I have been reading the book “The Life You Want” by Bob Greene and Anne Kearney-Cooke, Ph.D, Janis Jibrin. And there are a lot of things that are said about what causes us to gain weight and what prevents us from being able to lose it and keep it off. These are the things that have an effect on our life that have nothing to do with diet and exercise.

There is a lot to be said about how things going on your life can affect your health and well being. People that are happy are much more likely to make decisions that are healthy and will benefit your existence. There is not always a lot that can be done about things in your life, but you can often make these situations more tolerable.

One of biggest challenges is my job. There are times that it can make me quite angry, but I do have choices. I can be angry and be upset over what is going on or I can make the decision to reduce or eliminate the situation as quickly as possible. Once it is gone, I am no longer angered by it. Another thing I can do is get up and take a walk no matter what time it is. There is very little I do that cannot wait.

I have also found that living a simple life makes things easier. The more complicated you make things the more stressful your life will be. I go to great lengths to simplify my life and eliminate the stress that is part of living from time to time. Getting rid of clutter is another thing that seems to help me find happiness. For a long time I have kept things and they have been in boxes for years. I tried not to put a lot of time into sorting through these things. It seems the longer you contemplate, the better the chance is that you will hang onto useless things.

I have gone from approximately 30 boxes of crap to 3 boxes of things that mean a lot to me. I truly believe the less material things I surround myself with the more room I have in my life for making healthy choices and fitness activities that I truly enjoy. “The Life You Want” says that if you are happy with your life, the rest will fall into place. People looking for the quickest way to lose weight are generally looking for a quick fix and not a permanent fix that they can take with them for the rest of their life. Being happy will allow you to make positive and permanent changes.

I truly believe that the more balanced your life is and the less stress that you have the easier it is going to be for you to make healthy decisions about your life. The fewer problems you have that are constantly on your mind, the more room you will have for positive thoughts and actions. I have always said that the easiest way to lose weight is to find a plan that will work for you. With that thought in mind I have changed a few things that I think are all for the best.

I have found a protein shake that satisfies me, tastes good and seems to give me the feeling of being calm. I seem to have problems with being easily irritated when I am at work. I realize that for the time being that job is part of my life and I have to deal with it and the most I can make of this situation, the better off I will be in the long run. My place of employment is my biggest source of emotional eating. Not to mention that they are huge source of unnecessary food. Pastries are always being brought in and many meals are catered in also.

If I start the day out with a protein shake it seems to keep me from experiencing cravings for foods that are unhealthy. If I start out with carbs or even a healthy cereal, I am done. These foods open the flood gates and I cannot seem to get enough food to satisfy me after that. I have to be able to find a program that does not require a lot of cooking, a lot of protein and is low in sugar and carbs.

I have also made some changes to the way I run my part time business. I am going to begin outsourcing more of what I do. It seems the people that are really successful turn most of what they do over to people that are experts. I have a budget of $300-$400 per month and that should get me well on my way to making more money and having more time to do the things I love and the things that are going to get me ready for the future.

My real goals are to keep exercising regularly and to try to control what eat better. For me, the eating part is a struggle and probably always will be, but I keep working at and I have seen improvement. For my finances, I want to have my consumer debt paid off in 6 months. For my business, I would like to be making $100 a day in the next 6 months. I think these goals are all attainable, but what Google does has a lot to do with my business.

Losing weight is about being healthy and that is what your focus should be. One of the biggest motivators for staying on track is to list the reasons you would like to be thinner. You will find as many reasons for this as there are personalities in the world, but one of the most common reasons for losing weight and becoming healthy is so that you can enjoy life.

This is a very general reason. For many people, it has to do with children. It is no fun to go to the park and watch other people chasing their children or participating in some other activity with them while you are not able to do the same. One of the things that saddens a parent the most is not being be there 100% for their child. If this is your case, use it to motivate you to change. If you do not have children or they are grown, find a reason that makes sense to you.

Making a commitment of this type means leaving the excuses behind. Very seldom is an excuse valid and most of them are worked through by other people every day. And if they can do it, you can do it also. Armed with your reason to lose weight and get healthy, you will need to work on three things. These are a healthy plan for eating, a plan for exercise and methods for getting past the mental things that can sabotage you.

There is no shortage of plans for eating. Can in mind that the easiest way to lose weight varies from person to person. You can order meals and have them delivered to your door, meal replacement plans are popular and then there are plans, such as; Weight Watchers that are based on counting calories, points or exchanges while eating a required number of servings from each food group. I prefer to follow a program similar to Weight Watchers because it allows me to eat goodies as long as I count them. If you pick a plan and find that you do not like it or cannot follow it, you do have other options. Use them and keep going.

Exercise…Some people hate it and others could not live without it. Wherever you fit into this spectrum, realize that exercise is essential to losing weight and becoming healthy. You will most likely not accomplish your goal without exercise. You have to have aerobic exercise, strength training and stretching as part of your workout schedule. You can get the information you need from books, videos and classes at your local fitness center. Personal trainers can be pricey, but they are worth the money and can give you all need to become physically healthy.

The mental part of eating has to do with the reason a person eats when they are not really hungry or past the point of being full. This could be as simple as being bored, tired, angry or overwhelmed, but unfortunately, for many people it runs deeper than that. You can have all the knowledge in the world about how to get healthy, but if you do not fix what is going on in the inside, you will probably not be able to fix the outside.

For some people overcoming compulsive eating may be as simple as being made aware of it and keeping a journal of what they eat and how they feel before and after they eat it. For others, counseling or some other type support may be needed to get to the root of the problem and make the necessary changes. Overeaters Anonymous has helped thousands of people learn to manage eating disorders of all types. This organization not only has members that are obese, but it has individuals that struggle with anorexia and bulimia.

Losing weight and getting healthy is a process and will take time and work. But anyone that has the proper motivation can do it. Find your reason for getting healthy and get started.

Losing weight is more than just burning more calories than you are consuming. It takes leading a balanced life. To be successful at keeping the weight off, you will most definitely have to address other problem areas in your life.

While you may not be a hoarder, many people in this country are attractive to “stuff.” The older I get the more I believe that an excess of processions will hold you back and for many people, it also brings them excess consumer debt. I heard a saying that really hit home with me and rings so true. It goes like this…”Anything that you possess that you cannot relinquish once it has outlived its usefulness, possesses you.”

I have two areas, my garage and basement, that need addressed as far as excess possessions go. I have no problem getting rid of most of the things in these areas, but I do not live alone and not everyone agrees with my efforts to downsize. I am making progress and as long as some things are going and other things are getting a “home”, I am okay with that. If I can go through things once a year and eliminate things that are not being used, things will be fine.

Many people who have a weight problem also have other problems in their lives. I have come to believe after many years in the corporate world and starting my own business that simpler is better. I am not saying that you need to go without or eliminate things that are necessary, but having multiples of things and having so much that you cannot find anything when you need it is counterproductive.

A weight loss program should not be about the quickest way to lose weight. It should be about what will restore your physical health, but most of us also need a program for our mental health. After all, most people are guilty of emotional eating and this has to do with the other things that are going on in your life. Many people know that eating when they are not hungry is not healthy, but they do it anyway. You have to work on what is eating you as well as what you are eating. If you have debt, make a plan to eliminate it. If you have clutter, clean it up or get help in dealing with it. If you are in a toxic relationship, you want to seek the advice of a professional. Losing weight is only part of what will have to change to be healthy.

Okay, here I go again setting weight loss goals for myself. This time, the difference is…this time I am going to meet them. I have undertaken a project that is supposed to increase my income by more than $1,000 a month by the end of the next six months. So, I have decided to make a priority to lose 30-35 pounds in the next 6 months. Now, if it takes longer than 6 months, that is not a big deal. As long as I see progress I will eventually achieve this goal. The end result is to be able to have abdominoplasty, sometimes called a tummy tuck. My concern is more the excess fat around my stomach than having the stomach of a teenager. I believe I heard a rumor that the hospital that did my gastric bypass surgery performs this procedure for a very reasonable price for their weight loss surgery patients. There it is…what I want to do.

Now, some of things I am going to change or do to get there. Even though, I drink only diet pop, it is not something that is attributing to my health and something I can do without. I remember eliminating soda from my diet once before and it was a good time in my life. I weighed more, but I felt like I was making positive changes. I have already eliminated much of the sugar I had been eating, but unfortunately I have replaced it with other things that are now problematic. This is something that I will have to address in the next week. I have found that actually taking the time to evaluate how I feel and eat only when I am hungry goes a long way to helping me lose weight. The other thing I have done is gone back to my personal trainer. I feel like my muscles are weak and I want that gone. This is going to go a long way in getting me where I need to be as long as I stick with it. We will see. I don’t see failing as an option.

My job is something that I find stands in my way of living the life that I want. I make okay money, but I have excellent benefits. I have a business on the side that will give me enough money that I probably would not need a corporate job in 6 months to a year. But I have struggled with money for so long that I don’t want to find myself in that place ever again. And then there are the benefits…the medical insurance is adequate, I have never seen better insurance for prescriptions and my dental insurance coordinates with my husbands and I have double coverage. They also offer long-term care insurance at a group rate along with a few other things that most other companies do not offer.

Here is the problem. There is large amounts of chaos and drama. I have the capability to work from my home, but this company is “old school” and they do not feel that unless you are confined in a cube that you could be working. My drive is more than 30 minutes one way and the 60 minutes that I have to take for lunch all eat into time that could be better spent. The other problem is how I feel when I am there. I feel angry all the time. I make many of the decisions and solve many of the problems for my department. Yet, I report to someone else and it just causes stress that I do not need. The big problem is I can “retire” in 4 years and take all of my benefits with me, but I don’t know if I can hold out that long. And all of this has a big impact on my eating and my overall health.

Yesterday was the Race for the Cure in my city. In case you are not up on what this is, it is a fundraiser for breast cancer that takes place in many larger cities on different dates in the spring. This has always been a big deal in this city, but in the past few years it has taken on a life of its own in Columbus, OH. Even if you did not attend the race yesterday, it is still customary for many people to where pink.

My son’s school, Hamilton Township High School, raises a lot of money for this function. When I walked yesterday morning I saw 2 high school girls leave for school dressed in the style of the 1950s. They were wearing pink T-shirts, black skirts and pink bobby socks. They had pony tails on the top of their head tied with large pink ribbons. That high school donates a lot of money to that event and they win the competition every year. It is the largest event for giving back to the community.

The part of this event that has really escalated its popularity in this town was the death of a well known news anchor, Heather Pick, who lost her life to breast cancer at less than 40 years of age. On her last television appearance she was wearing a pink wig. The year following her death, Heather’s Team was started. For a fee, you could join the team and you get a T-shirt and a pink wig. In the weeks leading up to the race, one of the well known Salon’s in town will cut and style your pink wig for free.

People wear these wigs to work in the weeks leading up to the race. One of the most memorable incidents was a landscaping company’s employees wearing their pink wigs while they were mowing and manicuring yards. These wigs can be seen all over town.

In the past year, Heather Pick, was joined by Stephanie Spielman. She was the wife of football player Chris Spielman. Together over the eleven years that Stepanie battled cancer, Stephanie and Chris raised more than 7 million dollars for cancer research. I believe most of it was donated to James Cancer Center, a cancer facility located on the campus of the Ohio State University. Stephanie lost her battle with breast cancer in the past year. This year the pink wigs were worn by Heather and Stepanie’s Team. The Race for the Cure was run by more than 50,000 people in the city of Columbus and many of these people are survivors.

So, what do think of acai berry products? I will get back to that a little bit later. It is Sunday and this is the day that I try to regroup for the week. I went to the gym and walked for 40 minutes. I have every intention (and you know what they say about intentions) of doing about 20 minute of strength training. That is what I plan on doing 6 days a week. I know it ambitious, but I started walking before I go to work and I love it. There is a mall very close to where I work and the environment is great.

It is an old mall and it has marble floors and a grand piano. It is small mall, but it is great for walking and the atmosphere motivates me. I have got nothing else to do at the time of the morning and it gives me a great start to the day. If I can accomplish that each morning, that just leaves me with 20 minutes of strength training in the evening. The fewer things I leave for the evenings that are a challenge, the better off I am.

Now, back to the acai berry products. This seems to be an ultra hot product right now. I just did website on it. If you are curious, they are offering an acai berry free trial. I would probably try it, but I am already taking a supplement that I am happy with. I am wondering if anyone has tried any of the acai berry supplements and what they think.

The one thing that gets me about all these free trial weight loss products is that they all have Oprah in the ads. Now, I don’t know if you have seen Oprah recently, but it does not look like she is doing too much to maintain a healthy weight. Don’t get me wrong, I love her to death and thinks that she has done a lot of good for people. But I believe she is exploited by these companies and I wonder if she knows these ads exist.

I have reached my 5 pound weight loss goal for the month. I actually think that I may have lost 6 pounds this month. This may seem strange that I cannot remember how much I lost, but I cannot remember where I recorded my beginning weight.

I think I like the idea that I don’t know how much I have lost, because that tells me that I am not obsessing over my weight. This was something that held me back in the past. I have struggled with being overwhelmed in the past 2 weeks and I learned a while ago that being overwhelmed gets me in trouble. I eat my way from one side of the problem to the other. I learned a long time ago that I have eliminate the situation that is causing the problem. It took me a few days, but I did finally got rid of the excess stress and continued on with my life. I ate my way through those days, but not to the point where I gained weight or changed my thinking about my goals.

Now, about the green tea. I usually drink a cup in the morning and sometimes a cup in the afternoon. The brand I use has ginseng in it and is very inexpensive. Not only is this tea packed full of antioxidants, but it helps me control my appetite and gives me that energy boost that I am looking for. I usually sip on it all morning and especially when I feel like I am getting hungry.

I am working on a certification for work and I will be glad when I am done. This is a real challenge, because it changes my normal routine. Another 2 weeks and hopefully I will be done and can get back to the things in my life that mean more to me. This will help me advance my career and it is something that I need, but I also want to get back to my internet business. I would also like to exercise more. I will set those goals once I reach the certification goal.

I have been having moderate success with my weight loss, but I think I would benefit from a free printable food diary. I found one today online that I really like, but I am looking for one that is electronic. I am the kind of person that likes nice fancy journals, but I have actually come across a form that is an excel spreadsheet that includes all the pertinent information, as well as questions that deal with your emotions and your surroundings at the time you choose to eat.

I am on the computer many hours a day, so I can keep this form on a jump drive and update it as need be. I think this journal will help me identify problem areas.

I already know one major problem area and that is my place of employment. That place has more food than a restaurant and unfortunately the areas where this food is placed is not far from where I sit. I am trying to find effective ways of avoiding it or dealing with it. With my compulsive eating habits, I can eat anytime. Hunger is not a requirement.

Saturday is the first Ohio State game and I have already received and email from the administrative assistant announcing the Friday tailgate festivities. What this basically means is that there will be junk food available all day and it will be located about 2 steps away from where I sit. This is going to be a tough one. If I could, I would take the day off. But that is only a temporary solution. There will be several more of these things before football season ends. I have about 2 days to come up with a plan of action and there is no guarantee that I will be able to follow it. I will let you know how I do.