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Having a Cheap Home Gym Doesn’t Mean You Have to Cheat Your Muscles From a Great Workout Routine

By Bob Simons

Have you noticed that going to the local gym is usually frustrating? Sitting, walking around and waiting for an available exercise machine or to use a free dumbbell. That’s because you’re supposed to be doing a workout routine, instead of just sitting around and watching someone else getting into shape.

Having a home gym is a perfect way to make sure that you get to do what you really want and when you want to do it. However, a good question is how much do you want to spend on your home gym to gain the freedom of convenience?

The fact is, building a comprehensive home gym can be a costly process. If you’re a true fitness enthusiast, a gym’s yearly contract might be a cheaper choice versus putting up a decent home gym. However, if you’re a real gym workout person, then you’re fairly lucky because there are a few inexpensive gym accessories that will make your own home gym workout a very good experience.

An ideal home gym consists of various smaller weights that you can use in your routine exercise to help develop more strength. And a home gym would not be complete without a cardiovascular meter to check on your heart rate during your routines. You’ll be able to handle the price of these since they won’t cost you thousands of dollars, rather much, much less.

To get some cheap home gym equipment you should first look for on-sale fitness gyms and today it is easy to find them. As the home fitness market continues to be more competitive, quite a lot of retailers offer innovative items at considerably low sale prices usually taking hundreds of dollars off the actual retail costs.

An extra bonus to shopping online is the free shipping deals that are offered by many websites today to help them stay competitive with various offline retail stores thereby sparing you even more money. These on-sale items regularly include various quality levels of every type of home fitness gym imaginable, so you should be able to find what you’re looking for on sale from various online shops.

Additionally, well-kept but used home gyms are cheap options for budget shoppers. Quite a few websites feature used home gyms equipment. Some can also be found in most newspapers’ classified sections or from many retailers that sells home gyms. Most of these gym machines are in brand new condition, since they are were just slightly used and because the past owners were perhaps just desperate to sell them and so heavy discounts are possible many times.

Remember, it is important to buy from a reliable and reputable retailer. You have to consider that not all used equipment will have similar warranties as brand new home gym machines. As much as possible, you should stick to well established online stores. If you decide on getting a used machine from local retailers, then make sure you check on the quality of what you’re buying before spending a dime.

The steadfast and dedicated bargain seeker will surely find their desired cheap home gym. On-sale home gyms, used home gyms, as well as discounted home gyms, all offer good options for the price conscious customer. Most websites provide shoppers the opportunity to compare costs online, helping you grab the perfect deal for your situation.

With these money-saving options, people won’t have to settle for any low cost home gym that simply does not meet their needs. Consumers should keep in mind of their body fitness goals, besides the cost, and keep looking until they find the perfect workout machine that suits their budget and their specific exercise needs.

For more key information about home fitness machine advice, try visiting YourFitnessInfo.com where you will discover more tips and advice on Winsor Pilates workouts, the best home gym equipment, elliptical trainers and home gym fitness equipment.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bob_Simons

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Control Your Sugar Addiction

By Michael Russell

People can become addicted to many things. It is called sugar addiction when an individual craves sweet foods. It is a psychological and physical craving.

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Low Cholesterol Foods, Revealing Great News About Good Old Peanut Butter And Trans Fats

By Wycliffe Williams

Low cholesterol foods are still in abundance. The recent ban in New York City restaurants has awakened many people to the dangers of trans fats. Unfortunately, it has also caused a great deal of confusion.

According to the National Peanut Board, trans fat levels in both commercially prepared and natural peanut butters are undetectable. Put another way, research indicates that you can eat 156 peanut butter sandwiches without consuming even 0.5 grams of trans fat.

Neither peanut butter, peanuts or peanut oil are an issue for restaurants in New York. Chuck Hunt, vice president of the New York City Chapter of the New York State Restaurant Association has said that peanut butter alternatives are good alternatives.

Confusion exists over peanut butter because conventional science says that products made with a partially hydrogenated oil stabilizer, will contain trace amounts of trans fat. A recent study has shown that peanut butter is one of the low cholesterol foods that are made with very little hydrogenated oil. Resulting in no detectable amounts of trans fat in the finished product.

These same studies indicate that all hydrogenated oil is not the same. You cannot generalize about all products that contain hydrogenated oil. Peanut butter provides a variety of healthful benefits for children and adults. It is one of the few foods that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Peanut butter also adds nutritional value when included as part of a balanced diet.

Peanuts and peanut butter contain more than 30 essential nutrients and phytonutrients, including vitamin E. A two tablespoon serving of peanut butter contains 12.2 grams of unsaturated and poly unsaturated fat and 3.3 grams of saturated fat. Moreover, low cholesterol foods like peanut butter, can brag that it contains zero cholesterol. Besides all of that information, it is fun to eat and tastes delicious as well.

We all realize that trans fats are very dangerous. According to the American Heart Association, trans fats cause a lowering of good cholesterol and an increase in bad cholesterol.

This action on your system increases the risk of developing heart disease and stroke. In 2006 the FDA began requiring food companies to list trans fat content separately on the Nutrition facts panel of all packaged foods.

Certain food activists are challenging the FDA policy that says that if the serving contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat, it can be expressed as zero on the package. Their argument centers around the fact that a person who consumes multiple servings throughout the day of products labeled as having 0 trans fats could in fact, surpass recommended levels.

Trans fat zero foods tend to add up. Experts say manufacturers should have to list even traces of the substance. For peanut butter though, manufacturers are trying to increase consumer demand by promoting the great taste, nutrition, and culinary versatility of peanuts.

Low cholesterol foods can be safely included in your daily balanced diet. Would you like to learn about other great foods that help lower your cholesterol? Follow this link to learn so much more: low cholesterol foods

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wycliffe_Williams

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Melanoma: Otherwise Known As Skin Cancer

By Michael Russell

Melanoma is the most common form of skin cancer and skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the Western world. It begins in skin cells called melanocytes.

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Stress: Daily Self-Care Habits to Manage Stress

By Linda Dessau

Today we have more stress in our lives than ever before – good stress, bad stress, red stress, blue stress (my little ode to Dr. Seuss). No matter what kind of stress it is, a real crisis or an imagined one, stress is incredibly harmful to our body, mind and soul.

Here are my favourite self-care habits for dealing with stress:

1. Get in the habit of noticing.

Take an inventory of all the things that just don’t feel right in your life or that you know are causing you stress. For example, when you approach certain people, places or situations do you feel more stress and tension? Once you have your list in place, look at what you can change yourself, and do it. You can also use this list to predict stressful situations before they occur.

2. Get in the habit of asking for help.

For what you can’t change yourself, you need a team. Build a team of experts to handle your list. A coach, at the top of the list, will help with the big picture and will keep you honest about your efforts. Other team members might be a family doctor who listens to you, a financial planner, a massage therapist and an exercise partner.

3. Get in the habit of bouncing back.

Think of Plan A as your basic self-care plan while stress is under control. Now imagine something happens and you are under stress. Instead of abandoning all self-care because you can’t do it all, have a Plan B ready beforehand.

4. Get in the habit of relaxing.

If you practice relaxation techniques (breathing, meditation, imagery, music) every day, then when stressful situations come up you’ll have the tools at your fingertips.

5. Get in the habit of gratitude.

Our attitude comes from our emotions and our emotions come from our thoughts. Thinking about what we’re grateful for and what we’re good at can keep things positive. It’s not about shying away from what’s challenging you – it’s about approaching life from a place of strength and not as a victim.

6. Get in the habit of creating.

Experiment with a new recipe in the kitchen, write a poem, bang a drum, do a craft, take a dance class or do something else that feels creative to you.

7. Get in the habit of putting your stuff away.

Physical clutter can really impact on mental, emotional and physical health. Get rid of things that don’t make you happy when you look at them. Organize your stuff. Find a place for everything and keep it there.

8. Get in the habit of breathing.

This is the simplest and quickest way to relax yourself in a stressful situation. The minute you focus on your breathing it automatically gets slower and deeper.

9. Get in the habit of daydreaming.

Take yourself away on an imaginary holiday. Just close your eyes and go! Picture somewhere you’ve been or somewhere you’ve dreamed of.

10. Get in the habit of giggling.

Laugh out loud every day.

Don’t let your stress get the better of you! Which one of these strategies can you apply this week to manage your stress?

Copyright 2005, Genuine Coaching Services. All rights reserved.

Linda Dessau, MTA, CPCC, is a self-care expert, accredited music therapist and certified life coach. Learn more about using singing for stress management, personal growth and spiritual development at www.singoutyourstress.com, where you can download the FREE report, “Top 10 Ways to Sing Out Your Stress”.

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Do Not Accept Depression as a Normal Part of Aging

By Connie Limon

Depression is not a part of getting older. If you are one in the senior age groups and you are feeling more depressed today than yesterday and days before yesterday try to determine what it is that is causing your “down” feelings.

First of all, are you one that focuses on the flaws and failures of your life? If you sit and ponder about all the mistakes you have made thus far you could be suffering a bit from low self-esteem. Low self-esteem can result in a “distorted self-image that can feed your depressed mood. In fact, as long as you have a low self concept of yourself you are going to feel down and depressed much of the time. This is probably not a clinical or serious bout of depression, but something you can work on daily to improve.

Most people feel bad about themselves from time to time. I truly do not think there is anyone who is on top of the mountain all the time. Your temporary feelings of low self-esteem may also be triggered by being treated poorly by someone else recently or in the past. Don’t let low self-esteem be your constant companion especially if it progresses to affecting your mood. There is no need for anyone to go through life feeling badly about their present or past life. Low self-esteem keeps you from enjoying life, and doing the things you truly want to do each day of your life.

Instead of sitting and thinking about your flaws and your failures try some tips to help you battle those feelings of low self-esteem.

Try making lists. Reread your lists often. Rewrite your list from time to time. If you have a journal, write your lists there. If you don’t, any kind of notebook or piece of paper will work.

Your list should include:

• At least 5 of your strengths

• At least 5 things you admire about yourself

• Five of the greatest achievements in your life so far

• At least 20 other accomplishments (can be as simple as learning to sew a button on a shirt) to as great as a Masters Degree in Business Management

• 10 ways you can “treat” or “reward” yourself that does not include food and does not cost you anything, such as a walk in a favorite park or wooded area, shopping just to be browsing around, or chatting with a favorite friend

• 10 things you can do to make yourself laugh

• 10 things you could do to help someone else

• As many things as you can think of that makes you feel good about yourself.

Read through your list frequently, re-write the list as needed.

Other things you can do to help elevate your down feelings is to prepare for major life changes such as retirement or moving from a home of many years. These types of changes sometimes bring discomfort. If you do a little planning ahead you can find ways to make the changes easier.

You can develop a hobby. Hobbies are excellent ways to help keep your mind and body active.

Stay in touch with your family.

Get physically active. Being active truly does help. Exercise can even help prevent depression and lift your mood if you are already depressed. There are many different kinds of ways you can get and stay active. Examples are:

• Walking outdoors, shopping malls or fitness centers

• Gardening

• Dancing

• Swimming (if you can swim, this is one activity that works out every muscle in your body).

Older people who are depressed can gain benefit from mild forms of exercise like walking and walking in shopping malls or fitness centers. Being physically fit and eating a balanced diet helps avoid physical illnesses that may lead to disability or depression.

If you are an older woman chances are you still spend a lot of time nurturing other people. This is truer for women than men even for the older women still working outside the home. A woman spends more time buying and giving the birthday cards in a family and friends circle. They are the ones who call the sick to help and support and do much of the work coordinating caring for members of their family and circle of friends. It seems our American culture depends and expects the woman to be self-sacrificing rather than self-nurturing. A woman who puts herself first is often seen as “selfish.”

If you are an older man, our culture has probably placed more emphasis on you getting ahead in this world. This oftentimes places a man distant from the “caring and nurturing” side of the equation.

What equals the above two is women are pressed to give to others and men are pushed toward the receiving end. This imbalance between the two genders creates sources of distress and depression for both. Actually men and women, of all ages, can benefit from learning to focus on themselves in healthy, rejuvenating ways.

If you experience more depression as you age, do not accept this as being just a normal part of getting older. It is not true at all. When depression is treated at any age, most people find positive thoughts gradually begin to replace the negative ones. Practice the few simple techniques as outlined in this article plus learn to do more self-nurturing. And by all means, if you are still feeling blue, seek out professional medical help.

*Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is not meant to diagnose or treat any kind of a physical or mental problem. All physical and mental symptoms and problems should be addressed by a Medical Professional of your choice.

Source: National Institute of Health

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.

Author: Connie Limon. Please visit our Nutrition and Health Article Collection at nutritionandhealthhub.com

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Connie_Limon

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Alcohol Addiction Treatment; The 3 Main Steps

By David Richards

In alcohol addiction treatment programs there are three major steps that are included whatever treatment philosophy they have. These are; stop drinking or alcohol intervention, alcohol detoxification and alcoholism rehabilitation.

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THE HART SERIES: Counting: January 30, 2007

Breakfast

Coffee – 1 point
4 whole wheat toast – 4 points
with Peanut Butter 2 TBSP – 4 points

Lunch

I didn’t eat lunch today

Snacks all day

Kellogg’s honey oats All-Bran Bar – 2 points
Slimfast Chocolate chip bar – 2 points
about 4 heaping handfuls of cheerios right out of the box no milk! – taking 4 points
(throughout day and playing “catch the cheerios” game with Maxxie and Sophie!)

Dinner

1 Toasted shaved Turkey Breast sandwich
on 2 whole wheat toast – 2 points
with Mayonaisse – 1 point
with 150 grams of turkey breast – 3 points
Heaping SmartScoop Ice Cream, probably 1-1/4 cups – taking 5 points
Syrops – 1 point

SUMMARY

>> Total 29 points
>> UNDER by 2 points .. and, I have yet to use any weekly splurge points this week

Picture of my Dinner

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10 Tips For Dealing With Stress

By Donald Saunders

Feelings of stress are part and parcel of everyday life and in many situations stress can actually be good for us. In emergencies for example stress is nothing more than the body’s instinctive reaction to defend itself. It is stress therefore that would cause us to jump out of the way if we saw a car hurtling towards us at high speed.

Stress however is not always a good thing and, if we find ourselves under stress for any length of time, it can start to result in physical symptoms such as headaches, back pain, shortness of breath, an upset stomach and insomnia, to name just a few. So, how can you manage stress in this sort of situation?

Here are 10 tips to help you to cope with life’s challenges.

Tip No 1. Stop worrying about things over which you have no control. There are a host of things that we worry about on a daily basis but it’s very important to distinguish between those things which we can control and those things which we can’t control. For example, it’s fine to worry about the fact that we’re getting a little bit overweight because all we have to do is to cut down on our eating or take a little bit more exercise. However, there’s little point in worrying about whether or not the weather at the weekend is going to be fine for our camping trip since we have no control over the weather.

Tip No 2. Resolve your differences with others. A great deal of the stress in our lives comes from our interaction with other people. So, if you find yourself involved in the conflict, sit down with the person involved and try to resolve your differences.

Tip No 3. Set yourself realistic goals. It’s amazing just how much stress you can generate when you try to do too much too quickly. Plan out your time carefully, both at home and at work, and set yourself challenging but attainable targets.

Tip No 4. Be prepared for stressful situations. If you know that you have an event coming up which is likely to be stressful, then sit down and think about ways in which you can either eliminate or reduce any possible stress before the event arises.

Tip No 5. Adopt a positive attitude towards change. It’s a simple fact that most of us don’t like change and tend to view it as something of a threat. In reality of course most of the changes that occur in our lives are for the good and you can eliminate or reduce stress considerably if you adopt a positive attitude towards change and focus your attention on the benefits rather than the drawbacks to changes in your life.

Tip No 6. Add variety into your life. Life can become very stressful if it simply alternates between home and work and it’s important to add variety wherever possible. Whether you enjoy sports, have a favorite hobby or like social events, there are always at least two or three things that you can find to do on a regular basis which take you away from your home and work environments and allow you to relax, unwind and, if you want to, to meet other people.

Tip No 7. Have an exercise routine. As many of the symptoms of stress are physical such as headaches, back pain, insomnia and weight gain, keeping yourself reasonably fit and healthy through some sort of regular exercise routine will both help to reduce stress in itself and also make your body better able to cope with it when it does arise.

Tip No 8. Ensure that you eat and sleep properly. Rather like exercise, it’s also important to keep yourself in shape by ensuring that you keep to well-balanced diet and that you get enough sleep.

Tip No 9. Take up meditation. The power of meditation has been well understood for thousands of years and it is an excellent way to deal with the stresses and strains of life. Try to set aside a little bit of time each day when you can sit quietly by yourself, put time on hold briefly, and clear your mind before moving on with the day’s chores.

Tip No 10. Don’t be afraid to talk to your family, trusty friends or a counselor. It may be a cliché to say that a problem shared is a problem halved, but there is wisdom in this old saying. If things start to pile up on you then sit down and share your worries with somebody else. Not only will this help to ease your problem in itself, but they may well be able to ease your mind further with good advice and by perhaps helping you to put things into perspective or to see things from a different angle.

The vast majority on the negative stress that we will encounter in our daily lives is either avoidable or can certainly be reduced considerably. The secret lies in recognizing the dangers of stress and taking action before it starts to affect you.

For more information about stress, including such things as stress symptoms and stress relief, please visit Stress-Relief-And-Anxiety-Relievers.com

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Saunders

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Weapons in the Battle Against Heart Disease

By Jon Stout

Heart disease and stroke are our nation’s number one killers. As we become more sedentary and more obese, heart disease is occurring in more severe forms and at younger ages. But, there are ways to avoid heart disease, if you understand the associated health issues and how to control them. Here’s an overview of the contributors to heart disease and how to minimize your risk by managing your life.

High Cholesterol

Cholesterol comes in two forms. LDL cholesterol (low density lipoproteins) is what is known as “bad cholesterol”. When too much LDL circulates in the blood, it can build up in the inner walls of your arteries, where it forms plaque that hardens and narrows the arteries. This condition is called atherosclerosis. Narrow arteries make it easy for a clot to form and cause a block, and they also restrict blood flow. Peroxidation is the process that turns the cholesterol into the hard plaque that sticks to arterial walls.

HDL cholesterol or (high density lipoproteins) is what we refer to as “good cholesterol”. HDL cholesterol carries bad cholesterol away from the heart and deposits it to the liver so that it can pass from the body. We need this cholesterol to be high, because it protects us. When your HDL levels are too low, the LDL cholesterol is in control.

It’s important to understand your cholesterol levels and do your best to improve them if they’re not where they should be. Dietary cholesterol comes from animals and animal products. Eating a diet that’s low in saturated fat and cholesterol; avoiding things like butter, egg yolks and red meat, can help lower your LDL levels considerably. When you eat fat, make it the sort that raises your HDL levels, by including olive oil, canola oil and nuts in your diet.

Your cholesterol level is also affected by your heredity. Some families just have higher cholesterol than others, regardless of how much they watch their diet. If you fall into this category, you may need medication in addition to a healthy diet to get your cholesterol numbers in line.

High Blood Pressure

The second important component in heart disease is blood pressure. High blood pressure has no symptoms, but it can lead to heart disease, stroke and kidney failure if unmanaged.

The pressure of your blood puts beats against the walls of your veins and arteries. This weakens the arterial walls and causes stress on the heart. The pressure can also cause little nicks in the arterial walls. Your body tries to repair these nicks by creating little blood clots. However, if these clots become too big, or break off and get stuck in an artery (particularly one already narrowed by plaque), it can result in a heart attack or stroke. That’s why keeping your blood pressure under control lowers your risk of heart disease. Have your blood pressure checked regularly to determine if you’re at risk. A healthy blood pressure is one that is right around 120/80.

The Big Five

To get your lifestyle under control and manage your blood pressure and cholesterol levels so that you can minimize your risk of heart disease and stroke, there are four things you need to do.

Exercise

Exercise is critical for preventing heart disease. Get at least 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3 times a week. Regular exercise lowers cholesterol and blood pressure naturally, and can help keep your weight in check.

Eat Right

Reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet. Instead, focus on eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein like fish and chicken. If you’re overweight, get down to a healthy weight for your height. A heart healthy diet will help you lose the extra pounds, too. Avoid processed foods with ingredients like enriched flour and high fructose corn syrup.

Don’t Smoke

Smoking significantly increases your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and cancer.

Get Those Anti-Oxidants

In the last few years, we’ve come to understand how powerful anti-oxidants are in the fight against disease. Anti-oxidants fight the free radicals that our body creates each day as we process our food. Without anti-oxidants to fight them, these free radicals damage our bodies’ cells and DNA. This leads to disease and premature aging.

If you’re eating a heart healthy diet, you’re probably already getting a fair amount of anti-oxidants already, since fruits and vegetables are very good sources. However, there are a few anti-oxidant powerhouses that you really should add to your diet. Be sure you’re getting:

The Best Fruits and Veggies – Artichokes, blueberries, red beans, pomegranates and tomatoes are potent anti-oxidant sources. If you’re not eating these regularly, add them to your diet.

Green Tea – Research has shown that the flavonoids in green tea, particularly EGCG, are some of the most potent anti-oxidants around. There have been many studies that have associated green tea with a lower risk of heart disease. In particular, one study reported on UK Tea Council showed green tea to have a positive effect on many aspects of heart disease.

This study reported that green tea helped lower cholesterol, had anti-inflammatory properties, protected arteries and blood vessels and protects against blood clots. This information is powerful when you consider how simple it is to add green tea to your diet.

So, arm yourself with the weapons to beat heart disease before it’s too late. Heart disease can be prevented with a healthy lifestyle – so make sure you’re prepared to avoid this serious killer.

Jon M. Stout is the Chairman of the Golden Moon Tea Company. Golden Moon Tea carefully selects the finest rare and orthodox teas, which are processed slowly and handcrafted with extreme care. At their website, you can learn more about their current tea offerings, including their exceptional green tea, white tea, black tea, oolong tea (also known as wu-long and wu long tea) and chai. Visit goldenmoontea.com for all details concerning the Golden Moon Tea Company’s fine line of teas.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_Stout

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Signs Of A Panic Attack

By David Sodergren

Worried that you may have gotten a panic attack? I know you are worried but try to relax. Panic attacks are scary but they are NOT dangerous. I repeat they are NOT dangerous, remember that.

How do you know if you have a panic attack?

These signs/symptoms are common among those who suffers from panic attacks

Raging heartbeat

Difficulty breathing, feeling as though you ‘can’t get enough air

Terror that is almost paralyzing

Nervous, shaking, stress

Heart palpitation, feeling of dread

Dizziness, lightheadedness or nausea

Trembling, sweating, shaking

Choking, chest pains, distress

Fear, fright, afraid, anxious

hot flashes, or sudden chills

Tingling in fingers or toes (‘pins and needles’)

Fearful that you’re going to go crazy or are about to die

If you are suffering from any of the signs/symptoms above you could be having a panic attack!

If you found yourself in a panic attack there are some quick temporary solutions

Take deep long breaths

This lowers your heart rate and relaxes your body. Think of breathing like the waves of the ocean. The waves of the ocean are constant. Think of a wave that rises when you breath in. When you breath out it fades. Hear the waves, see them rise and fade slowly. Feel the calmness”

Think of the word “calm”

The brain can only think of one thing at a time. If you think of the word calm you block the brain from doing any other thinking. So think of calm and picture yourself being calm. Repeat the following sentence to yourself: I am calm, i feel calm.

Cover your right eye and your right nostril

This is a yoga technique and are over 5000 years old. The right side of the body are connected with the left side of the brain. The left side of the brain is the biggest cause for panic attack. If you cover the right side eye and nostril you slows down the left side. As an effect you use your right brain side more and this side is very relaxing.. You become very relaxed. Combine this exercise with the 2 above and do this until you feel better.

Did You Know That Panic Attacks Can Be Eliminated For Good… Without Any Medication Using A Revolutionary New Technique… Click Here To Learn More About This Revolutionary New Technique

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Sodergren

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Identifying Your Gambling Problem: Are You a Compulsive Gambler?

By Mark Birlea

Do you think you have a gambling problem? Perhaps you know someone who might be suffering from this debilitating addiction? Compulsive gambling is a problem that can affect anyone, regardless of their income, age, sex, race or social status. Some people believe that people who gamble too much are always of a certain income level, or race, and that is just not true!

(Read the rest of this article …)

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The Prostate, What You Don’t Know Could Kill You

By Jeff Cuckson

Women know more about men’s health than men do themselves and that’s a fact. Why is that? Is it because we find it hard to discuss these things? Is it because it’s not macho! From the time that we are young, we are taught that boys have to act tough and shouldn’t cry. You must have heard the saying “Big Boys don’t cry!”

(Read the rest of this article …)

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THE HART SERIES: Counting: January 29, 2007

Breakfast

Coffee – 1 point
4 whole wheat toast – 4 points
3 with Peanut Butter – 3 points
1 with Honey and honey on 1 peanut butter one – taking 1 point

Lunch

TIM HORTON’s Coffee – 1 extra point
TIM HORTON’s Toasted Blueberry Bagel with butter – 6 points

Snacks during the day

Orange – 1 point
Thinsation Oreo cookies – 2 points
Singles Pringles – 2 points
Thinsation Oreo cookies – 2 points

Dinner

Campbells Chunky Chicken Dinner 434ml microwaveable – 3 points
with 6 italian beef meatballs – 3 points
with 6 chicken and cheese meatballs – 3 points

SUMMARY

>>Total 32 points
>> BREAK-EVEN. Still have 35 splurge flex points left (but hoping to not use more than 15)

Pictures of my Meals

oops. forgot to take pictures.

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THE HART SERIES: Monday Weigh In: Week 4

Monday January 29, 2007 Weigh-In

276.5 lbs

>> I’m UP 0.5 lbs …
>> YTD Down 5.5 lbs

Reflection

After the Sunday Dinner at my folks place last night, and then weighing myself first thing in the morning .. I thought I would be up more than just 0.5 lbs ..so I should be happy

But – I’m not happy. This past week has been quite stressful (offline work-wise) .. I’m not exercising .. I’m not cutting back .. I’ve noticed that I’ve been keeping my notebad with my camera, and the last few days I have posted my points on the following day rather than before I go to sleep. AS such, by morning I forget my notepad up here in the office next to my computer. I eat, and then have to remember to write it down when I get back to my computer – but, it should be that I remember to write it down and then eat.

So – I’ve decided to “step” it up in February by the following:

* Leave both my camera and notepad downstairs and write down the meal points before I eat it. If I don’t, before you know it I will be more forgetful taking pictures! (or NOT! I enjoy taking pictures of my meals, even though it must be boring to you all)

* Mentally cut-back the 35 splurge points to 15 and try not to exceed that amount on a weekly basis. I’m not trying to maintain my weight .. I am trying to lose weight.

* Superstore was advertising those really cheap electric treadmills .. I think I will pop by on the weekend and check it out – to see if it’s sturdy enough for me, and by “electric” .. to see if they meant the treadmill is electric, or some attachment like heart monitor etc or watch is the electric part of it. If/when I get one – I’ll take a picture for the blog here.

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THE HART SERIES: Counting: January 28, 2007

Breakfast

Coffee – 1 point
2 whole wheat toast – 2 points
with Peanut Butter – 2 points

Lunch

Garden Salad – 0 points
with onions – 0 points
with red peppers – 0 points
with Sunflower seeds – 1 point
with bacon bits – 1 point
with 14 croutons – 2 points
with 100g shaved turkey breast – 2 points
with Caesar dressing – 2 points
with some grated cheddar cheese – 1/2 point
with some grated parmesan cheese – 1/2 point

Snacked on during the day

14 Wheat Thin Crackers – taking 2 points (2pt/13)
with 2 slices Skim Milk Cheese Slices – 2 point
2 homemade donuts (no yeast) – 4 points

Dinner at my Dad’s Birthday Sunday Dinner

Salad ( plain – 0 points
Baked Roasted Chicken Breast (150grams) – 3 points
withOUT the skin (my dogs Maxxie and Sophie were glad to help me with that), but I rubbed the sauce on the chicken 🙂
with BBQ sauce on – taking 1 point
Ribs – 3 pcs, but only ate 1/2 of them – taking 5 points
Mini Sweet potatoes in Margarine – taking 4 points
Jeanies Birthday Cake (9pts for 3×3) – 6 points
plus 1/2 cup low fat ice cream – 2 points
with regular caramel syrol – taking 1 point
Plus 2nd smaller piec of Jeannie’s cake – no ice cream or syrop – taking 3 points

SUMMARY

>> Total 47 points
>> OVER by 15 points .. leaving me to end this week with 2 splurge flex points remaining

>> It was a double header this weekend, as it was my dad’s 72nd birthday last Friday. I managed to turn that day into a visit, instead of a meal-fest, and we planned for something on Sunday. It was pretty nice dinner (as my mom’s a great cook!) and the whole family was there and so was my dad’s older brother (my uncle) and my aunt who are 79 and 78 respectively
>> We bought my dad a new DVD player, so he can watch movies and my brother brought the movie CLICK with Adam Sandler .. My brother’s bought him a little fish tank that fits on a counter 10″ wide and 4 guppies, although one was pregnant. He’ll be getting a surprise soon enough~
>> I should follow up on this, but my taking pictures during the meal inspired my aunt and uncle to want to check out Weight Watchers .. as they are offering a 10-free-week membership drive here in Winnipeg.

Pictures of our Dinner

That “under-the-plate” plate thingy looks nice

Just a garden salad and water for me

Ah! The Main Course

This was the ‘first’ dessert plate I had

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The Art Of Packaging and The Art Of Counting Points

Mmmmm… Campbell’s Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup ….

Counting points is a little tricky, but if you have one of those “sliders” they give you when you first join Weight Watchers .. it’s quite easy. There are basically three things on the nutritional labels of all foods that we concern ourselves with:

* Fiber Content, up to 4 or more
* Calories
* Fat grams

And, then we calculate the points per suggested servings. Sometimes, we can increase the fiber and calories to “fit” a suggested serving, or we can just take half a serving or some other multiple and double it, or cut it in half, etc.

For me personally, when I am counting points – I round down. If it’s a high 3 points, 3 points. If it’s a low 3 points, 3 points. But .. if it’s like that for one serving, and I take two servings (for instance a low 3 points for 1 TBSP) I might take 6 points for 2 TBSP, or if it’s a high 3 points I might take 7 points for 2 heaping TBSP ..

That’s OK .. I’m just estimating the points anyway!

What I am doing is being accountable for everything that I am eating. I try to eat healthy. I will prefer to try low fat or something alternative that results in lower points – so I can eat more! But, this isn’t always the case. For instance, my wife drinks Skim Milk and wants me to drink it because it has less points. I won’t touch the stuff! 2% Milk for me! And, if I want Pizza or a Burger .. I will eat pizza and a burger ..

.. as long as I write it down and stay within my weekly splurge points plus my daily point alotment. I mean ..let’s face it – then this blog would be a joke, and I would never lose any weight! I am on a mission!

So .. Then Why Does Campbell’s Do What They Are Doing?

By the way .. I should say that I REALLY LIKE their packaging! For a microwaveable product, in a semi-metal can – it works great. Plus .. the bottom is curved in the shape of a teaspoon, and perfectly fits – so when you are scooping up the bottom dreks of your soup can – you get it all!

But .. how many points is it? Let’s take a closer look at the above picture:

Based on these nutritional facts .. it’s a low 2 points per 250ml serving.

But Wait .. These ARE INDIVIDUAL SERVING SIZES!

Each of these individual serving sizes are 434ml.

434ml.

Now .. why didn’t they just package this in 250ml servings? Well, I’ll tell you why – because it’s not a hearty meal for one. 434ml is a hearty meal for one.

Now .. why didn’t they just label the nutritional facts based on 434ml servings? I can’t tell you that! It does not make sense.

This is not common sense to me! Aaaaargh! So, let me get my calculator now.

250ml goes into 434ml .. how many times? Ahh .. right …1.736 times.

Each individual serving size is a low 2 points .. so this must be x 1.736 = 3.47 points.

So – I rounded down to 3 points. per soup serving.

It’s like popcorn. Have you ever read the individual serving sizes? Sometimes it’s for the entire package .. and sometimes it’s based on the cup of popped popcorn.

And, you wonder why you see so many documentaries on T.V. about how our youth is getting fatter and fatter (and us aging folk too!) .. well .. don’t blame it all on the eating habits and the junkiness of the food … attribute some of this to the NEW individual Size calculations – created by these food companies, like Campbell’s soup.

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THE HART SERIES: Counting: January 27, 2007

Breakfast

Coffee – 1 point
Bowl of Cheerios plus refill – 4 points
2% milk, 1 cup – 3 points

Lunch

Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup (microwaveable can 434ml) – 3 points
Orange – 1 point

Snacks during the day

TIM HORTON’s Coffee – add 1 point
TIM HORTON’s Toasted Blueberry Bagel with butter – 6 points
TIM HORTON’s Chocolate Chip Muffin – 9 points

Dinner

Thinsation Oreo cookies – 2 points
2 Whole Wheat Toast – 2 points
with peanut butter – 2 points

SUMMARY

>>Total 34 points
>> OVER by 2 points, 17 splurge points remain for Sunday and balance of the week.

>> It was my father’s 72nd birthday Friday, and we are having the family celebration Sunday Night for Dinner .. meaning .. steak, potatoes, salad, and usually something wonderful that my mother cooks for the family … I wonder if 17 points will be enough? Stay tuned for tomorrow’s recount and weigh-in!

Picture of my Lunch

These were new .. from Sobey’s .. at 2 for $4.00 CDN .. They really were quite tasty…

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