Losing Weight

The idea of dieting scares many people for a variety of reasons, but it shouldn't if you change you way of thinking about losing weight.

Here are some ideas to help you get started:

• Look it losing weight as making lifestyle choices to better your health. You choose to walk every day. You choose to eat more fruits and vegetables.
• Get fit with a group of friends or family members. If that is not possible, then join a health club that meets your needs, which will then improve the chances of meeting people to help encourage you.
• Journal what you eat and the calories. When you are more aware of what you are eating and drinking because you see the results in a notebook or journal, then you are more likely to better decide if you really want to eat or drink.
• Hang around with positive thinking people. That DOES make a difference and will likely help you stick with your life style choices.

It is best to consult your physician when it comes to your health and weight. Also, it is best to lose weight slowly and not quickly.

Carry a Journal

Often times, when you and your child are out and about, your child says something cute, and you say to yourself, "I will remember that forever." or "I will write that down when I get home." Chances are you may forget what your child has said by the time you are home. You may soon regret forgetting what was said.

Another scenario, you may see or read something unique special, and you think to yourself, "Oh that is good. I will remember that." Once again, when you are trying to remember what that unique moment was, you may have forgotten already.

Carry a journal or notebook with a pen, small enough to put in your pocket or purse. As soon as you hear or see an observation, you can record it as soon as possible. The journal will become a recording of your experiences and adventures.

This will be a treasure to share with your children.

Use a Timer When Checking Email

Many people now use Email as a form of communication. Often, it's for personal or business. It is possible to get hundreds of Emails in your Inbox, which can be an overwhelming task and even a time waster to go through them.

Here are a few ideas to help you organize your time when checking your Email. Set a time limit and enforce it. Use a timer that will ring at the set time. This will force you to delete emails that are not worth reading or taking your time. Once you do that, then it is time to read the most urgent or with highest priority.

And if you are on groups, such as Yahoo groups, be sure to be on digest, so that it will not take much space in your Email.

Once the timer rings, stop checking your Email.

Going Cold Turkey?

Often times, we may over eat that we do begin to do it unconsciously. When we realize what we are doing, it may be hard for us to cut or reduce our eating habits to moderation portion. You may have noticed that you overeat chocolate, fried foods, or even drink too much diet soda. Once you realize that habit or habits, then now is the time do something about it. So, how should you go about improving your diet?

Some would recommend to go cold turkey. Although going cold turkey may work for some, others would say reduce bit by bit, which I also recommend. First and foremost, you should always consult your doctor to see if you need to follow a diet. They will be able to advise you best on this situation.

For example, you drink too much soda, and you would like to reduce the amount you drink. Each time you have a soda, drink one extra glass of water. So if you have two sodas during the day, be sure to drink two extra glasses of water. A few days later, try to cut your soda intake in half, and then replenish with water. Keep doing that. Eventually, you should drink more water and less soda.

The point is for you to eventually replace excessive food with water or skim milk--whatever you prefer, until you have moderate portions.

Not only will your body feel better, but also healthier!

Spring Cleaning Part Two

I tackled the kitchen last week, and I am proud to say that the kitchen is STILL organized and clutter free. How? You ask. The secret is to clean up a bit every day and not save it for later during the week. Not only is it a little cleaning, it just takes seconds--which could be done during television commercials, for example.

This is what I did. I wrote a list of what needed to be done in the kitchen, which included reorganizing cabinets, washing dishes, cleaning the floor, and getting rid of unnecessary clutter. I started from the top down, meaning the cabinets working my way down to washing dishes, cleaning out the refrigerator, and then finally cleaning the floor.

I ended up getting rid of dishes I no longer used, donating them to a thrift store. I reorganized my recipe files. I recycled cardboard boxes that was taking up space in the refrigerator.

Not only does the kitchen look better, the air is fresher.

Remember the key is to clean bit by bit everyday, not letting anything stack up for later.

Two Tips You Should Know

Tip 1:

You may know this already, but sometimes it helps to get a reminder. If you don't know this already, then you have learned something new today!

Never go to the grocery stores hungry. You will buy unplanned or unnecessary items, known as impulse buying. It is best to have eaten your meal or snack first, that way you go on a full stomach, and be less tempted to do some impulse buying.


Tip 2:

A former car salesman informed me that when you are shopping for a vehicle, do the car shopping at the end of the month.

Hope these tips help or have been good reminders for you!

Good Strangers, Bad Strangers

Preschool children are curious by nature. The world is a new place to them. They are excited to see and try new things. This includes talking to strangers, which can be an uncomfortable experience for parents because despite educating your preschooler, he or she may talk to strangers again.

One of the most important things to remember is that there are good strangers and bad strangers. Good strangers are what you can consider "community helpers," like police officers, firefighters, mail carriers, and even teachers. You can explain to your preschooler that those good strangers are available for help, if they ever need it. Bad strangers may be anyone you do not know or are not community helpers.

Explain to your preschooler that he or she must always ask you, dad, or caregiver if they can talk with a grownup they do not know.

Constantly remind your children about strangers to be sure it is enforced. Be creative when teaching them about stranger danger.