Cherish Your Friends; They are Precious Commodities

I've been wanting to write an article about how important it is to be there for your friends. In this time of transition, my friends have been invaluable to me, and I have realized how much I appreciate those who have reached out to me, and been there. So much so that I have noticed when my friends have really needed me in return. We are all dealing with so much in our lives; kids, parents, college, marriages, death. Need I go on. I think you get the message. The important thing is that we must continue to be there for each other, for support when that tragedy comes along, whether it be the death of a spouse, the loss of a relationship, or the loss of a job. I know it's hard to compare one to the other, but for the person going thru the so-called tragedy, or the actual  tragedy, the sense of loss is very much the same. Being there and showing your support can be as little as just a phone call or a text, or as big as taking the time to just be with that person for a while so they don't have to be alone, and listen to whatever they want to talk about even if you've heard it over and over again. Everyone heals and deals in their own way, and on their own time schedule. Personally, I have had to realize that everyone is busy with their own stuff, and when they find the time to respond they will. Because I have so much free time these days, I take for granted that just because I call or text doesn't mean that the receiver can respond immediately, even though that's what I want. That's what we all want; INSTANT GRATIFICATION. Eventually they do respond, and if they don't and the message was really important, just send it again, as it may have gotten lost or forgotten, depending on what is going on at the moment with the other party. Remember, EVERYONE IS BUSY with something, and it's not all about you.

Part of being there for your friends is making sure they are taking care of themselves by eating right and exercising. I know some of my friends might think to themselves; "oh no here she goes again, preaching about food and exercise". Well, that's my thing. It's hard to keep my mouth shut when I see that my friends are not eating enough because they got busy, or just didn't feel hungry. We need to remember that in order to feel hungry, you must eat. Eating is what makes the body work and gets that metabolism moving. I know when I started writing about changing my eating habits I mentioned that I had to get used to eating every couple of hours even though I wasn't hungry. It took about two weeks but once my body got used to eating every couple of hours, I was quickly reminded by my stomach, it was time to eat. Try and keep snacks in your car such as nuts, and water, and grab a piece of fruit to take with you when you are leaving the house. You never know when you will need it because you got to BUSY, and forgot to eat. It's happened to me as well when I get caught up in whatever I am doing and before you know it 4-5 hours have gone by and you haven't eaten anything. Normally my stomach will tell me, and I know that is the natural progression for most of us, but if you jump start  your body with a good, healthy breakfast in the morning, and keep up with those snacks between lunch and dinner, you will feel so much better. Your body will thank you and you will want to eat. Also try and keep up with your exercise, by walking at least 30 minutes a day, and getting that heavier cardio workout a couple of times a week, to keep your heart healthy. I remember a phrase from a movie, " exercise produces endorphins, and endorphins make you happy". Just another reason to exercise when you are down in the dumps. I can't tell you how many times I was down and out and didn't want to go to the gym for any reason. I try to remember how good it felt at the end of those nights when I was coming home and thinking to myself how glad I was that I made myself go, and how much better I felt because I played some great racquetball and got to hang out with my friends at the Y. Most of the time I forgot why I was down in the first place. I would like to also stress how important it is to eat something before and after your workouts, to have fuel to burn, and replenish when you're done. Feeling light headed is a sign you have not eaten enough, and avoiding food due to a workout is not the healthy way to go, especially in the heat. One more tip is to always drink water throughout the day, to keep yourself hydrated, and once again, make that body work.

So enough healthy tips for one day. The point once again is that we all need to take care of each other and be there for one another in our times of need and just because. Be honest with each other, but try to realize when to back off due to timing, and the severity of the situation. Put yourself in your friends position and try and realize what they are feeling before you react strongly, or negatively. I have had most of my friends for a very long time and have come to value them so much more thru the years. Friends are precious commodities, not to be taken advantage of, or taken for granted. I dedicate this article to all of my friends, and you know who you are. I love you all very much!!

Living and Loving My Friends

Life Is A Gift; Don't Wait For The Tragedy

Everyday there are so many stories, TV shows, ads, and reports about obesity, and the tragedies that have caused people to become healthier and take charge of their lives. I finally decided that this needs to be the subject of my next article, so here it is. Why do we have to wait for a life changing event such as death or illness to shock us into reality, and finally take charge of our  health and wellness? I think it's great that there are more and more shows such as "The Biggest Loser", and "The Revolution", and even "Dr. Oz", not to mention all the cooking shows on the Food Network to promote the importance of losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. What I don't understand is how and why we let ourselves get to the point of no return. I know that everyone is a victim of their environment. We eat the way our parents eat which is the way their parents ate. We exercise the way we were taught in school, and/or by our parents. As adults we are exposed to so many new things, however we seem to turn a blind eye to the things we know we should do in an effort to maintain the norm as we know it. Always afraid to take that new step into the unknown. How will I ever live without my cakes, cookies, chocolate, creamy sauces, satiating fried foods, etc. I can't tell you how many times I have tried to talk to people about new foods I have tried, and had them tell me; "I can't live without this", or "I can't give that up", " It doesn't taste the same", "I'd rather not eat it if I have to substitute this for that". The very next comment is; "I can't seem to get rid of this belly, and I am exercising all the time".

 My answer is if you want your body to change, you have to be willing to make changes.   The real question is how badly do you want things to change. I have learned throughout my life that you can do anything as long as you try hard enough, and want it bad enough. We all control our own destiny. What we eat, and how much we exercise is no different than what we want to be when we grow up, or what we want to do with the rest of our lives. The information is out there for the taking, but you have to go and get it, and then do something with it. I realize that change is always the hardest thing to accomplish. I found this out being an Office  Manager/CFO in my last job. I instituted many changes in my early years at the job, but this was by far the greatest challenge. People are so resistant to change. If we never take that next step into the unknown, we never improve on anything, and everything stays at a constant whether it be good, bad, or indifferent. If it's not a good change, the best  part is you can always change back to what you know to be good. What have you really lost in the long run, and you took the bigger step in an effort to find out what else was around the corner that you otherwise would have never known about. More times than not, the results of the change will be positive, and you will feel a remarkable sense of satisfaction, and accomplishment for going in the new direction. I have always felt that there is always room for improvement. 

Getting back to my point of the article; Take charge of your life now. If you wait until something tragic happens, you could be harming yourself in ways that cannot be repaired. It is a well known fact that getting rid of the belly fat, and incorporating daily exercise in your routine, can, and will reduce medical conditions such as high blood pressure, cholesterol issues, and many other illnesses. This is different for everyone, and there is no guarantee as to what medicines you can reduce or cut out completely, but the benefits of eating more fruits, and vegetables, healthy whole grains, beans, lean meats, chicken, and seafood are becoming clearer and clearer each day. I know myself changing the way I eat has caused me to notice how badly my body feels when eating too many sweets, fried foods, and fatty foods. I actually enjoy the taste of fresh fruits, and vegetables, and cooking my own healthy meals gives me such a sense of accomplishment when the meal is complete. I was raised to enjoy my food, and I have learned to do just that thru healthy eating with fresh ingredients. Always remember to eat what you like, and be creative with your food. Once again, change is good, so try new things to enhance your choices, never depriving yourself of anything within reason. My advice is be healthy 90% of the time, and let yourself go 10% of the time.

EVERYTHING IN MODERATION

Life is Precious, Don't Take It For Granted