Weight Loss Secret: Treat Yourself Like Your Car

I recently heard from a young man who said he knew he would lose weight even if he ate snacks and treats all the time as long as he burned more calories than he ate. He went on with some extensive math calculations on how many calories the average sedentary person burns and how he will be able to lose weight by adding some additional exercises and dropping his calorie intake to under 2000 per day.

My first reaction is, Heaven help this guy...I wonder if he has ever tried to diet before?

Begin healthy and losing weight is not just a math equation...and certainly not a simple one! First of all, there is no "average" person...we are all unique and we react differently to different foods, exercise and moods.

Second, even if you caloric intake is low, you can not heal your body and create healthy, lean tissues if you eat junk food all day long.

Rather than counting calories and trying to figure out the math of losing weight, treat your body at least as well as you would your vehicle. You wouldn't put sugar in your car's gas tank and expect it to run, would you? No, you give your car the proper grade gasoline and oil that it requires. You keep the radiator filled. You check your battery. You inflate the tires to get the best mileage.

Your body is a fantastically complex machine and deserves similar treatment. Give your body good quality fuel, as in lean protein, complex carbs, healthy fats. Drink plenty of pure water (filter it yourself and save money and the environment) to help keep your system flushed and well regulated. By eating small amounts fairly often you keep your battery charged and like putting your car on cruise-control you can keep going and going without the roller-coaster ride of sugar rushes and crashes.

Quit counting calories and keep yourself on the highway of life, looking good and cruising by eating the right foods every day!

InexpensiveTools for Health and Weight Loss Success

We all can use some toys, *ahem*, tools to help us in our quest for health and weight loss...but knowing what products are worth it, are safe, give you results can be a challenge...and then there's the cost.

Well...one of my favorite stores, Gaiam, is offering a sale and I wanted to give you a heads up! (Don't you just love a sale???)

If you aren't familiar with Gaiam, here are some of the reasons I love them:

Loads of cool Fitness Products from clothes & shoes to exercise equipment
Oodles of Health Products whether you are looking for pain relief, massage, alternative therapies
Variety of product types--videos, books, hard-to-find products
Environmentally conscious Green Products (recycled or natural elements= low impact on the earth)

Now through next Monday (July 26) Gaiam is having a sale on a variety of items that will help you reach your health and fitness and weight loss success goals...here's some of my favorites:

Yoga kit for beginners...includes a mat, block, strap and workout DVD by yoga guru Rodney Yee. This mat is different because it is marked to help you know where to put your feet and hands during poses...awesome for beginners when you can't have a teacher right there correcting your position! Fitting with the Refuse to Diet theory, these workouts are geared to be 20 minutes in length so ANYONE can fit it in to their schedule. Sale price for the kit is $12.98 (that's about what I paid for my basic yoga years ago!) A small price to pay for a great tool that can help you get in some great exercise and vary your routine...which is one of the best ways to meet your fitness and weight loss goals.

"CorePlus Reformer" this piece of equipment simulates the workout you'd get with a Pilates reformer...developed in conjunction with Pilates pro Mari Winsor (Winsor Pilates anyone?) you get the reformer and instructional DVD...note, they're telling me inventory is limited on this one, so hurry if you want the benefits of a Pilates workout in your own home...for under $30!!! Small and easy to pack you can take this with you on vacation or business trips.

Adjustable Yoga Sandals help stabilize and align your body and also stretch your feet and toes (if you have any toes that touch or cross over this can help but note it may take a little getting used to!) This is another Limited Inventory item and at only $32 I can see why!

Deep Penetrating Light Therapy OK, this is a bit pricier...but if you have health issues like depression, muscle or joint pain this RED and infrared light therapy machine may be the ticket...the light goes deep into the tissue and stimulates endorphins (those feel good chemicals) which helps block pain. The light also stimulates cell regeneration which can reduce wrinkles...less pain AND fewer wrinkles? Sounds good to me. Normally $369 but use the code "JULYSAVINGS" and get $30 off! BTW...this is FDA approved...and can be used on your face, arms, legs...we all want to look as youthful as possible and if aches and pains are keeping you from moving your body (pain is one of my biggest weight loss challenges!) this could be just the ticket.

Wooden Drying Rack I debated whether to include this...after all it really won't help you lose weight...but I love mine and you can save $10 so I thought what the heck...it saves energy and space...I get to dry clothes in a compact space and not have them shrink...AND they don't wear out as fast as when you put them in the drier so I save money that way too. Remember to use the code "JULYSAVINGS" when checking out

Not sure what you want, go to Gaiam and look to see what other deals they have...you'll see my BalanceBall Chair on the cover (among other things) but remember, this sale ends MONDAY!

Did I tell you, be sure to use the code "JULYSAVINGS" at checkout? That way you get the best deal so don't forget...and share the savings by telling a friend...maybe a new workout buddy? Then come back and tell us what you got and how you like it...

Earth Day and Food: Movie Food, Inc

If you really want to help the Earth and learn where your food really comes from, check out the movie "Food, Inc"

You can see it on the internet at PBS tv

The movie is about 90 minutes long.

But hurry--the episode is set to expire April 30th...

FYI: some intense images that will have you wanting to change how you eat, this is a real eye-opener...if you are a parent of young kids I suggest you watch it first and determine if it is something you want your kids to see or not.