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WILLBOYWONDER's Recent Blog Entries
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Tuesday, September 16, 2008
If a storm came through and knocked out your electricity, do you have a back-up plan? If not, then you should develop one before the storm hits. If you are accustomed to planning your meals as I am, it is much more difficult to find things to eat on the spur of the moment. Given that this time of year is the middle of hurricane season and there is the potential for there to be, at a minimum, power outages for long periods of time. Here are a few key things to help you if your power goes out:
* If you don’t already have one, invest in a manual can opener. A nice one will cost you about ten bucks. But you can also find a decent one at the dollar store. This will be very handy when there is no electricity.
* When storms threaten a community, the water supply could be compromised. It is advisable to keep some bottled water on hand solely for emergencies. If you have pets, keep enough water for them too.
* Keep some extra batteries on hand for a radio and flashlight. If you have medical needs that require equipment, be sure you have batteries for that as well. If your smoke detector runs on electricity without a battery back-up, consider investing in a second one that runs on batteries. You may want to consider investing in a generator. The prices vary and depending on the kind you get, which range in price from around $100 on up, a generator can provide you with several hours of auxiliary power.
* If the only phone in your home is a cordless phone, a loss of power will mean a loss in telephone service. If you also have a mobile phone, it will continue to work only for as long as the battery lasts. Restrict the use of your mobile phone to those that are essential for the duration of the power outage.
* If you are able, contact a friend or relative to let them know you are without electricity so they can check up on you if you are MIA for a long time.
The problem won’t last forever. Hopefully these tips can help make things a little more bearable until the power is restored.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Here are some easy-to-follow tips to help guide you with your weight loss goals. I spent some time thinking of the most important things people need to know and I came up with five. I could probably come up with dozens of tips to help you. But I wanted to give you something as succinct as possible, so I limited it to five. I could preface each one with the statement, “This is the most important thing,” as each tip is so very important. Be sure to see your doctor before beginning any program that makes changes to your diet or amount of physical activity.
Tip #1: Exercise – Exercise is a crucial component to sustainable weight loss. You have to get the body moving. The physical activity will elevate your heart rate, which in turn helps boosts your metabolism and will burn fat. Some people who are overweight tell me they cannot exercise because it causes too much trauma to their legs and ankles. To them, I say that only a small percentage of people are unable to do any exercise, an abysmally small number. Most people are able to do some measure of exercise. Your exercise does not need to be what I like to call the double Rs: regimented or rigorous. The only requirement is that it be a consistent and regular part of your routine. If you are unable to stand for long periods of time, then do your exercises sitting down. You can sit on a chair and lift your left leg ten times or 5 times. Then switch to your right leg. Eventually increase it to 15 repetitions, then 20 working your way up to 25 or 30. You can also get some five pound dumbbells and do some arm lifts from a seated position. With some creativity, you can devise a number of activities you can perform from a seated position. Don’t let your large size be an excuse not to exercise. Get moving.
Tip #2: Drink Water – Water is necessary to keep the body’s organs cleansed. Cleansed organs help to ensure they are properly functioning, and properly functioning organs can be an important catalyst toward your weight loss goals. Some people think they don’t need to have water because they have other beverages, such as tea or juice or soda; there has even been a lot of debate about whether those other beverages being adequate enough and that maybe you really do not need water. While these other beverages will help to keep your body hydrated, they may not necessarily be helping to cleanse your body of toxins the way water does. I don’t wish to spend much time debating this; water is necessary for the body and I recommend you get plenty of it. Most experts suggest approximately 8 glasses (8 ounces each) of water per day. That’s just a ball park amount. If you exercise, your body will lose water and it must be replaced, over and above the 8 ounces you should be drinking. I know that some people just cannot stomach plain water; however, I challenge you to stretch yourself. Any change, particularly one that involves health and nutrition, requires a sacrifice. Make a commitment to make that sacrifice and drink more water. If you cannot get in your 8 ounces ever day, work up to it. Make that your goal.
Tip #3: Don’t Get Too Many Calories – If you take in more calories than you burn up, you won’t lose weight. It won’t matter whether you follow Weight Watchers, Adkins, Slimfast, Jenny Craig, South Beach, your Aunt Sally’s, or whatever program you choose to follow. If your calories are too high and you are not doing anything to burn them up, those pounds will linger on.
Tip #4: Don’t Be A Slave To The Scale – The scale is an excellent measure of your weight loss progress; however, it is not the only measure. For many people who start a weight loss program, the pounds often fall off in the beginning. Then they reach a point at which the number on that scale won’t move. That’s when many people get discouraged and give up. But that’s just when you should stick with the program just as diligently. Look at other things to measure how you’re doing. How do you look in the mirror? How does your shirt or jacket fit around your arms? Do your pants still fit the same or what about the hole in your belt? Do your friends or co-workers ask you, “Are you losing weight?” especially at times when you feel like you’re just as big as you had been? These are examples of other ways to help measure your progress. Let the scale just be one of many things you use.
Tip #5: Get Enough Calories – Okay, before anybody jumps on me, I know this sort of contradicts with Tip #3. But the mistake people often make is they nearly starve themselves. They cut their calories too much. When you don’t eat enough, your body goes into salvation mode; it thinks you’re dying due to malnutrition and hangs on to every little morsel that passes those lips. There are many tools that you can use to help determine your body’s calorie needs. One that I like is at: www.ahealthyme.com/topic/calneed But you may use any one that you like to guide you. Bear in mind that these online tools are meant to be used as a guide. The results may be different from one person to the next. But you should get a general idea of your body’s calorie needs to ensure you are not getting to many (or too few).
Bonus Tip: It was difficult limiting these tips to just five so I wanted to through in this bonus tip. Keep a food journal. Write it all down and monitor what you eat daily. Whether you use pen and paper, a PDA, the Sparkpeople journal, or some other tool, track the food you’re eating. You may think you’ll remember, but don’t fool yourself. You’d be surprised at how quickly you forget. Keeping a log of what you’re eating helps you remember, especially if you are not making the progress you were hoping for.
There are plenty other things that you can do to aid you in your weight loss journey. But I identified those tips that I believe to be the most important. So, set your plan in motion, and get busy with shedding those pounds. There is not day better than the present to get in shape and improve your health.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
If you’re like most people who have been on a steady fitness routine, you feel motivated and inspired every time you go for a walk or get up on your treadmill. You probably get a huge emotional rush just thinking about it. But how do you feel when you sustain an injury and your workout regime is put on hold? That can be very frustrating. Many people wonder whether they can still exercise, even with the injury. These tips should help you make the right decision.
First, all injuries beyond your typical muscle soreness should be evaluated by a physician. You want to make sure there aren’t any major problems with joints, tissues, or ligaments.
Second, if there is pain, don’t exercise. This is one instance where the “no pain no gain” principle does not apply. If there is any pain, give it a rest.
Third, be sure you do not exercise the areas that were injured. You need to give the injured area time to heal. You can work on other areas unaffected by the injury. If you hurt your knee or ankle, don’t get on the treadmill. Pick up some dumbbells and do some curls. Also, even if you can’t put any pressure on your leg, you may still be able to go a few rounds on a recumbent bicycle. Even if you can’t do what you’re used to, like playing tennis or running, the bicycle is an excellent way to get in your cardio because it is low impact. Another low impact exercise is swimming.
Finally, pay attention to your body. You don’t want to do additional damage to an injury. The instant you feel pain or discomfort around the injured body part, stop what you’re doing immediately. The instant you feel pain or discomfort around the injured body part, stop what you’re doing immediately. No, that wasn’t a typo. That point was so important that it was repeated. Too many people cause further injury by continuing an activity even when they feel pain. Until the injury fully heals, don’t take any chances. If you aren’t sure what exercises you can safely do with the injured body part, ask your doctor. At risk of sounding too cliché, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure any day.
For additional information read this related article:
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/sportsin
juries.html
Thursday, May 15, 2008
What kind of progress are you making with your weight loss goals? If you’re doing great and are right about where you want to be, then congratulations are in order. Keep up the excellent work. However, if you are not quite doing as well as you had hoped, perhaps I may know a possible reason.
According to a recent report, “Sleep Duration as a Correlate of Smoking, Alcohol Use, Leisure-Time Physical Inactivity, and Obesity Among Adults,” released 7 May 2008, there is a direct link between being overweight and the amount of sleep you get. Adults who got fewer than six hours of sleep per night had the highest rates of obesity. The lowest obesity rates were found among those who got between seven and eight hours of sleep.
The report did not provide any direct explanation of the findings; however it did show that people who got fewer hours of sleep also engaged in other unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking cigarettes, drinking large quantities of alcohol, and limited physical activity. This is in no way to suggest that sleep is the only factor to consider when struggling with weight loss. But it is definitely a important aspect to take into account.
The amount of sleep we get each night has long been thought to have significant impact on our lives; well, here is yet another reason to make sure you are getting enough.
To read the full report, visit the Web site of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention here at this link:
www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/
hestats/sleep04-06/sleep04-06.htm
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
There are many strategies for dealing with weight loss. Some work better than others. Some diets work better for some people than they do for others. It is important for you to find the one that works best for you. Nothing is more truer than monitoring carbs (carbohydrates).
So what are carbs? Carbs are natural sugar molecules found in many foods. Many dieters focus intently on carbs in maintain their weight loss regimen, and the mistake many of them make is to lump all carbs into the same basket. Think of your carbs like you do your fats. There are good fats and bad fats. Carbs are the same way.
In some people, it may be necessary to limit all carbs based on your body’s metabolism, amount of physical activity you get, and your over all body make up. So, before you make the decision to ban all carbs from your diet, do a little research first (if you haven't already done so) to determine whether that’s the best course of action for you.
To help get you started, check out these health articles about carbs, some of which have links to additional resources.
RESOURCES:
womenshealth.about.com/od/fitnessand
health/a/detoxdiet_2.htm
www.intense-workout.com/low_carb_die
t.html
www.sideroad.com/Diet_and_Nutrition/
carbohydrates-in-food-good-carbs-and-b
ad-carbs.html
en.chatelaine.com/english/health/art
icle.jsp?content=20030520_160352_1368
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