Walking and Health

Love Handles, Belly Fat, Stomach Fat. We all know the area just above our pants when we just finish a meal or sit down and we see the “Muffin Top” or the part of our extra mid section that hangs over.  It normally comes in mid-life when we reach the age of 40 and later.  How do we go about getting rid of belly fat, or stomach fat, or Muffin Top or Love Handles?  Any name you want to call it, the excess fat is there and we need to work on getting rid of it.

You can lose that muffin top by following the three “M’s”.  Check out the full article on WebMD here: Fighting Mid Life Weight Gain . Basically the three M’s are mind, mouth, muscle.

Use your mind to control the stress in your life.   You may become so stressed that you run around like crazy and have no time to sit down and eat a healthy, nutritional, home-cooked meal. 

Watch what you put in your mouth. If you have no choice but to eat out, keep an eye out for portion size, usually you should cut the meal in half and ask for a carry out container before you even start the meal.  That way, you will only eat what’s in front of you and not the portion that is already bagged up.  Eat as nutrionally as possible.  Cook with fresh vegetables and not bagged.  Use fresh meats and not canned.

Workout with a daily walking program to keep your muscle tone.  I found this great DVD that I would highly recommend,  Leslie Sansone: Walk at Home - 5 Mile Fat Burning Walk. Weight training, walking, going to the gym, parking your car farther from the entrance, these all all great ways to work in the extra exercise time that you need on a daily basis.   According to doctors, the fat around your waist is actualy easier to lose than the fat in other places of your body.  If you start a weight loss program you will most likely see results in your waist area first.  “The Visceral fat, the kind tucked deep inside your waistline, is more metabolically active and easier to lose than subcutaneous fat under the skin, especially if you have plenty of it.”  explains Penn State researcher Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD as taken from WedMD article, The Truth About Belly Fat.

Get rid of belly fat by keeping your stress down, watching what you eat, and exercising as often as you can.  Lose the Muffin Top.  You’ll feel better and look better.

More workout videos and MP3 Downloads from Leslie Sansone.
On DVD:

Leslie Sansone: Walk at Home - Walk Away Your Waistline! With 1, 2 and 3 Mile Markers (Walk Belt Included Inside!)
Leslie Sansone: 5 Day Slim Down

Video On Demand:
Leslie Sansone: Walk Away The Pounds: 30 Minute Walk
Leslie Sansone: Walk Away The Pounds: Express Super Challenge
Leslie Sansone: Walk Away The Pounds: Mile High Calorie Burn

MP3 Downloads:
Leslie-Guided 15 Min Walk
Leslie Voice-Guided with “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now”
Respect
Leslie Sansone Walking for Weight Loss - 3 Mile Walk

Muscle Mile on DVD:
Leslie Sansone - Walk Away the Pounds - Muscle Mile One

The first week of a diet is both exciting and not-exciting.  You’re starting a new weight loss program and your excited about jumping right in and following all the rules.  You begin counting calories or whatever it is your diet is based on whether it’s calories, or carbohydrates, or a high fiber, or low sodium, or low fat, or no fruits, or points for Weight Watchers.  You not only count, but you write it down to really stay on top of it.  The first week is actually very exciting if the program is new and if you’re getting immediate results on your scale or feeling the differnce in your clothes. 

The down-side of the first week of starting a weight loss program is that you find yourself longing for all the comfort foods that are heavy in fat and not good for you. These foods are the culprits that got you into your current need-to-shed-the-extra-pounds situation.  You have to maintain focus and discipline through this first week.  After that, it is still going to remain a challenge to stay on your weight loss program, but keep in mind that if you made it through the first week without too many deviations, then you can do it the next week and the next week.

My weight loss journey is now at day seven.  It’s been a week and I have lost five pounds.  I feel good that I stuck with my program.  I am ready to tackle the next week, and I’m going to reach my goal of 40 pounds, even if it doesn’t happen in the number of days as I originally planned.  This week I feel good about the choices I made while I was eating out in the real world. I attended a dinner for my parents who celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary.  I also attended a brunch at BJ’s Restaurant, for my nephew’s 19th birthday.  There was a lot of temptation and I had to resist and politely say no to cake and brownies and other goodies that were available.  I also had to choose other items on the menu that I normally wouldn’t even consider.  I got a healthy baked fish dinner instead of my usual “choose the biggest item on the menu so you’ll get nice and full” attitude that I used to have before my weight loss journey. 

The first week is always a challenge, but it is gratifying to see sacrifices made on your weight loss program were well worth it when the scale shows your success and your clothes feel better.  Just wait until next week with another two to three pounds less.  The “are you losing weight” comments from others will start to flow.  That’s when you realize your hard work, focus and discipline are rewarded with praise from the people you love and from a feeling inside that you are doing the right thing for your physical and spiritual well-being.  Keep at it and don’t lose focus. 

The Five Finger Prayer

Your Thumb is nearest you.  So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you.  They are the easiest to remember.  

Your next finger is the Pointer Finger.  Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal.  This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers.  They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction.

The b=next finger is the Tallest Finger. It reminds us of our leaders.  Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administration.  These people shape our nation and guide public opinion.  They need God’s guidance.

The fourth finger is our Ring Finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain.  They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them. 

And lastly comes our Little Finger - the smallest finger of all which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others.  As the Bible says, “The least shall be the greatest among you.”  Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself.  By the time you have prayed the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.

Note:  I found this Five Finger Prayer in our church bulletin. It doesn’t say who the original author is or I would give them due credit. I wanted to share it with you.   Keep your prayers simple and basic and pray for others first.

Tuesday before the traditional Lent season on a Christian calendar is always a celebration of excess as Mardi Gras takes place in the French Quarters of New Orleans and other major cities throughout the world including Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  “Mardis Gras” is French for Fat Tuesday and the Carnival is the three days prior to Ash Wednesday.   Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent.  Lent is the 46 days and 46 nights that lead up to the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday. 

Growing up in a Catholic family, we used to go out and purchase extra goodies for the Tuesday leading up to Lent.  In the Catholic religion it is a tradition to give up something you enjoy during the Lent season as a sacrifice and a remembrance to the 40 days that Jesus was roaming the desert. You can give up, for example, cookies or your favorite candy bar, or french fries, or pizza, or soda.  You can also add to your routine by reading a bible scripture every day, or volunteering at the library, or doing something good for somebody that you normally wouldn’t think about doing.  In our family each of us would at least give up something that we enjoyed.  Most of us gave up sweets entirely.  No donuts, no cookies, no candies, no soda, no cakes, no brownies, we did a ban on all sweets.  As a child this was no easy task.   On Fat Tuesday we would usually bake some brownies and buy a few candies and split them up, then go to sleep feeling full of chocolates and sweets.

It’s ok to celebrate, that’s the fun part of life.  As always, do things in moderation.  Go out and celebrate Mardi Gras, or a birthday, or a special event, just do so in moderation.  Fat Tuesday doesn’t have to mean fat you. Where you once would stuff your plate and overdo it, now just trim your eating down.  You’ll feel better about yourself and you won’t have to work so hard to get yourself back to the number you want if you’re watching your weight. 

Check back soon.  My pledge to God to lose 40 pounds in 46 days this Lenten season.  How am I going to do it safe and smart. 

The Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s and any other winter holiday you may celebrate during this time (since my son’s birthday right in their) are now beyond us.  The New Year’s resolutions are either up and going or have slowed down and are almost forgotten. 

If you started a weight loss and exercise program, don’t let the Valentine’s Day romantic dinner spoil all your hard work.  If you are on a diet, work around the Valentine’s Day meal and have a light breakfast and a light lunch, then enjoy your evening.  If you get chocolates from your sweetie, indulge in a one or two then share them with family and friends and even co-workers.  If you feel like you can’t handle the chocolate, kindly ask your sweetheart to not get you chocolates this year and explain that you would rather have something that won’t interfere with your weight plan. 

Other items for that special day that say, I love you:

• A fun night out taking a walk on the beach or somewhere romantic.
• A night out of shopping while the kids are away.
• Stay at home and rent a good movie to set the mood.
• Enjoy a Saturday family fun night of crafts and simple snacks.
• Stay up late and play cards or bingo with friends and other couples.
• Surprise your Valentine with a small piece of jewelry with his/her favorite hobby.
• Order flowers from local shop and hand deliver them that evening.
• Make your own Valentine;s Day card and tell him/her exactly how you feel in your own words.
• Create a personal Valentine’s Day card with a hand made IOU such as a Free Car Wash or a Free Hug.
• Write “I Love You” in Lip Stick on the mirror.
• Slip a single red rose into his or her shoe so he/she will see it in the morning.
• Get red “Post Its” and write single line love thoughts on about twenty of them and put them in places where your sweetie is going to be surprised all day long.
• Write a good old fashion love letter and spray your cologne or perfume on it.  Seal it and place it in his or her briefcase or lunch bag.

The list could go on and on and you get the message here, that Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to involve eating out and falling off your weight loss program.  Valentine’s Day also doesn’t have to shoot an arrow through your wallet.  Keep it fun and keep it simple.  Most of the fun things to do are free.  If you have kids and just need to get away, ask for help from family or friends.  If not, just make a great evening of it and enjoy the moment.  Let the kids see your love for each other and surprise them with fun things, too.