Plan Today for Tomorrow

Take today to plan a walking route for the weekend and each day in the coming week. Nothing elaborate. Just set a schedule of locations and write it down to check off each day. If you plan for it and anticipate doing it you will get more satisfaction and be more likely to carry through with it.

TODAY: PLAN YOUR WALK DESTINATIONS FOR THE COMING WEEK.

Lunchable Vegtable

As we add fruits and veggies to our diet to meet the five (or more) a day goal, let’s look at lunch.

• Salad bar? Stack on the dark green leaves and other vegetables instead of so many of the extras like eggs, bacon and cheese.(keep the dressing ON THE SIDE)
• Add frozen veggies to any pasta. (Even the canned stuff.) You get more good stuff and more flavor too.
• Skip the fries and add a vegetable. Most all restaurants will do that. (Even the fast food places offer a value size salad.)
• SMACK! Have a V8!
• Have fresh fruit for desert.

TODAY: LOOK FOR WAYS TO ADD MORE FRUITS AND VEGGIES TO YOUR LUNCH.

5 A Day Help

Eat your vegetables! I’ve never had to be told more than once. I’ve always like veggies, but I couldn’t be a vegetarian. (Have you ever seen an overweight vegetarian?) Three servings used to be the norm. Now the USDA says eat five. That’s a good thing. Though you may think it’s a lot, it’s easy to do. I’ll give you some suggestions over the next few days.

Let’s start with breakfast.

• Add fruit to your cereal, oatmeal, waffles or pancakes.
• Punch up you eggs with fresh sliced veggies or some frozen spinach.
• Top whole grain toast with raisins and cinnamon.
• Create your own yogurt flavors with plain yogurt and different of fresh fruit.
• Wrap a banana in a whole wheat flour tortilla with some peanut butter for a quick grab and go meal.
• Don’t forget the juice!

Lunch tomorrow.

TODAY: START ADDING MORE FRUIT AND VEGGIES TO YOU DIET.

Bargain Candy Can Cost You A Lot

By now the Easter candy at the stores is marked down to about 75% off. I know the temptation is hard to resist and the savings are fantastic, but walk on by the display and congratulate yourself for your control. Besides, all the good stuff is gone now anyway. Of course you can do what I do. Buy up the marshmallow “peeps”. They’re best by about Christmas when they have had a chance to age nicely. They get a more chewy texture. If you wait till NEXT Easter they’ll even be crunchy. By then you will have lost more weight and deserve the treat.

TODAY: DON’T BUY BARGAIN EASTER CANDY

Day 1 of This Week

Walk day one of the routes you have set for goals this week.

What… no goals?

Get to it! I’m nagging you!

TODAY: WALK

Your Diet Is A Stretch

You need to do a bit of warm up before your daily walk to increase the effectiveness of the exercise and reduce any stiffness that might come later. There are just a few to do to give you a great start.

Hamstrings (back of legs)

1. Sit on the edge of your bed with one leg up and the other on the floor and reach with both hands until you feel the stretch in the back of the leg.

Calf stretch

1. Stand at arms length away from a wall and lean against it.

2. Put one leg straight back and the other bent under you.

3. Keep your back straight and lean your hips forward.

4. Keep rear leg straight with your heel on the ground.

5. Repeat for other leg.

Side stretch

1. Stand with both arms over your head.

2. Lean to one side, then the other.

3. You can also leave your right arm at your side and bend to the right while reaching your left arm reaches overhead, then reverse.

Torso twist

1. Stand with both arms out to side with elbows slightly bent.

2. Feet should be at shoulder width or slightly wider.

3. Twist your torso to the right and then the left, alternating back and forth slowly.

Quadriceps (thigh)

1. While leaning against a wall, reach back with your left hand and grab your right ankle.

2. Pull your foot back and away from your butt.

3. Repeat for the other side.

It really won’t take you long to do these. It’s a good way to start your exercise or even just your day.

TODAY: DO YOUR WARM UP EXERCISES.

Deal Your Meal A Deck At A Time

Remember that “deal a meal” diet plan? Well I’m going to make it even more simple. You don’t need a deck of cards, you just need to remember how big a deck of cards is. For the most part you can use that as a gauge for how large a portion you serve yourself. You don’t have to deny yourself the food you like, just eat a reasonable amount. Keep the portions of protein and starches the size of a deck of cards and savor what you eat. Of course salads and veggies can be larger. Half the plate of salad paired with your protein will give you a full house … er… stomach and keep your weight in check without a raise.

Of course after you eat make sure you shuffle… out the door for a walk. (I know, I’m a joker.)

TODAY: CUT YOUR HIGH CALORIE PORTIONS DOWN TO A DECK OF CARDS.