Adopt a better outlook on your body

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

1. Rewire your brain. If you know that constantly thinking negatively about your body teaches your brain to focus on the bad stuff, why not flip the script? It's absolutely possible to create neural pathways that favor affirming thoughts. Keep a pen handy to note things you do that make you feel good about your body. Doing this puts positive stuff front-of-mind and starts becoming instinctive.

2. Ask yourself: Is this really about my body? Or am I trying to distract myself from being upset with someone or something else? Address that issue instead of thinking negative thoughts.

3. Exercise! Working out regularly tends to prevent harsh thoughts. And it's not just that being physically active improves your shape and health; it actually boots your mind-set, too. One new stude found that women felt better about themselves after exercising even when their bodies didn't change, suggesting that the feeling of "That was challenging and I did it!" played a bigger role than weight loss in boosting body image.

4. Say "stop!" - literally, that word - when your mind goes all negative. Just imagine a giant screaming sign. It's funny, but it really does shut up that negative voice and clears your head.

5. Remind yourself that obsessing about what you eat or look like doesn't make you look any better. A study found that young women who obsess over their diet don't actually weight less than those who generally eat what they want. Some women look at a brownie and think: Oooh, that looks good, but brownies are 'bad'. I wonder how many calories are in that? Maybe I could just have a teeny bite, and on and on. A woman with a healthier relationship with food would either eat the brownie, or not, and be done. At the end of the day, both get the same number of calories. The message: Fretting over every bit gets you nowhere. Eating mindfully-enjoyed food and putting your fork down before you get too full-feels better and works better.

6. Appreciate your body for what it does, rather than how it looks. Next time you're, say, cursing your wobbly arms, pause and think of their purpose-is it to make you feel bad? Or to let you your and enjoy life? It may seem a bit "Kumbaya," but this mental tweak helps you think less negatively.

7. Finally, play up your strengths. Comparing yourself with others doesn't help anything. Focus on making the most of what you've got. Hold your head a little higher and walk a little taller: That attitude is absolutely magnetic. Hear that? You're MAGNETIC. And don't forget to tell youself so, either. We all could use a few more compliments!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

TEDYBEAR2838 2/23/2011 4:34PM

2 best thing you said: Say STOP when negative thoughts come to mind, Out loud if you can. The exercise one, makes me feel totally on top of the world. It's something I never thought I would enjoy OR do. I'm loving it and it's given me a better outlook on myself and life. How about we ROCK 2011 Together? Report Inappropriate Comment

SVELTINGTON 2/23/2011 11:09AM

Report Inappropriate Comment

DDOORN 2/23/2011 9:57AM

Great reminders...all of them! Thank you for these! Don Report Inappropriate Comment

MOMENTSMATTER 2/23/2011 9:55AM

I will print this. Many thanks, Tracy Report Inappropriate Comment

SPARKLED146 2/23/2011 7:03AM

Report Inappropriate Comment

10 thoughts on whole living...

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

It's hard to jump high and feel down at the same time.

Sometimes the loneliest moments are the ones that show you HOW STRONG YOU REALLY ARE.

The riskier the endeavor, the more exhilarating the reward.

Spending just five minutes outdoors can undo hours of pent-up stress.

Don't think of decluttering as emptying your home-you're filling it with possibility.

Rather than battle your emotions, make them your allies. They hold the secret to what drives you-and what scares you.

Happiness is a fickle houseguest: She shows up at surprising times, but when she leaves, you KNOW she'll be back.

Treat an apology like a gift. Accept it without peeking at the price tag.

You achieve balance not by pushing against your body, BUT BY FOLLOWING ITS LEAD.

Sing joyfully.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

SVELTINGTON 2/23/2011 11:09AM

Report Inappropriate Comment

TEDYBEAR2838 2/22/2011 7:08PM

Joyfully singing to those happy ideas! LET'S ROCK 2011 TOGETHER~! Report Inappropriate Comment

STARRPARENT 2/22/2011 9:30AM

Love it! Have a great day! Report Inappropriate Comment

55WALKER 2/22/2011 8:12AM

another one of your prize-winning blogs Report Inappropriate Comment

Happy Now?

Monday, February 21, 2011

Being happy in the midst of the difficulties of human life is a wonderful art, a great accomplishment. Learning to be happy is perhaps the most important skill we can develop in life. So, how can we learn? Here are 3 key lessons to get you started:

1. Know that happiness is always available to you. The moment you see the truth of this, you can be happy right away. There's nothing that needs to happen first for you to be happy. You don't need to do anything else, go anywhere else, reform yourself, or become a different person. Happiness is very simple. It's only our tendency to complicate things that makes it difficult.

2. Accept imperfection. There always seems to be something naggingly imperfect in life. We have the idea that if we could get it all together, attain some imagined state of complete wholeness and authenticity, everything would be great. Being happy is about being able to relax into the imperfect nature of your experience, not about finally having everything just the way we want it.

3. Don't try so hard. The Declaration of Independence asserts our right to pursue happiness, but the pursuit of happiness makes us crazy. The idea that happiness is something to chase after deadens us to the wonders of life that are here now. Happiness is about being receptive, about opening to what's good in the present moment - here, now, and this.



TODAY IS PRESIDENTS DAY
IN 2009 C-SPAN POLLED 65 HISTORIANS AND ASKED THEM TO RANK THE 42 AMERICAN PRESIDENTS.
The Top 10: 1) Abraham Lincoln; 2) George Washington; 3) Franklin Roosevelt; 4) Theodore Roosevelt; 5) Harry Truman; 6) John Kennedy; 7) Thomas Jefferson; 8) Dwight D. Eisenhower; 9) Woodrow Wilson; and 10) Ronald Reagan.

The Bottom 10: 42) James Buchanan; 41) Andrew Johnson; 40) Franklin Pierce; 39) William Harrison; 38) William Harding; 37) Millard Fillmore; 36) George W. Bush; 35) John Tyler; 34) Herbert Hoover; 33) Rutherford B. Hayes.


GEORGE W. BUSH IS THE ONLY U.S. PRESIDENT TO HAVE FATHERED TWINS.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

DDOORN 2/21/2011 9:46AM

Great reminders on tips for happiness! Thx for sharing! Don Report Inappropriate Comment

NANFACEMIRE1 2/21/2011 6:31AM

Very factual Report Inappropriate Comment

BRENDAS026 2/21/2011 6:31AM

wow! Report Inappropriate Comment

Some Do's & Don'ts to look and feel your best

Sunday, February 20, 2011

DO wear clothes that fit well and skim your body. Baggy or loose clothing emphasizes size. Accentuate your assets with good makeup and attention grabbing accessories. For example, a bright scarf flatters and draws attention upwards.
Choose long, thin items to layer with shorter ones for a leaner look.
V-neck shirts will lengthen the lines in your neck, unlike polo-style necks.
Avoid stiff fabrics - opt for softly draping ones instead.

DO stand up at work. Research shows you'll burn more calories.

DO keep it simple. Elaborate attempts to camouflage figure flaws (i.e., over-size scarves and shawls, ornate jewelry) only serve to highlight them. Simple accessories make you look pulled together and not weighed down.

DON'T label foods as "good" or "bad."

DO treat all foods equally.

DO have snacks. They'll help you stay on track by making you feel full between meals.

DON'T skip meals.

DON'T weigh youself more than once a week. Let your clothes be your "scale."

DO keep plenty of healthy, nutritional "produce superstars" in your refrigerator. They're available year-round, easy to prepare, and cheap to boot! Some favorites include: garlic, mushrooms, oranges, spinach, sweet potatoes, tuna and yogurt.

DO eat breakfast. Why?
1. Breakfast eaters consume about 12% less fat than breakfast skippers do.
2. Breakfast eaters tend to be leaner than breakfast skippers are.
3. Breakfast eaters tend to have diets that are more nutrient-rich, especially in fiber.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

SVELTINGTON 2/20/2011 10:55AM

Report Inappropriate Comment

HORRORMAEDCHEN 2/20/2011 9:54AM

I agree with every word. Thanks for sharing. Report Inappropriate Comment

SYLVIALYNN2 2/20/2011 8:48AM

Thanks. Breast Cancer Support groups emphasize looking your best with some of the same suggestions while going through treatment. Report Inappropriate Comment

ONICAM 2/20/2011 8:33AM

How does somebody who is legally blind go with clothes? I am not able to tell distance at all. I am bad enough that I use a cane and screen reader. I am also not sure how someone can treat all food as equal. I have gotten a reduced amount of caffeine and trying to stay away from it, but I am going right for carbs like crazy. I have been eating them non stop even though the sodas are a diet version. Report Inappropriate Comment

LLGALLAGHER 2/20/2011 7:57AM

Good tips! I recently had an experience related the clothes tip. I was in an all day workshop, working out in front of a wall of mirrors. In my first outfit of the day (closer fitting) I would see myself in the mirror and think "Wow I'm looking pretty good nowadays!". In my second outfit of the day (old size, loose and baggy), I'd see myself in the mirror and think I looked big and clumsy. Same body, different reaction, just based on the fit of my clothes! Report Inappropriate Comment

TEDYBEAR2838 2/20/2011 7:51AM

Such tips. Thanks for reminding all of us about the good things in life. Report Inappropriate Comment

JENNIEBENNIE1 2/20/2011 7:49AM

Thanks Report Inappropriate Comment

CO-CREATOR 2/20/2011 7:38AM

Great tips, thank you! Report Inappropriate Comment

Make yourself more interesting

Saturday, February 19, 2011

The minute you lose interest in learning is the minute you risk becoming ignorant. So read. Volunteer. Go to museums. Take a class. Meditate. Never stop education yourself, and you'll be the most interesting person you know.

"Even if you are on the right path, you will get run over if you just sit still" -Unknown

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

TEDYBEAR2838 2/19/2011 8:51PM

I hope I don't sit still, anytime soon. I don't want to get run over :) Rocking 2011 Together~! Report Inappropriate Comment

EUGENIAINSIGNA 2/19/2011 3:37PM

Thank you so much for your comment on my blog. This is SO right--it's incredibly important to keep studying, learning, and being open to new experiences throughout life--I'm making a note now to remind myself of this every time I just feel like sagging into the couch. :) Report Inappropriate Comment

SVELTINGTON 2/19/2011 12:34PM

Thank you very much for all your excellent, informative and inspiring blogs! Report Inappropriate Comment

SYLVIALYNN2 2/19/2011 9:24AM

My pastor in Chesapeake, VA, once advised me to choose a new topic each year and spend at least 15 minutes a day reading about that topic. Doing that is another way to become more knowledgeable about a number of subjects. Fortunately, I was then in my mid 30s and took his advice. Report Inappropriate Comment

VERONICAS_GOALS 2/19/2011 7:19AM

I feel the same I love to learn Report Inappropriate Comment