Many women, myself included, tend to have a bit of a sweet tooth. But there may be cause for concern that you're not aware of.
If you have high cholesterol it may be time to cut back on your sugar intake. When most people think of high cholesterol they believe the main cause to be fatty steaks, burgers, and other meat sources. But the truth is that cholesterol is raised by high-fat sweets as well.
If you already do have high cholesterol or you know you have a family history of high cholesterol make sure that you take action each day to lower your risk (and therefore, lower your risk of heart disease) by eating fewer sweet treats, eating leaner meats, making exercise a regular part of your schedule, and selecting a healthier variety of foods.
Sugar can be very addicting, just as a drug can be. If you have a problem with your sweet tooth (say, you must have a big bowl of ice cream each night or you need that sweet fix after each meal) try abstaining for a week. You will see that after the week is up you no longer have that intense craving that you once did. Just be careful when you decide to treat yourself again. Keep the portions very small and infrequent. Otherwise you risk addiction, unwanted health issues, and weight gain once more.
Take care of your body today! It's the only one you have!
Amanda
Monday, December 15, 2008
Monday, December 01, 2008
Mailbox Walks
At the gym where I work we are currently holding a Biggest Loser contest. To kick it off, a few weeks ago we had a woman speak to the group about her tremendous weight loss and how she did it. I knew the woman when she was overweight and was seeing her in person for the first time since her weight loss. She looked great, she looked healthy, she looked happy. It seemed that her body finally matched her vibrant personality.
As she began to tell us her story I was struck with how true her story is for so many others. She began to work in the health and wellness industry. For about two years she continued in this field and actually PROMOTED health and wellness in her community...but not for herself. She pointed out the fact that no matter who you have pushing you, no matter how much you're paying for your personal trainer, no matter what your mind knows you should do if your heart is not ready then you are not really going to make a change for yourself. It's almost as if you must hit your own rock bottom, which is different than anyone else's, in order to come to that place where you say to yourself, "Why am I doing this to myself? I absolutely refuse to continue down this road any longer!"
She slowly began her journey to weight loss and a healthy lifestyle. She consulted a friend as to how to begin. Interestingly, her friend's only advice was to begin by walking to and from the mailbox twice a day. "That's it?" was the woman's thought. She already walked to her mailbox once a day so she thought walking it a second time was no big deal. She decided to try it anyway. The first day she attempted the two walks to the mailbox. Done. That was too easy. She felt she could do better. So she took several more steps and walked all the way around the block. See where this is going? She was basically setting a small and very attainable goal for herself (with the help of a friend), so that once she accomplished it she could take it one step farther. By doing so, she was able to see her progress and feel proud of herself for being able to go beyond her progress each time she set a new goal.
The woman also let our group know that losing the weight wasn't easy because she had multiple excuses ready each day. From health problems to a lack of energy, excuses were plentiful. Ever so slowly, she worked through the excuses and found that they weren't such a hindrance after all and, in fact, many completely went away with the implementation of a healthy diet and regular exercise! She recommended sitting down and honestly making a list of all the excuses you may use to get yourself out of exercise or healthy meals. Keep that list handy. While you may not eliminate all of those excuses at once, you will be ready for them. You will be aware of them and, in time, get rid of all the excuses or find ways to work around them.
What she said to the group that day made me wish I had weight to lose! But I realized that while I don't have much fat to lose now, I can translate it the same to the other changes and goals I am working on in my body and for my family, like muscle gain for myself and cooking more often for my family.
What goals are you trying to reach, and what excuses will you come up with to stop yourself from reaching them? These are things to think about today as we attempt to bring ourselves to our full potential. We were created to live up to it!
Amanda
As she began to tell us her story I was struck with how true her story is for so many others. She began to work in the health and wellness industry. For about two years she continued in this field and actually PROMOTED health and wellness in her community...but not for herself. She pointed out the fact that no matter who you have pushing you, no matter how much you're paying for your personal trainer, no matter what your mind knows you should do if your heart is not ready then you are not really going to make a change for yourself. It's almost as if you must hit your own rock bottom, which is different than anyone else's, in order to come to that place where you say to yourself, "Why am I doing this to myself? I absolutely refuse to continue down this road any longer!"
She slowly began her journey to weight loss and a healthy lifestyle. She consulted a friend as to how to begin. Interestingly, her friend's only advice was to begin by walking to and from the mailbox twice a day. "That's it?" was the woman's thought. She already walked to her mailbox once a day so she thought walking it a second time was no big deal. She decided to try it anyway. The first day she attempted the two walks to the mailbox. Done. That was too easy. She felt she could do better. So she took several more steps and walked all the way around the block. See where this is going? She was basically setting a small and very attainable goal for herself (with the help of a friend), so that once she accomplished it she could take it one step farther. By doing so, she was able to see her progress and feel proud of herself for being able to go beyond her progress each time she set a new goal.
The woman also let our group know that losing the weight wasn't easy because she had multiple excuses ready each day. From health problems to a lack of energy, excuses were plentiful. Ever so slowly, she worked through the excuses and found that they weren't such a hindrance after all and, in fact, many completely went away with the implementation of a healthy diet and regular exercise! She recommended sitting down and honestly making a list of all the excuses you may use to get yourself out of exercise or healthy meals. Keep that list handy. While you may not eliminate all of those excuses at once, you will be ready for them. You will be aware of them and, in time, get rid of all the excuses or find ways to work around them.
What she said to the group that day made me wish I had weight to lose! But I realized that while I don't have much fat to lose now, I can translate it the same to the other changes and goals I am working on in my body and for my family, like muscle gain for myself and cooking more often for my family.
What goals are you trying to reach, and what excuses will you come up with to stop yourself from reaching them? These are things to think about today as we attempt to bring ourselves to our full potential. We were created to live up to it!
Amanda
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