.
    The ebook is also at http://barnesandnoble.com and they have a special introductory offer right now $2.99. Also available on iBooks, Kobo, Scribd, and others worldwide.