Your metabolism and weight loss

 According to Donald Hensrud, M.D of the Mayo Clinic very few people have very low metabolisms.

Metabolism is the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy. Even when you're at rest, your body needs energy for functions such as breathing, circulating blood and repairing cells. The number of calories your body uses for these basic functions is known as your basal metabolic rate (BMR).
Several factors determine your basal metabolic rate:

• Your body size and composition. If you're larger or have more muscle mass, you will burn more calories, even at rest. (So overweight people are more likely to have a faster metabolic rate — not a slower one.)
• Your sex. If you're a man, you probably have less body fat and more muscle mass than a woman of the same age, so you burn more calories.
• Your age. As you get older, your muscle mass decreases, which slows down the rate at which you burn calories.

Rather than metabolism, factors more likely to contribute to weight gain include:

• Eating too many calories
• Getting too little exercise
• Genetics and family history
• Certain medications
• Unhealthy habits, such as skipping breakfast or not getting enough sleep

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The Power of the Mind - weight loss success

The human mind is a great thing.  We all know this and most of us have heard stories of great healing using the mind.  I recently talked with a friend of mine, Randy, who said something that most fat people, including myself, would be happy to embrace.  He said "It is not about the food".


We all know people who are slim, if not downright skinny, who can eat their weight in food.  Their metabolism is high enough to burn off the food that they ingest.  Randy explained that the power of the mind is strong enough to readjust your inner fat burning thermostat.

So several times a day I close my eyes and visualize my thermostat rising.  Right now I am mentally adjusting my rate to 87 or 88 and plan on raising it to 99 eventually.  Randy did caution me to raise my thermostat slowly over a few weeks time.

Amazingly, I have been having success!  I also have a great sense of freedom.  I don't have to think about food all the time!  And this fact alone has been one of the biggest reasons I feel that this process is working.  When I don't think about food all day, I find that I actually eat less naturally.

This man classify as "too much information" (TMI) but I always know that I am losing weight when I have to get up in the middle of the night and use the rest room.  I only get up to the rest room if I am losing weight.  Three days after I started adjusting my thermostat I had to use the facilities - and consistently since then.

I think this is a great addition to whatever program you may be using - Utilize the power of the mind.

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I was interviewed on "No Stranger Sunday"

It was so fun to be featured on the "No Stranger Sunday" website. Be sure to check out her great website!

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Found a snack in the greenhouse - cats are a good thing

The good news is that the seeds are sprouting and the seedlings are starting to look like real plants. I have tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, parsley, onion, green beans, green peppers and strawberries.

The bad news is there was a snake out in the greenhouse today. Fortunately it was a dead snake, killed by the cat.  Looks like the common garter snake, but it still gives me that creepy feeling.  And I was very tentative  while watering.


Mr friend told me not to plant strawberries, because snakes love them, but I know it's not the strawberries yet because the plants are not up yet.  I guess this is just  the little added bonus that gardens bring.  A little organic bonus

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Having a Great Day - Sunshine, exercise and fun with friends

I am feeling so good today.  My motivation is back full swing!  After the holiday sugar rush, I feel so much better getting back in the swing of things.  My son and I walked in the mall for awhile yesterday and it got me moving.  Then ping pong in the evening was invigorating, mainly because I lose and have to chase the ball each time and bend over to pick up the ball :)

Today I am going with my mother to a friend's house for dinner.  But for now I am off to walk outside in the sunshine.

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After the holidays - coming down from the sugar rush

I have done okay with the Easter candy - meaning I ate some, but not as much as normal.

I am really struggling right now.  I am not a specific diet plan and I intend to keep it that way, but it sometimes makes is harder for me to avoid having a little bite here and a tiny bite there - until it adds up to one big mess.

So that is the habit I am focusing on now.  Making every bite count.  Remembering that it is the little bites that will make the difference in the long run.

The warm Spring weather is helping me get motivated to move more and that is a huge help.

Anyone have any tips for me?

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Favorite Photos - Mclinky Blog Hop

Some of my favorite Pictures of the critters

Flakey Jakey loved to sit on the desk and he is a standard poodle

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Easter Candy - Cravings for sweets around this Spring holiday

There are so many good things around this time of the year. Like the lovely trees and plants budding. In my yard today the Magnolia Tree burst into bloom and the Bradford Pear trees are breathtaking.

While out walking there are so many beautiful things to see.  But inside the house in Spring the temptations of Easter are going to do me in.  The chocolate bunnies and the marshmallow eggs and of course the peeps!  The pure sugar peeps!

The temptations of Easter candy is just too much for me.  I have the worst sweet tooth and Easter and Halloween are the two holidays where the candy just calls to me.

And the biggest dilemma is that I can't just stop at one piece.  I think that I can have just one and then I have another one..... until they are all gone.

One thing I have heard that helps with the sugar cravings is a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon, so I am going to try that.  Anyone have any other sugar craving busters?

PS - one thing I refrained from was posting pics of Easter candy - so that is a step in the right direction :)

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Tied to the Desk - Ways to Get Exercise When you job has you sitting all day

THE DESK JOB BLUES

For the past two days I have been sitting at a computer all day.  So I have had to get a little creative when it comes to getting my body moving.  Do you have a desk job that requires you to sit for a good portion of the day?

Between Real Estate and my blogging, I find that I sit quite a bit.  I have to make a conscious effort to make sure I am getting the exercise I need.

Here are some things I have found helpful to do:

1 - Use an exercise ball and I try to sit on that for part of the day

2 - get up and move every hour - this keeps me from getting to sore and gets the circulation moving in my legs as well

3 - dumbbells - I have a set of weights at my desk and use them often - I also have a little stress ball to squeeze - helps with the sore wrists and carpal tunnel symptoms

4 - there are some exercises you can do at your desk - arm lifts, leg raises, squats, butt squeezes

5 - I try to stand and get up more often instead of sliding my office chair around - get up instead of sliding and stretching

6 - keep an exercise band at your desk and use it often

7 - get a timer or use one on your computer to set 5-10 minutes an hour to get up and move

I have read that when people use the computer, play videos games, watch TV or work at a desk without frequent total body movement the enzymes that are responsible for helping burn fat slow down.

So make a real effort to move around - in fact I am getting up now - you too - get up now and walk around for a few minutes.

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