Hobbies can keep you healthy

When you think of hobbies keeping you healthy, I bet you are thinking about ones that are physically active. It is true that keeping fit will help you stay healthy but often mental health is not taken into consideration at all. Studies have shown us that happy people live longer than depressed people. Depression kills, depression is unhealthy.

In order to keep yourself happy and depression free take up a hobby that is mind challenging and fun. Try guitar lessons, photography, training a pet, knitting or learning something new that you wanted to do since you were little. Even meeting with old friends you have not talked to in years or putting a scrapbook together can bring interest back into your life. Don't let the economy get to you. You don't have to spend a dime to be happy. Happiness is a frame of mind. What ever you do to find that frame is all you need to stay there.

Tracking your health

If you are just getting started in keeping track of your health - that is wonderful. You will want to keep track of the following health signs and note the progress you are making on the road to better health:

• Your blood pressure. Take it only 3 times a week and don't obsess over it.
• Your weight or better yet your BMI (body mass index) It is better to find out your percentage of fat to lean body mass rather than just a straight weight from your bathroom scale.
• Your skin condition. Often your skin is a good indicator of overall health. Take notes of what parts of your body have red rashes, dry skin or overly irritated. 

Keep a small notebook or for those of you who love gadgets, there are apps for this kind of tracking from Apple and for the Android. I have one of those small hp netbooks which is ideal for keeping track of my progress.

Play your way to a better body

With all the video game consoles that offer games that get you up off of your chair, why are you still sitting down? There are plenty of new wii games to choose something that will keep you up and moving. If you don't like the wii then how about the Kinect for XBox? There is no reason not to get active in your own home anymore.

Get up off of that chair and get moving. What? Why are you still reading this? Go.............go now...........move.

Depressed about your health?

Have you ever gotten chewed out by your doctor? The threat of "if you don't lose some weight and exercise more, I'll be putting you on high blood pressure meds." I have gotten that lecture. Right after I left the doctor's office I fell into a depressed state of mind. I was sort of going through the motions of the rest of the day but in a daze. I didn't know what hit me. I had always had low blood pressure and suddenly it was high.

When your car breaks down you can call someone to get it fixed. It was at that time I wished that there was a service I could call for my body. I knew that the only breakdown service I could call on was ME. I was the one who had to change it. I didn't want high blood pressure and definitely didn't want to go on meds.

I took that depressed state of mind and turned it around - I had to, it was my health that depended on it.

I have found a great way to track my health progress

After my last laptop gave out, I seem to go through one laptop every 5 years, I decided to ignore those best netbooks ads and go with something completely different. I like my small iPod but I wanted something bigger but not as big as an iPad. I looked into tablet PC's and found many of them are under $150. I am currently looking into getting one that costs only $138 and has wifi and a camera so I can also take pics of my progress of muscle building. Another big plus is that it will fit nicely on my treadmill so I can watch videos of exercise workouts or maybe a movie.

Using your iPod to get healthy

Technology is on the go now and since you can take it with you, not only can you exercise to your favorite tunes but you can also have you own personal trainer with you in the form of an ebook or podcast. There are Lecteurs MP3 format for you to get motivated. The Apple Apps store even has free apps for dieting and tracking your progress.

So if you need a little help in your quest to get back on track with your health, look no further than your pocket gadget.

The little pill that makes it all better

We are a society of the "quick fix." We want everything to be easy. Don't like the way you look? Have a little nip and tuck. Do you weigh too much? Take a pill and eat all you want. Yes, we want it all and want it NOW. Sorry folks, but it doesn't happen that way. It took months or even years for your body to gain weight so even the best weight loss pills in the world are not going to work in a few weeks. If they do then you will probably end up with other health problems like weakened bones or blood pressure problems.

Life is not a quick fix, it takes time to undo what damage we have done to ourselves. Take it easy and do it right. Learn eat right, learn to enjoy life without smoking and alcohol. You will feel better.

Creating a place to workout

How many times you have said to yourself that you lacked the time and or space to have a decent workout? You know that you can change that.........that is if you really want to. You can always make time for a quick 20 minute workout and space can be something as simple as moving the coffee table out of the way in the living room.

To make more space for a daily workout all you need is your TV and some floor space. For example, I have a non-flat TV (the old fashion kind) and once we get a new samsung lcd TV, the old TV will be moved to a back room and hooked up to our Sony Play Station and then we will use it to exercise to "Dance Dance Revolution" and play several workout DVD's. The small back room is currently used as storage and rarely used so changing it to a workout room will make a good addition to the home.

So you see, a workout room does not have to be filled with equipment. Just keep it simple and give yourself lots of floor space to move about.

Should you treat yourself to a new outfit as an incentive to losing weight?

How many times have you told yourself you should buy that great looking dress, pants or top as an incentive to lose weight just to fit into it? I know I have, only to never fit into the article of clothing in time for it not to go out of style. I made the mistake of buying a dress that was 3 sizes too small for me and I only lost 2 sizes.

So if you do decide to go out on a clothes shopping spree this Black Friday and find something that you just have to have, just buy it in the next size down from what you are now. That is about 7 to 10 pounds less than you are now. Losing that much weight will be easier that trying for a 20 pound weight loss.

Tracking your health

With today's Apple apps, data base software and smart cell phones, there is no excuse for you not to track your weight loss, fitness workout or your blood sugar levels. Gone are the days of self inking stamps and hand written notes to yourself. You can now actively track your health progress. Those new technology tools - use them.

A fabulous new you in time for the end of the year

Forget about waiting for the new year to make resolutions about your health, start right now in making your life healthier.....a new you! Take the time to get healthy again. If it takes an extra 15 minutes in the morning just to eat healthier or do those morning stretches, then just vow to make time for it. If you need motivation to get you going, then find someone who can be your mentor. It could be a relative or your next door neighbor. If you can't find anyone then you might find that motivation from a book or video. Amazon or buy.com has plenty of books and DVDs to choose from. Most of all, you must not procrastinate. Putting off getting healthy should never be on your mind....getting healthy now should.

I got a compliment from a stranger

My local discount store was having a big sale this morning. So I got there early to see what might interest me. Since it was the end of the summer season, all of the swimsuits were now priced at 90% off what they use to be. I debated with myself and then gave in and got a one piece.

When I got to the check out and the gal at the cash register was using the barcode scanner on my suit, I made the remark that I was too chicken to get a bikini. At which she said, "why, you have a great figure, you should show it off."

That took me by surprise and I must have blushed 2 shades of red! That was the first time a stranger had ever remarked about my body. No, I did not go back for the bikini but I did say thank you to the cashier for the fab compliment. 

Electronic gizmos to help you stay healthy

It use to be all you needed was a stop watch when you worked out. The watch helped you track your running time, your pulse, and your respiration. The fancier ones tracked laps and other stuff.

Now you can just stop by your local Best Buy and pick up a Wii or a Playstation Move and "play" your way to a newer, fitter you. But it doesn't stop there, you can get electronic calorie counters, diet planning software and of course lets not forget the MP3 for the music you have to listen to just to get through the workout.

Whatever happened to just going for a brisk walk? Playing catch with your kids? Walking to the store instead of taking the car? Going for a bike ride? Do we really need more gizmos?

Your health and sports

The one thing I always encourage is to keep active. No matter what age you are there is a sport that will not only help you keep your body fit but also keep your mind active.

When we are young, the sports tend to be more daring. The sports also tend to have a higher body impact such as football, atv racing, or skydiving. Even leisurely sports such as horseback riding is considered a high risk sport.

As we age, golf, hiking, power walking and bowling tend to replace those high energy demanding sports.They keep our interest and get us out of the house. The added bonus is that they also help us socialize, thus keeping our minds active.

No matter what your age, get out, meet people and get active.

Let's talk about Halloween

It used to be that I would love to dress up for Halloween for parties and work. That was until I started getting plump. Then all I could think of was how to hide being overweight in a Halloween costume. One year I went as a pumpkin and didn't need any stuffing for the costume! The next year I was a "dead bride" so the old wedding gown would hide most of my size. My problem was not with just being overweight as much as it was being out of proportion. You see, my weight tends to gather in my tummy and boobs, so that I looked pregnant when I am overweight.

Nowadays they cater to the plus size gal for Halloween. They have the most gorgeous sexy halloween costumes but with one problem, they are for the proportioned overweight gal. Let me show you a couple of photos to make my point:

Here is a sexy plus size costume modeled by a well proportioned model. She has a flat tummy and her hips are not flowing into her shoulder, she has a waist. Below is a whole selection of plus size models that have big bodies but no extra rolls of fat here and there, they are bigger but not really "out of shape" so to speak. They can still wear sexy clothes and make it work for them.

The bottom line is......a model still looks good whether she is a plus or not, the rest of us are just .......

One of the greatest joy of losing weight

The shear thrill of fitting into clothes that have hung in the closet for years while waiting for me to lose weight is a high for me. Just putting on a pair of running shorts that don't feel like a throng that is cutting me in two was a great feeling. My oversized t-shirt tops are now regulated to become pajama tops until they are worn out enough to throw out. 

After a wardrobe thrill like that, I fully never intend to go back to 2X or X anything.

Don't just sit there!!!

How many times have you said that to yourself (see the title) only to say - later I'll do that. I am betting you never get around to it. Your comfortable modern couches or the overstuffed chair is just too nice to leave. I thought that for 6 months a few years ago. For 6 months I just sat most of the day in my overstuffed easy chair and watched TV or did a few hand held hobbies to pass the time of day. I finally realized that my life was passing me by and that I was not able to walk or go hiking like I used to do without getting out of breath. Even doing something like carrying a 40 pound sack of dog food from the car into the house was a chore.

That was when I decided to say - ENOUGH! I got off of the chair and started to do something with my life and get back into shape. I lost 30 pounds since then and I have managed to keep it off. Now I am working on gaining more muscle.

Why is Zumba the latest fitness fad?

If you have not seen what Zumba fitness is, then here is a video off the latest fitness craze that is sweeping America:



As you watch the video, take notice that even some of the people that were sitting at the beginning of the dance are now standing and dancing too. The reason why it is such a fantastic way to lose weight and get in shape is that it is fun. I can see Zumba dance clubs popping up all over the place, can you?

I found a way to push my weight loss just a bit more

I have been having a battle with my body. I have been exercising like crazy 2 hours every other day and only managed to tone my body. That sounds great doesn't it? But unfortunately that tone is under a layer of fat that I just can't seem to lose - until now. I decided to do something drastic. I drink nothing but slim fast drinks (4 of them) on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The other days I eat my normal balanced diet. After one week I have lost and kept off, 3 pounds! My new diet is working!!! Not only am I losing weight at an acceptable slow rate but I am keeping it off.

Maybe this year I can get into that bikini I bought last summer. Wait, I'll need some new outdoor cushions to lay on when I am showing off my new bod. Bring on summer, I'm ready for it this year.

I have found a new use for my PDA

I recently bought a PDA off of eBay. For $25 I got a great deal. I use it for making shopping lists, playing MP3 music files and now keeping track of my workouts. Of course you might have an iPhone to do that. I do have a laptop but the PDA is something I keep in my purse or carrying pouch. I have just enough memory in the PDA for what I need. I am not the type of person that has so many files that I have to resort to having an online backup for them. I keep it very simple.

Along with tracking my workouts I can also keep track of my daily eating habits and adjust them if needed. Often you don't realize how much you eat each day until you see the entire amount in words and numbers right before your own eyes.