AuntTeeTee

 It cannot talk yet it speaks to you. Some days it makes you giddy with delight. Other days it puts you into a deep depression. It judges you on a superficial level. The thought of it is enough to worry even the most optimistic person. What am I talking about? The notorious bathroom scale.  What is with this obsession we have with the scale? For most people, the scale can be an adversary or an ally, depending on the day. We often hate what it says or argue with it, but we still feel the desire to use it. When used properly and taken for what it is, it can actually be a very useful tool for weight management. But for many, the scale does more than measure the total weight of all your various parts. It somehow defines who you are as a person. And sadly, it can determine your own self-worth. We read way too much into this single-purposed tool.

Here are four signs that you might put too much weight on weighing in:

1. You constantly worry about weighing in.
When you’re trying to lose weight, it’s normal to experience some hesitation when it’s time for your weekly weigh in. After all, you want to see the numbers go down as confirmation that all of your hard work has paid off. We all want to be rewarded for our efforts, and it can be discouraging when you have done everything right and things still don’t pan out. However, if you find yourself preoccupied with worrisome thoughts of what the scale is going to say tomorrow or the next day, then you might be a little too obsessed with the scale.

  2. You weigh in more than once per day.
SparkPeople recommends weighing in once a week (or even less). Ever wonder why it’s not a good idea to do it more often? Your body weight can and will fluctuate from day to day, and change throughout a single day, too. There is no sense in putting yourself on that roller coaster of ups and downs. In the war on weight, if you become so concerned that you weigh yourself daily or several times a day, you are fighting a losing battle and you will be discouraged. If you feel like you can’t control yourself or stop yourself from weighing in each day, then you could be headed for trouble.  3. You can recite your weight to the nearest fraction at all times.
This is a sure sign that you are relying too heavily on the scale. Anyone who can tell you not only how much she weighs each day, but measures her weight loss to the nearest quarter of a pound is probably weighing in too often. There is nothing wrong with wanting to see a lower number on the scale, even if it’s a quarter pound lower, but remember that weighing in is more about trends (an average decrease or consistency in weight over time).

4. The scale determines how you feel about yourself for the day.
When the number is down, you step off the scale singing and have a jump in your step all day. When the number goes up (or stays the same when you expected a loss), you feel like Charlie Brown walking around with a rain cloud above your head. To me, this is the saddest situation of all—to let the scale dictate how you should feel. How would you feel about yourself if you hadn’t weighed in that day? What other ways would you determine your self-worth if weight didn’t exist?

If one (or all) of these situations sound familiar to you, it’s time to step away from the scale. Go cold turkey. Or at the very least, weigh in less often. But what’s a “compulsive weigher” to do?

Instead letting the scale alone determine whether you’re a success or failure, use more reliable measures to determine your progress. My philosophy is that weight loss is not a goal, but the result of healthy habits like a better diet and regular exercise. When you do step on the scale and don’t see the reading you had hoped for, ask yourself these questions: Am I doing what I am supposed to be doing? Am I making healthy food choices most of the time? Am I exercising consistently? If you are, then rust that your body is making positive changes, and the results will come. If you are not, then resolve to be consistent in healthy behaviors to see the results you want.

 Weighing yourself is definitely helpful and it has its place. Just make sure you don’t go overboard and give too much credence to this one measurement! After all, other measures (like how much energy you have, how much easier it is to climb a flight of stairs, or how well your clothes fit) might not be as precise or scientific, but they’re sure to make you feel happier and more successful than a scale ever can

*author Jason Anderson for SparkPeople*

From Losing It With Jillian Michaels

Are You a Binge Eater?
If you’re inclined to binge, the most important thing to do for yourself is to examine the emotional reasons behind your problem. I know that processing such emotions is hard and takes time, but here are some good techniques to help you modify your behavior and combat binge eating in the future:

Banish binge foods from your environment. Don’t buy or store stuff that you can binge on. After all, you can’t eat what’s not there.

Try taking up a hobby. Keep yourself occupied so that rather than medicating yourself with food, you’ll distract yourself with something productive.

Decorate your fridge with stuff that motivates you. I have two pictures on mine: One is a photo of my cellulite, and the other is of Madonna. Let me tell ya, there is nothing that will turn you off to food like pictures of cottage cheese on your butt.

Call a friend. The next time you want to stuff your face, reach out for support and try talking through your feelings instead of anesthetizing them by bingeing.

Do something to screw up your binge. In other words, pamper yourself with something that’s positive as opposed to self-destructive. Get a mani-pedi. Take a bubble bath. Go to the gym. There are many places to go and activities to take part in that’ll also lead you away from food temptations.

Real work takes time, so it’s good to have some techniques to fall back on when life gets the better of you! And remember: one day at a time. If you do end up in a binge, work out a little harder the next day. Every day is a new one. Got it, kids? Cool.

I realize this should be a no brainer.We should all go out into the world and just be nice to people right?! YES YES YES! One of the very first things I do in the morning before I ever get out of bed is thank God that I am awake. Huh? Yep..I do that because one day, I may not be. I may not wake up in this world able to laugh & play with my daughters. I may not be alive to lose that last 28 lbs.  If we all woke up with a refreshed attitude and said ,”I am going to make this a good day.” Don’t wake up worrying about what happened yesterday. Today is a new day. I know people say that all the time, but do they really mean it? Do they have the actual happy attitude behind those words?! We should. We have a whole new day to make someone smile. We have hours upon hours to gaze at the beauty of the world…play kickball like a kid or jump in lake…So today…I know most of us have been up for awhile but start this very minute with a fresh state of mind. Look at the world thru rainbow colored glasses and smile. ALOT!

Pretty soon you will realize that no matter what today brings for you..YOU can make it better:)

42 Tips for A Better Life
==========================

1. When you wake up in the morning, always start your day
   with a prayer/vision.
2. And then, complete the following statement,
   My purpose is to__________ today.
3. Take a 10 to 30-minute walk every day. And while you walk,
   smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
4. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock
   if you have to.
5. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less
   food that is manufactured in plants.
6. Drink plenty of water and fresh juices. Eat blueberries,
   salad, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds, etc.
7. Make at least three people smile each day.
8. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires,
   issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot
   control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present.
9. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner
   like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone, so give the
    best of your kindness.
11. Take yourself seriously.
12. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
13. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
14. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what
    their journey is all about. Don’t compare your partner with
    others either.
15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
    So, be happy.
16. Remember that great love and great achievements involve
    great risk.
17. Remember the three R’s: Respect for self; Respect for
    others; Responsibility for all your actions.
18. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps
    to correct it.
19. Frame every so-called disaster with these words:
    In five years, will it matter?
    Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.
    Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and
    fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will
    last a lifetime.
20. Forgive everyone for everything.
21. Read more books and watch less TV than you did last year.
22. What other people think of you is none of your business.
23. God has everything you’ll every need in life so hook up
    with Him.
24. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
25. In disagreements with loved ones, deal with the current
    situation; don’t bring up the past.
26. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
27. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your
    family and friends will. Stay in touch.
28. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
29. Keep believing that the best is yet to come.
30. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
31. Each day give something good to others.
32. Don’t over do. Keep your limits.
33. Sleep for 7 hours every day or whatever your body needs.
34. Don’t trust someone who doesn’t close their eyes when you
    kiss them.
35. Remember that the best relationship is one where your love
    for each other is greater than your need for each other.
36. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a
    stroke of luck.
37. Do the right thing!
38. Each night before you go to bed complete the following
    statements:
    I am thankful for__________
    Today I accomplished_________
39. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
40. Trust in God, but lock your car.
41. Realize that as you get older, you are not approaching death,
    but heaven.
42. Know that GOD heals everything.