Tips to Lose Weight Without Dieting

I'm finding all kinds of good information about losing weight. In the June issue of Woman's Day Magazine (womansday.com) is an article about losing weight without dieting. It is a positive approach to losing weight without feeling deprived.
Some of the ideas they listed were ones I had heard before and some were new to me. I'm going to share a few with you.
**Add more spice. It's great for your taste buds. Season your food with red pepper to feel fuller. It also gives your metabolism a kick. (This was on the Doctor's list from my last post. Must be a really good idea.)
**Downsize your plates. use a 10-inch plate instead of a 12 inch plate. It will look like you have more food.
**Slow down and enjoy your food. I saw a woman from France on tv and she said they eat very slowly and eat less. When I was in Paris last summer we saw people taking hours to eat their dinner. Here in the U.S. we are always in a hurry.
**Eat foods with more volume. Instead of a handful of candy, you can eat a big bowl of popcorn!

These are just a few of the good ideas in the article. Check out the June issue for more great tips if you are trying to shed a few pounds. These seemed very practical and easy.

Need to Lighten Your Load?

I was reading Joanna Schmidt's blog (productbody.blogspot.com). She had a generic letter from her doctor listing good foods for losing weight...After trying on swimsuits at Kohl's last week it would appear that I need to eat more of these!

A generic letter from her doctor:
There are seven simple foods for you to keep in mind that
can help you with controlling your weight:

(1) salmon,
(2) walnuts,
(3) hot sauce with capsaicin,
(4) water with lemon,
(5) ground flaxseed,
(6) cinnamon,
and(7) granola bars with high fiber and low sugar.


All of these are good items to consider when you want a
snack or when you want to help control that feeling of
hunger so that you can maintain control over your weight.
To Your Good Health,
Dr. Paul Winner

I thought this was a nice touch by her MD. With all of their medical knowledge it's nice to see that they can share it without charging an office call. Have any of you gotten anything like this from your doctor?

Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep

This holiday weekend I was at my sister's cabin. Sleeping in a different bed with a different bedtime routine kept me awake even though I was tired. Needless to say, I was not at my best today. So I decided to check out some restful sleep tips. Following these, you should sleep like a baby.

1. Choose the Right Sleep Position.

On your back with a pillow supporting your neck and under your knees is best. If you have to sleep on your side, put a pillow between your legs. Sleeping on your stomach is the worst. Even though we are used to one of these, you can change your sleeping position habit.

2. Choose the Right Mattress.

It should be firm and supportive. Check to see if your mattress comes with a warranty to guarantee satisfaction. Laying on it for 5 minutes in the store won't give you the true test.

3. Choose the Right Pillow.

If you sleep on your back it should support your neck. If you sleep on your side, the pillow should support your body from your neck to your shoulders. If you sleep on both, then your pillow should support both.

4. Stick to a Schedule.

Of course, I didn't. Sometimes it just isn't possible. But for the best sleep, go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time each day.

5. Don't exercise right before bed

6. Your bedroom should be for sleeping. Keep it cool, dark, quiet and comfortable.

7. Power naps are good but don't sleep for more than 1/2 an hour

Now that I know how to improve the quality of my sleep, I'm looking forward to a restful night. After all, we spend 1/3 of our lives sleeping. Why not do it right? And if all else fails, you can still count your blessings, instead of sheep!

Those Roots Are Showing Again...!

My husband has had beautiful white hair since he was quite young. He looks great in it. My gray however, just makes me look old. So what's a gal to do? Cover up that gray!

I do my own coloring at home. It saves time and money. It can be a little messy but I'm pretty careful. I sure wish it would last longer but my hair grows really fast. (You can see where the expense comes in.) I was reading Prevention magazine and found a great article with tips for coloring your hair.

*Before you color you should wash with a clarifying shampoo. I have never done this but I'm going to start. This shampoo will get rid of any product build-up before you start.

*Stay away from reds--they wash out too fast.

*After you color wait 48 hours to shampoo.

*Use a shampoo for color-treated hair. These contain gentler detergents. Also rinse with warm,not hot water.

*Tap water contains chlorine which is a bleaching agent. Well water has minerals in it that coat the hair. The best thing to use is a showerhead water purifier. (www.myiwater.com)

*Use a conditioner with a sunscreen. I'll also add--wear a hat in the sun. The sun will fade color fast.

*Monthly, use an at-home gloss or glaze. It's like putting a topcoat of polish on your hair. Truthfully, I had never heard of these before.

For more great tips check out the May issue of Prevention magazine. (www.prevention.com)

Concerned About Your Appearance?

My local daily paper carried an article about a poll done by the Associated Press-iVillage. More than half of the women surveyed don't like their weight, while 48 % view their body negatively. Some women said they were dieting while not eating healthy. Others thought they're fat when they really aren't.

The article goes on to say that women athletes would be much better role models than supermodels. We undervalue physical fitness and we overvalue thinness and appearance in this country.

The poll also found that women are not exercising as much as they should be for good health. Here in the U.S. 60% of men and women are overweight or obese. (Being overweight and sedentary are big risk factors for Type 2 diabetes.) I'll be the numbers are even higher for kids.

About 25% of the women polled said they would consider plastic surgery. The tummy tuck was the overwhelming choice. A quick fix?

If you look at magazine headlines there is almost always something about losing weight and usually a picture of a skinny model too. It's no wonder that with our real-world figures we tend to think of our selves as not beautiful. I struggled with this for most of my young adult life. It took a long time to finally realize I am never going to be rail-thin and that it is ok. However, I have been really trying to become more healthy. That includes eating more fruits and veggies, cutting down on red meat and adding a more strenuous exercise program.

Is it easy? Not always. But I have two granddaughters that are looking to their mom and their grandmothers. We need to be the ones to help change the attitude of needing perfect bodies to be happy. I want them to be in the best physical shape they can be while not obsessing about their weight and appearance.

How would you have responded to the poll? Positive feelings, negative feelings or don't care about your body image?

Longer Lashes Anyone?

If you want longer lashes and you have $120 a month you don’t need, you can have longer, thicker eyelashes. The FDA has approved LATISSE(TM) (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.03% as a novel treatment for having inadequate or not enough eyelashes.


Available only through a doctor, LATISSE(TM) is a once-daily prescription treatment applied to the base of the upper eyelashes with a sterile, single-use-per-eye disposable applicator. LATISSE(TM) users can expect to experience longer, fuller and darker eyelashes in as little as eight weeks, with full results in 16 weeks. To keep your lashes looking fuller, you have to keep up the treatment. If use of LATISSE(TM) is discontinued, eyelashes will gradually return to where they were prior to treatment.


LATISSE ™may cause eyelid skin darkening which may be reversible, and there is potential for increased brown iris pigmentation which is likely to be permanent. There is a potential for hair growth to occur in areas where LATISSE™ solution comes in repeated contact with skin surfaces. So it's like the song “don’t it make your brown eyes blue"…except it could make your blue eyes brown! Seems like a lot of side effects to me for a hefty price


If you go to the LATISSE website(latisse.com) you can watch a video of Brooke Shields endorsing the product. Personally, I’m going to use my regular mascara and maybe spend a little more on some good facial products like the ones Gathered From The Garden makes. Would you pay $120 for longer lashes?

11 Lipstick Tricks

There are a few tried & true tips out there when it comes to lipstick. Here are a few of them...

1. To keep lip prints off your water glass, simply (& discreetly) lick the lip of the glass before drinking.
2. Never use a test lipstick on your lips. It's just plain unhygienic.(Think Swine Flu…) Instead, test lipstick on your fingertips. It's a closer fit to your lips than the back of your hand.
3. Before applying any lipstick or lip liner, it is important to prep your lips. Brush your lips at night with a soft bristle toothbrush to get rid of any dull and dry skin.
4. You can create a great lip color by blending lipsticks you don't like.
5. Apply with a lip brush. When applying directly from the tube, you are really applying about 5-6 layers of color. About 4 layers more than you really need. A brush applies 1 even layer that stays on a lot longer
6. Lightly take a small eye shadow brush, and brush loose powder over lipstick to set. On top of this, you can apply your lip gloss in the center of the lips. Powder applied after lipstick will keep lip gloss on longer.
7. Broken lipsticks? This has happened to me so often! Don't throw them away. Press them back together and store them in the refrigerator till they look fixed. Store them in cooler places to avoid breaking again.
8. Blot lips after applying lipstick, it will help set the color and remove excess of it. You can add a thin layer of loose or pressed powder and then apply color again.
9. To keep your lips going all day, first pencil all over lips with a soft lip pencil then apply lipstick over it and blot.
10. If it’s a hot, humid day, don’t leave your lipstick in your purse. Instead, store it in the fridge while you’re home. It will last longer, and will be much healthier for your lips.
11. If your lips are thinned out and wrinkled, avoid matte or a gloss and stick with a creamy lipstick.

Do give these a try when you are applying lipstick next time!