Weight Loss - Help & Info.

Dietary Guidelines Show Need For Supplements

2006-03-16T17:05:00.000-08:00

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines emphasize getting all of your nutrients from conventional foods, if possible, but also flag the need for some supplemental nutrients."The fact is that many people do not get all the nutrients they need from diet alone, and there are clear health benefits from getting the full recommended amounts of all vitamins and minerals. A daily multivitamin can go a long way toward filling the gaps, and an additional supplement providing more calcium and vitamin D is advisable for most people," said Annette Dickinson, Ph.D., president of the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), one of the dietary supplement industry's leading trade associations.

"Additionally, supplements of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may be valuable for people who don’t eat at least two fish meals each week." According to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines, children and adolescents as well as adults often fall short in vitamin E, adults frequently fail to get enough vitamin C, people over age 50 should get the supplemental form of vitamin B-12, women of childbearing age need synthetic folic acid (a B vitamin), and lots of people need extra vitamin D. According to Dr. Dickinson, "The good news is that all of these supplemental nutrients can be consumed conveniently and inexpensively in the form of a daily multivitamin, for less than a dime a day."

In addition, the Dietary Guidelines point out that calcium is a critical nutrient that is in short supply for practically everybody--children, teens, and adults. A multivitamin with minerals will provide some extra calcium, but to get the full amount of calcium that is recommended, people will need to use a separate supplement containing calcium (preferably with vitamin D) or consume lots of dairy products or calcium-fortified foods. While conventional foods and fortified foods and supplements are all effective ways to obtain additional nutrients, cost and calories are also factors to consider. The cost of 1,000 mg of calcium can range from 18 cents a day to $1.38 a day, depending on whether a person uses a calcium tablet, soft calcium chews, lowfat milk, a breakfast cereal with added calcium, or calcium-fortified orange juice (listed from lowest to highest cost). The number of calories that will come along with that amount of calcium ranges from negligible to over 300.

"Multivitamins and calcium supplements can provide consumers with a major boost in their attempts to meet their nutrient needs while controlling cost and avoiding excess calories," said Dr. Dickinson. "The 2005 Dietary Guidelines flag important nutrient shortfalls, and ideally the Food Guide Pyramid (when it comes out) should feature a flag on top to remind people to use appropriate supplements in addition to improving their diets and adopting a healthier lifestyle. Supplements can be an integral part of an optimal diet and should always be viewed in the context of a healthy lifestyle."

See below for a summary of the Dietary Guidelines comments on nutrient shortfalls. The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), founded in 1973, is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing dietary supplement industry ingredient suppliers and manufacturers. CRN members adhere to a strong code of ethics, comply with dosage limits and manufacture dietary supplements to high quality standards under good manufacturing practices. For more information on CRN, visit http://www.crnusa.org.

2005 Dietary Guidelines: Nutrient Shortfalls in the General Population Shortfalls for adults: calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin E, and carotenoids (as a source of vitamin A) Shortfalls for children and adolescents: calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium, and vitamin E 2005 Dietary Guidelines: Recommendations for Special Needs Vitamin B-12 for People Over 50 Although a substantial proportion of individuals over age 50 have reduced ability to absorb naturally occurring vitamin B-12, they are able to absorb the crystalline form. Thus, all individuals over the age of 50 should be encouraged to meet their Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA, 2.4 mcg/day) for vitamin B-12 by eating foods fortified with vitamin B-12 such as fortified cereals, or by taking the crystalline form of vitamin B-12 supplements.

Iron for Women Based on blood values, substantial numbers of adolescent females and women of childbearing age are iron deficient. Thus, these groups should eat foods high in heme-iron (e.g., meats) or iron-fortified foods with an enhancer of iron absorption, such as foods rich in vitamin C (e.g., orange juice). Folic Acid for Women of Childbearing Age Since folic acid reduces the risk of the neural tube defects, spina bifida and anencephaly, a daily intake of 400 mcg/day of synthetic folic acid (from fortified foods or supplements in addition to food forms of folate from a varied diet) is recommended for women of childbearing age who may become pregnant. Pregnant women should consume 600 mcg/day of synthetic folic acid (from fortified foods or supplements) in addition to food forms of folate from a varied diet. Vitamin D for the Elderly, People with Dark Skin, and People Who Avoid the Sun Adequate vitamin D status, which depends on dietary intake and cutaneous synthesis [synthesis in skin exposed to sunlight], is important for optimal calcium absorption, and it can reduce the risk for bone loss. The elderly and individuals with dark skin (because the ability to synthesize vitamin D from exposure to sunlight varies with degree of skin pigmentation) and people who get very little exposure to sunlight (e.g., housebound individuals) may need as much as 1,000 International Units per day to achieve protective blood levels of the vitamin.

Fish, EPA, and DHA Evidence suggests that consuming approximately two servings of fish per week (about 8 ounces total) may reduce the risk of mortality from coronary heart disease and that consuming EPA and DHA (two long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish) may reduce the risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease in people who have already experienced a cardiac event.

Author Info:

Vitamin Herb University is the premier online course and informational resource for dietary supplements, supplement reviews, vitamin information, herb information and drug herb interaction. marketing@webadvantage.net [Note: no additional author info. available]

Weight Loss in Recent Headlines

2006-03-11T10:06:00.000-08:00

There have been a number of interesting headlines the past few days. Take a moment to check out some of these hand-picked stories:

From 3/11:

Weight-loss club targeting pupils (in UK)

From 3/10:

Use of weight-loss product discouraged in combat zones

Owner of Weight Loss Business Arrested

From 3/9:

Weight-loss drugs: Can a prescription help you lose weight?

Weight-loss surgery on rise in U.S.

Beware TV weight-loss ads

Inexpensive Ways to Exercise for Weight Loss!

2006-03-09T18:47:00.000-08:00

by Ray Kelly

Perhaps you're a student, trying to make it on a student budget. Or, you're a stay-at-home mother with little cash to spare. Or you're just getting started in your career and you don't have much in the way of disposable income. No matter what your situation, know that there are inexpensive ways to exercise for weight loss.

To begin with, one of the most cost-effective ways to exercise is simply by walking. It requires no special equipment--other than a good pair of athletic shoes. You can do it virtually anywhere--in a park, on a hiking trail, or around your neighborhood. Walking is also one of the best methods of cardiovascular exercise around. If you're able to increase your pace from three-and-a-half to four-and-a-half miles an hour, you can expend 50 percent more calories. That means that, in a half hour of walking, you could burn more than 200 extra calories.

Another low-cost way to exercise is to work out with an exercise videotape or DVD. These tapes and DVDs can cost less than $20, but they can provide you with a year's worth of exercise routines. Assuming you already have a VCR or DVD player, you won't have to invest in any expensive equipment. You can also do the exercises in the privacy of your own home, so you don't have to worry about how you're dressed. Also, a number of television stations run exercise programs--the only money that's required is paying your monthly cable bill, an expense you might already have.

Yet another way to exercise without putting out a great deal of money is to ride a bicycle. While you will have to invest in a bike, you might be able to pick one up at a low price by buying second-hand through a newspaper ad or through a used bike shop. Once you've bought your bike, you won't have to invest any additional money in your exercise routine.

A number of magazines offer regular exercise features. These can be quite good and may even offer full-body workouts. By investing a mere $3.00 in a magazine, you might be able to find a fitness routine that you can use the entire year through. If you want to be really frugal, you can simply check out a fitness magazine from your local library and Xerox the exercise pages for future use.

One no-cost way to exercise is to dance. You don't even need any training--you can simply get up out of your seat and begin to move. Turn on a radio station with dance music and let yourself go. You might also consider checking out dance CDs and audiocassette tapes from your neighborhood library.

You can also pick up free exercise tips from the Internet. You'll find that many exercise experts offer their own websites which are filled with valuable information. Your doctor can also help you in developing an exercise routine that's right for you.

As you can see, it doesn't take a great deal of cash in order to exercise. And physicians say that, with regular exercise, you should be able to lose weight. By investing just a little bit of money up front, you can achieve as good a workout as you would be able to get at an expensive gym.

Ray Kelly is an Exercise Scientist with 15 years experience in the health and fitness industry. Sign up for his Free Exercise and Meal Planner at The Biggest Loser or http://www.free-online-health.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ray_Kelly

Fat Burning Compatible Foods

2006-03-06T11:33:00.000-08:00

by Gary Gresham

Fat burning compatible foods seem to be a popular topic around the gym these days. We also hear a lot about negative calorie foods which are considered a part of fat burning compatible foods. So if you are wondering what all the hype is about here is a simple explaination.

Fat burning compatible foods and negative calorie foods require more energy for your body to break down, absorb and then use than the actual calories that they contain. Eating these foods requires the body to create a calorie deficit that may help with weight loss.

Fat burning compatible foods are high in fiber, high in water content, and low in fat. They have a strong metabolism-boosting impact on the body and speed up the rate at which your body burns calories.

These foods require the metabolism to rev up and use the stored energy and fat to help in the digestion process. They are very healthy for you and you are probably already eating a lot of these foods.

Because these foods are considered to be fat burning compatible foods, there are no caloric limits. That means you may eat any of these foods until you feel satisfied without feeling guilty.

Here are a few examples of fat burning compatible foods and negative calorie foods:

Fruits: oranges, pineapples, grape fruit, and cantaloupe

Vegetables: broccoli, cabbage, green beans and onions

Breakfast foods: Oatmeal, low-fat milk and whole grain cereal

Spicy foods: cayenne peppers and most Chile peppers

Meats: Turkey, Chicken and lean beef

Fish: Tuna and Salmon

Beverages: Coffee, Green Tea and Black Tea

Fat burning compatible foods and negative calorie foods are easily implemented into your everyday diet and are healthy and delicious.

Info

Author Gary Gresham - This article is supplied by http://www.treadmill-info.com where you will find valuable information, ratings, reviews, articles and buying tips before you make the investment in quality fitness equipment. For more fitness related articles go to: http://www.treadmill-info.com/articles_1.html.

Copyright 2005 - Treadmill-Info.com - All Rights Reserved.

Share Your Weight Loss Experiences

2006-03-03T14:27:00.000-08:00

If you have any experience with dieting, weight loss methods, or products, I invite you to share your experiences here. Do you have something that worked for you? Something that didn't work? Are you currently struggling and need some advice? Or perhaps you have overcome the struggle and want to share your insights with others. Use this post to sound off on anything regarding weight loss.

Weight Loss in Today's Headlines

2006-02-27T21:20:00.000-08:00

On 2/27:

Weight-loss drug gets marketing nod

Winning the Family Weight Loss Game

Intuitive eating key to healthy weight loss, researcher says

Navigating Food Labels

2006-02-26T16:46:00.000-08:00

by Dianne Villano

Here are a few tips to help you dissect the food label before your next visit to the supermarket:

SERVING SIZE MATTERS

Just because the food label lists a certain number of calories per serving does NOT mean that's how much YOU eat. In fact, almost everyone I know consumes much more than the serving size listed on the Nutrition Facts panel. Many times the amounts are just not realistic, and most people -- rather than counting out 15 chips or measuring a three-ounce serving -- either fool themselves into thinking they're eating the "right amount" or ignore it altogether. And because the ENTIRE Nutrition Facts panel is based on the "serving size," it's very important to get it right or all the information will be inaccurate.

So, what should you do? Try to get an accurate measurement once in a while. I generally recommend breaking out the measuring utensils for a month until you get proficient at eyeballing.

Comparing calories from food to food is also confusing because food densities differ, so a volume-to-volume approach doesn't always work. It would be simpler to comparison-shop if there was a "calories per gram" standard on the panel -- similar to the way supermarkets have "unit" pricing.

CALORIES ARE KEY

The reality is that calories are a good thing -- they're a source of energy. The problem arises when we eat too many of them. Females typically need 1500 - 1,800 calories or fewer per day, while males need about 2,200. click here to get a rough estimate of your caloric needs

If you still have trouble understanding the value of a calorie, keep this in mind: for every extra 100 calories you eat each day, you would have to walk for an additional 25 minutes to burn it off. At least you'll have something to relate to the next time you reach for that second bite of cake.

Oh, and about those "Calories from Fat" on the Nutrition Facts panel -- as a general rule, a low-fat food should have no more than 20 percent of the total calories from fat. So if you have a food with 200 calories, and 100 calories are from fat, do the math -- fifty percent of its calories from fat, far from 20 percent, so it's not a low-fat food.

Figuring Out fats

We've come a long way since the days of "cutting the fat" We need fat in our diets -- The AHA and ADA recommend 20 to 30 percent of our daily food intake should come from fat, with no more than 10% of your daily calories coming from saturated (bad) fats

The Bad Fats

Saturated: These fats, which are listed on the label, are found primarily in animal products like meat, whole-milk dairy products, poultry skin, and egg yolks. Consuming too many of these fats can raise your "bad" cholesterol levels and contribute to arteriosclosis

Transfats : This fat was created to increase food shelf life. Manufacturers take healthy polyunsaturated oils and blast them with hydrogen gas to solidify them, and, in the process, make them incredibly unhealthy. The problem is that trans fat won't be listed on the label until 2006, so you need to look for trans fat clues. Know "suspect" foods, such as margarines (unless they say "no trans fat" on the label), shortenings, deep-fried foods, fast foods, and many commercial baked goods such as pies, cookies, cakes, crackers, and doughnuts. Check the ingredients list, and be on the lookout for partially hydrogenated oil -- if it's there, you have trans fat. Also, many products now promote that they are "trans fat free" -- look for this on the front of the packaging.

The Good Fats

Unsaturated fats are found in products derived from plant sources, such as vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds. There are two main categories:

Monounsaturated: These fats are found in high concentrations in canola, peanut, and olive oils, as well as olives, peanuts and peanut butter, and avocados. Studies have found that monounsaturated fat helps lower LDL (the "bad") cholesterol and raise HDL (the "good") cholesterol levels in your body.

Polyunsaturated: These fats are prevalent in sunflower, corn, safflower, cottonseed, and soybean oils, nuts, and fish (omega-3). They've been found to help lower total cholesterol levels and prevent heart disease (particularly the omega-3s).

Unfortunately, neither type of "good" fat is required to be listed on the food label, but some companies do provide this information. You can also subtract the saturated fat from the total, and check the ingredient list for trans fat clues -- anything left over is probably "good" fat. You'll only get a vague idea, but hey, it's better than nothing!

CARBOHYDRATES ARE NOT ALL BAD

Carbs are taking a bit of a bashing these days , even though they are an important nutrient and necessary for survival. Foods that contain carbohydrates include fruits, vegetables, starches, beans, nuts, milk, and yogurt. Carbohydrates are also found in any food that contains sugar such as cookies, cakes, soft drinks, syrups, and, of course, table sugar.

Clearly, there are different types of carbs and they are not all created equal. While most carbs -- sugar is the best example -- are digested and turned into blood sugar, other carbs behave differently. In fact, if you are looking at the Nutrition Facts panel, you will see carbohydrates broken down into two categories: dietary fiber and sugar.

What exactly is dietary fiber? Simply put, it's the indigestible parts of plant cells. Although it is a carbohydrate, fiber does not convert to glucose and thus does not raise your blood sugar the way other carbohydrates typically do, and it makes you feel full longer -- a good thing.

The "sugars" section includes those that are present naturally in the food (such as lactose in milk and fructose in fruit), as well as sugars added to the food during processing. In most cases, your body can't distinguish between the two. If you're interested in finding out whether a sweetener has been added, check the ingredients list for terms such as "sugar (sucrose)," "fructose," "maltose," "lactose," "honey," "syrup," "corn syrup," "high-fructose corn syrup," "molasses," and "fruit juice concentrate."

A FEW CLUES

A Percent Daily Value (%DV) is listed for each nutrient. These percentages are helpful for determining a food's nutritional value, or lack thereof. They tell you whether one serving of food contributes a lot or a little to your total nutrient intake for the day (based on an average 2000-calorie diet). Be Aware that most women on a fat reduction food plan will take in closer to 1500 calories a day, so adjust accordingly

Author Info:

Copyright © Custom Bodies, Inc. 2004 Dianne Villano, President of Custom Bodies is a personal fitness instructor certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine with over 16 years of experience. Custom Bodies has been serving the bay area since 1996 with weight loss & fitness programs for every fitness level. For more articles or free fitness tools visit www.custombodiestampabay.com.

Ephedra Is BACK: But Is It Safe?

2006-02-25T15:58:00.000-08:00

Amy S. Grant

It’s been called the world's oldest medicine, the miracle fat burner, and is known in some parts of the U.S. as "Mormon tea." Ephedra (also called Ma-huang or epitonin) has been used for its healing powers for more than 5000 years by the Chinese, who discovered the plant's healing properties. So why was it banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2004, and more importantly, why was the ban recently lifted?

What is Ephedra?

Ephedra grows all over the world, and in the Western United States, this flowering shrub can be found in deserts and sagebrush areas. The plant can be ground into powder for capsules, or dried and used in tea. Ephedrine is the "active" ingredient in ephedra, responsible for its healing properties. Ephedrine is a nerve stimulant similar to adrenaline, but not as strong as amphetamine.

What Does It Do?

Dieters have long known the powerful effects of ephedra in promoting weight loss. Basically, ephedrine creates a thermogenic response, speeding up metabolism and expediting the body's fat burning rate while preserving muscle. Ephedra has proved to be particularly effective for people with a slow metabolism, who have previously had trouble losing weight.

Additionally, ephedrine can be used to treat bronchial asthma and cough by relaxing the air passages in the lungs. For this same reason, the plant is helpful in treating the effects allergies and hay fever. Ephedra can assist in fighting a minor cold by causing perspiration and urination (to relieve swelling and fluid retention). Alternative uses for ephedra include treating muscle and joint conditions such as bursitis, arthritis, and rheumatism. A synthetic (man-made) replacement, called pseudoephedrine, was created and is widely used in common over-the-counter medications such as Sudafed.

Why the Ban?

Possible side effects of ephedrine include insomnia, dry mouth, nervousness, general weakness, poor digestion, irritability, headache, dizziness, increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, and heart palpitations. Not surprisingly, this list is markedly similar to over-the-counter medications with the active ingredient pseudoephedrine.

Some argue that the pharmaceutical companies have organized lobbyists to target ephedra because it was cutting into their sales for weight loss drugs and asthma drugs (bronchodilators). Others believe ephedra is not dangerous, but simply got some bad press as a result of a handful of people who intentionally misused ephedra or a synthetic replication of the isolated part of ephedra (ephedrine). Ephedra activists insist that human nature simply cannot be regulated and no one can control how people use (or abuse) any supplement, herb, or drug. How can you protect customers who ignore warning labels or double their doses?

The FDA inflicted a ban on ephedra in late 2003 (which became effective in early 2004), declaring an "unreasonable risk." This decision was based on public comments, literature review, adverse event reports and scientific studies. Dieters were devastated, feeling that their right to safely and appropriately use this herb had been stripped from them.

Why Was the Ban Lifted?

After the conclusion of several court cases (including some high-profile cases), the FDA stated in its final ruling that only five deaths were attributed solely and directly to ephedra. Keep in mind, according to the American Herbal Products Association, approximately 12 to 17 million people consumed ephedra during 1999. Ephedra sales in 2002 were close to $1.3 billion. What you may not know is that in 1994, over 100,000 people died due to adverse reactions or overconsumption of prescription drugs.

Is Ephedra Safe to Use?

According to the FDA, ephedra is safe for human consumption when it is taken in the recommended dosages, and when all warning labels are strictly observed. Obviously, women who are pregnant or nursing, and people with certain diseases (such as high blood pressure) should NOT consume ephedra or ephedrine. It is advised that you check with your physician before taking ephedra.

Where Can You Get Ephedra?

Currently, one company claims to be the only U.S. supplier of ephedra for weight loss. You can purchase ephedra online at www.BetaFuelDirect.com

Author Info:

Amy S. Grant is an avid fitness enthusiast who enjoys SCUBA diving, photography, and empowering people to achieve their goals.

Weight Loss: Tweaking Your Lifestyle

2006-02-24T13:48:00.000-08:00

by Virginia Bola, PsyD

Despite our national propensity to overeat, under-exercise, and grow steadily heavier and more out of shape, we all yearn to be slender, fit, and attractive. Our culture rewards the thin and the beautiful; look at how we devour celebrity gossip, mesmerized by the looks and energy of our current favorites.

Why the discrepancy between our aspirations and our reality? There are a plethora of reasons, most of which can be traced to the simple fact that life gets in the way.

"I'd love to cut back on my food intake," we think, "But I have to attend all these work functions and have little control over the meals that are served." "I would really like to get in shape," we complain, "But there's no free time and I can't afford a personal trainer like the movie stars I see." "I really want to take care of my skin and my body," we wail, "But I'm so busy that a quick shower and a slap of moisturizer is all I can fit into my schedule."

It would be so wonderful to have loads of free time: to plan our days; to cook low calorie, healthy meals; to exercise without time constraints; to be able to pamper ourselves without the pressure of deadlines. Unfortunately, our lives are too hectic for that to happen in the foreseeable future. We can throw up our hands in frustration and join the legions of the overweight and the unfit, or we can work out a personal plan that fits within our lifestyle, taking us where we want to go, albeit not quite as quickly or completely as we would prefer.

Your life, your time, the demands and responsibilities you face, vary on an individual basis. You will need to calculate what works for you, and what cannot be realistically accommodated. Here are some ideas to consider:

1. Diet

Eating on the run, at your desk, or on the rubber chicken circuit, wreaks havoc with even the best-laid diet plans. If you weigh even a pound more than you'd like, try to identify where you are going astray.

If fast food on your way to an appointment is your downfall, look at what you order. Almost all drive-thrus these days offer salads. The problems with those salads can be minimized by throwing away the little bag of croutons (fried) and omitting the packaged dressings (loaded with fat). Carry your own individual container of low calorie dressing, opt for (unsweetened) ice tea, black coffee, or a diet soda, and avoid those sugar-laden colas like the plagues they are.

If you lunch at your desk, ask yourself what are you eating? If it's takeout, by all means have a cheeseburger or a sandwich. Just discard the bread or bun and eat with a plastic knife and fork, cut into raisin-sized pieces that will fill you up fast. French fries and onion rings? You just don’t want to go there.

Is your office always filled with snacks and treats (as most of them seem to be these days)? When the snacks come by, go to the bathroom or, better yet, take a brisk walk around the building to beef up your "won't" power and clear the vision of goodies from your head.

If business lunches, dinners, or those awful meeting banquets are your obstacles, plan ahead. Lunch is relatively easy: salad (with your own dressing, of course) or fish and cottage cheese are available almost anywhere. For dinner, try two low calorie appetizers instead of an entree. Best of all is something that you have to work at - crab legs, unpeeled shrimp, an artichoke (hold the hollandaise) - it will take a lot of time and no one will notice how little you are actually eating.

Banquets are particularly difficult because a plate is plunked in front of you, filled with food you would never order by choice. Cut whatever protein and vegetables there are into little pieces and chew slowly. Spread the rest out over your plate and play with it to delay the onset of a syrupy dessert. Get a cup of black coffee and place it squarely in front of you to thwart that eager-beaver waiter who keeps trying to slide a plate of pie onto your table.

Entertaining in the home creates a different set of problems because usually you know the hostess and want to avoid creating any bad feelings. Fall back on allergies as no one wants to see you break out in hives in the middle of their party. Carry a club soda or mineral water with you and no one will notice that you're not drinking.

Over a period of time, these little changes can have a significant impact on your weight. If you're hungry when you get home, make sure that you have some liquid protein or a health shake available to complete your daily nutritional needs.

2. Exercise.

With the best of intentions, millions of us purchase gym memberships. If we all actually used them on a regular basis, as we promise ourselves we will, there would be waiting lines spilling into the streets. Health clubs can keep signing up more and more members because they know that the number of regulars will stay about the same as the new enrollees will show up in a burst of initial enthusiasm but within a few short weeks will gradually fade away.

Unless you have a job with very regular hours, something few of us enjoy these days, it's difficult to commit to going somewhere on a regular basis. We mean to go but then an important meeting comes up, our significant other asks us to do something, or the kids pester us to drive them somewhere.

Our high demand lives almost force us to obtain our exercise at home. Television is replete with home equipment that promises to flatten our abs, define our pects, and re-sculpt our entire bodies. Despite their assurances that the equipment easily folds away, we know our apartments can never accommodate a Bowflex or a Nordic Track. Where do those buyers live? In the suburbs, we suspect, where the expensive equipment is soon relegated to the basement or the garage to gather dust until some future yard sale comes along. Equipment, except for minimal contraptions such as elastic bands and hand weights, are just too much trouble, and setting them up takes too much time.

Slipping exercise into your schedule is most easily handled (and therefore more likely to be regularly repeated) by pursuing activities that can be initiated without any preparation time, special clothes, or long periods free of interruption. The old standbys of pushups, situps, stretches with weights, yoga, and calisthenics have stood the test of time for a reason. They can be inserted into your crowded schedule at odd moments of the day and require no preparation except a short warm-up. Some of the newer programs: callanetics, pilates (some), killer exercises, and video workouts also fit these requirements.

When you unexpectedly find a secret half hour free, take a walk and, if you can, magnify its benefits with an occasional bout of sprinting.

Such a plan may not make you into a Mr. or Ms. Universe but it will keep you limber and semi-fit while avoiding that energy-devouring guilt you develop when you set your sights too high and then fail to follow through.

3. Taking care of yourself.

We have all read the accounts of Cleopatra bathing in asses' milk to bleach and smooth her skin. But she was a Queen, for heaven's sake! She didn't have to get up at the crack of dawn to fight the traffic into the office. She didn't have to take care of a husband, a house, or a child. You'd have the time to leisurely bathe if it weren't for cleaning the house, washing the clothes, finishing that report for the office, helping the kids with their homework, cooking dinner, and picking up Aunt Mildred at the airport.

We know we need to take care of ourselves. We want to perform the routines that will stave off the signs of age that wait just around the corner. We would love to take a long daily bath or shower, polish our skin to perfection with a loofah and scrubbing powders, envelop ourselves in skin softeners and lotions, and pamper our face and hair with special cleansers, masques, and skin brighteners.

Again, our lives get in the way. We work out a minimal routine of makeup remover, toner, and moisturizer. We shampoo our hair when we can and occasionally find the time for a special oil treatment or facial. It is hard to be fully motivated when the signs of age are brief and fleeting. When I have more time, we tell ourselves, I'll work on it. Twenty years later, the wrinkles have set in, the jowls have puffed out, and our skin carries the scars of sun, wind, and gravity. Then we bemoan our lack of care through the years and try to minimize the ravages of time already indelibly imprinted on our looks.

By all means, stick to your rapid daily routine. Sure, you could get up earlier in the morning and have time for more self-care but you're already, like most working-age Americans, sleep-deprived.

One solution is to identify one period a week when you can steal a couple of hours for yourself. Women, especially, shortchange themselves, too busy taking care of everyone else and ignoring themselves. Stake out your claim to that two hour window as if your life depended on it. Use it only for you. Use it to take deep treatments for your face or your hair. Use it to practice relaxation, listen to music, or walk in the rain. Use it to pamper every part of your body and spirit. Use it to think about yourself, and your goals, and your dreams. Use it to appreciate yourself and the good things life has brought you. Use it to lay plans for future self-development and use it to become your own best friend and confidant.

Our lives are so filled up with what we have to do that our wants and internal needs are often unmet. In even the busiest and most demanding schedule, there are moments we can carve out for ourselves, but only if we absolutely insist on it. Right now is the time to become assertive about your own self. You too deserve a brief moment in the sun.

Virginia Bola is a licensed psychologist and an admitted diet fanatic. She specializes in therapeutic reframing and the effects of attitudes and motivation on individual goals. The author of The Wolf at the Door: An Unemployment Survival Manual, and a free ezine, The Worker's Edge, she recently published a psychologically-based weight control e-workbook, "Diet with an Attitude" which develops mental skills towards the goal of permanent weight control. She can be reached at http://www.DietWithAnAttitude.com/index2.html She provides support and guidance in use of the workbook through her regular blog, http://dietwithanattitude.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Virginia_Bola,_PsyD