Step 1 -- Casting on for left handers or paying attention to details

After a rough start, the knitting project is going well. I came to the realization that I actually don't know how to knit. I've never knitted anything except for a few scarves and potholders, mostly when I was a kid. I tried to knit a pair of mittens a few years ago but the mitten was made for extraordinarily long hands (about two inches longer than my own hand).

My mother was very talented, she knitted sweaters, gloves, mittens, and hats. She tried to teach me but I didn't have much interest back then (about 40+ years ago...I think I was 11 or 12 at the time).

When I started my current knitting project, a simple scarf made out of this cool yarn, I had some problems.

The first step to any knitting project is casting on for the first row of stitches. For the life of me I couldn't remember how to start. I had a beginners book in my big box of yarn so I pulled it out and read this:

I still couldn't figure it out. I couldn't get that first loop to work. It seemed odd, kind of backwards to me. I finally faked it by tying the yarn around the needle and casting on the first row. From there it was easy, just a simple knit stitch, which I remembered how to do.

This morning I looked at the book again. The directions, as you can see from above says "Step 1 - casting on for left handers". Aha! I'm NOT left handed, I'm right handed! No wonder it seemed backwards to me. The right hander instructions were on the next page.

So what does this has to do with weight loss? Not paying attention to details has been my downfall lately. By lately I mean the past year.

I had a lot of weight to lose when I started February 2008. 100 pounds. The first 60 pounds were easy to lose. Then I lost my focus. I lost another 20pounds but it was a struggle. Then I gained back the 20 pounds, then I lost it again. Then I gained it, which is where I sit now.

My problem is my lack of attention to detail. I only track a few days a week. I don't always weigh and measure my food. I don't stay within my allowed Points. In other words, I'm wasting my time.

The real way to lose weight is to cut back on eating. Exercise is good for you but it won't make you lose weight. When you read how much you'd have to exercise to work off the calories of a single M&M you'll realize that you're not exercising to lose weight. It's one to two minutes of exercise to work off one M&M. Yes, exercise is good for your heart, your muscles, your bones, but it's not really a weight loss technique.

I'm living proof that it takes more than exercise to lose weight. I'm faithful to my workouts but I don't cut back on my eating. I don't eat junk, I eat healthy, nutritious food, but I eat too much.

Based on my new revelation (okay, it's not really new...I knew I was slacking), I'm changing my goals for the week to just two basic goals. Track my Points and stay within my limit. I've been making this a lot harder than it has to be.

Here's something I don't post very often. Me post workout today, where I was a sweaty mess.

Rapid Weight Loss Diet

Here are the Best Rapid Weight Loss Diet Techniques that will surely trim down those fats and get a super slim sexy head turner body

First thing you should do if you're over-weight is to seek a doctor to recommend the best weight loss diet. This will be done after a full physical examination, which leads to your determination of proper weight loss technique. And to lose weight fast and effectively, 4 aspects of your life should be changed: what to eat, how to eat, your behavior and the activity level.

Here are Extreme Weight Loss Diet Tips that can change your life:

1. Rapid weight loss composes of a multi-faceted technique that consists mindset, exercise, and in other cases, diet supplements. Begin by learning a diet food plan that you can easily get familiarized with. Include an exercise plan that allows even at least 15 minutes a day like brisk walking, running, swimming, and dancing.

2. Set realistic goals. The ability to focus and have proper mindset enables someone on a diet to quickly lose those unwanted pounds. With discipline and proper mind set, you will never be discouraged and you'll stay focused.

3. Listen to your body. Each and everyone's body metabolism reacts differently to different rapid weight loss diets, programs and plans. Try substituting one program for another to compensate the body's reaction. Exercise program must be suitable to your body, as you may not be able to exercise as rigorously as others can. If walking is all that can be done, then walk for this is proven the best exercise. Muscles burn more calories than fats so it is also best to put on a little muscle and look good too.

4. Eat more fibers because it makes you feel full sooner and longer, slowing down the rate of your body's digestion. A single serving of whole grain bread moves fat through the digestive system faster. Grains turn into blood sugar that spikes the body's insulin level. Thus, making the body more energized and ready to tell the body when it should stop burning fats or start storing.

5. Avoid fried foods especially deep-fried; this contains a great amount of fat. Although fish and chicken appear leaner than beef, this white meat can contain more fat than when a beef is fried. It is recommended, if you're on a strict diet to opt for grilled food because this doesn't have or contain less amount of fat after the food is cooked.

6. Drink lots of fluid. Drinking at least six to eight glasses of water a day keeps the body refreshed and hydrated. Since weight loss depends on how the body eliminates body wastes, the body must stay hydrated.

Overall, discipline and consistency is still the best practice and the key to a rapid weight loss success. By following this Rapid Weight Loss Diet Techniques: Light dieting, workout, and right amount of supplementation in a regular way everyday; will result in faster weight loss than having a crash diet only to go back to old habits. This would only lead to gaining more weight than when the weight loss plan has started.

Time to stop floating and get grounded

From Saturday's bike ride:

I wish my legs were this long and skinny!

Beautiful Mt. Rainier. Saturday was a perfect day.

Goals
I woke up in a foul mood this morning. I had the words of a two-year old I know going through my head "I don't wanna!". I really just wanted to turn off the alarm, roll over, pull the covers over my head and forget all my responsibilities in life.

Of course, I'm not two, I'm fifty-five. I learned a long time ago that some things in life just aren't optional. Like going to work. If I want a place to live and food to eat, I have to go to work.

Exercise and eating healthy are optional. As much as I'd like to claim these things are NOT optional, in reality, they are a choice. We can choose to be a couch potato and eat crap, or we can make our best effort to do what's right for our bodies.

In high school my best friend's dad would always tell us, "the hard way is the easy way and the easy way is the hard way". At the time he meant if my we chose not to go to college, in the short run it would seem easy, but in the long run, that was really the hard way".

I've thought of that philosophy hundreds of times over the years and how it applies to weight loss. In the short run it would be easy to never exercise and to just eat whatever the hell I wanted. In the long run that would most likely cause a multitude of possible health issues as well as greatly reduce my quality of life.

Which leads me to the purpose of this post, it's really time for me to stop floating along, staying the same weight. I looked at my calendar this morning and my weight on August 1 was exactly my weight today. In almost two months I haven't lost an ounce. That is seriously a sad state of affairs.

I love reading about people setting weekly goals for themselves, and especially when they report a week later on how they did. Monday is a perfect goal setting day, because after all, all "diets" start on Monday.

Goal #1
Exercise six days a week.

Normally, this wouldn't be much of a challenge for me since that's my normal, but the last month my job has really messed up my workouts. After a 12-14 hour workday, getting to the gym or even a walk was more than I could manage on some days. My average turned into 3-4 times a week.

Goal #2
Attend a Weight Watcher meeting.

I've been terrible at attending meetings lately. I don't have an excuse other than, well, I don't really have an excuse. I just need to do this. It's one hour out of my week. Why is that so difficult?

Goal #3 
Drink water

This is really sort of pathetic to admit, but I've completely stopped drinking water at work. The reason was that I didn't want to take time to go to the bathroom. It makes me crazy that I did this, but things are back to normal at work, and it's time to get back to the water guzzling.

Goal #4
Count Points.

Not even stay within my Points, which would be mighty nice, but just count them, even three times a week (every day preferred, but I have to start small).

Goal #5
Knit a scarf.

It's not weight loss related, but I need to stop being so obsessed by weight loss. I use to do crafty stuff all the time. It's time to get back into something that has nothing to do with weight loss.

Goal #6
Read a book.

I can't remember the last non-weight loss or non-exercise book I read. I have about a dozen fun books on my nightstand. I miss reading and want to get back to it. It use to be one of my favorite things to do. Now it's all about the gym and the food. B-o-r-i-n-g.

I'll report next Monday how the week goes with my goals. Wish me luck. Lord knows I'm going to need it!

Let's Get the 5 Day Pouch Test Done Right!

Kaye shares secrets to getting the 5 Day Pouch Test right and keeping the momentum going beyond Day 5. Learn how to use an important tool that will empower your success. You Can Do This!

Celeb Diet Secrets: Celebrity Diets that Work

Here are some of Celeb Diet Secrets that Work

Celebrities always look great and fabulous. Whether appearing in movies, or television or strutting down the red carpet during movie premiers and awards, they never cease to amaze us.

Truth is, it takes a lot of effort to look the way they do, and being the public figures that they are, they cannot afford to slack off when it comes to taking care of their physical appearances. Aside from the clothes, the hair and the makeup, celebrities have to take good care of their bodies.

Here are some of the diet secrets of seven women celebs:

1. Jennifer Aniston
The star of the phenomenal television show Friends not only mesmerized audiences with her adorable comic sense and her famous hairstyle, she was also known for having one of the sexiest bodies in Hollywood, as she appeared in countless magazine covers. To stay slim, Jennifer follows the 40:30:30 diet method. The diet consists of:
40% Low glycemic carbohydrates
-Foods such as beans, fruits and vegetables, legumes
30% lean proteins
-Tofu, fish, chicken, turkey, beef and low fat dairy products
30% essential fats
-nuts and seeds, fish and olive oils
It is essential that every meal should contain macronutrients to attain the balance of hormones and maximum weight loss.

2. Kate Hudson
The gorgeous daughter of actress Goldie Hawn gained 60 pounds during her pregnancy, which she needed to shed quickly before commencing on her next film. From her previous eating plan, she switched to a higher protein diet. She consumed high protein meals in smaller portions, and she combined this diet with an exercise program that includes weight training and cardiovascular workouts. After getting a lot of flak because of her post-pregnancy figure, Kate removed all that baby weight in only four months and has gained abdominal muscles that gained the envy of many in Hollywood.

3. Oprah Winfrey
As one of the most successful talk-show hosts in the world, there is no question that Oprah needs to maintain her physical appearance for her millions of fans and audiences. Known as one of those celebs who are constantly battling weight gain, she has recently toned up her figure and has never looked figure in age 50 by combining a regular exercise regime and diet plan. Oprah works out 5 days a week, spending 30 minutes on the treadmill and doing free weights. Her eating plan consists of fruits and vegetables, legumes, fish, nuts, chicken and dairy products that are low-fat. She limits her intake of white sugar and flour. Oprah also credits her slim figure to her habit of not eating anything after seven in the evening.

4. Gwyneth Paltrow
A lot of people may find it hard to believe that the perpetually slim Academy award-winning actress actually needs to diet. Gwyneth actually follows a healthy eating plan that resembles Oprah's, avoiding sugar and white flour. She usually follows a macrobiotic diet, eating foods like vegetables, lean meat and brown rice. She does yoga everyday and also eliminated dairy from her diet.

5. Madonna
The pop star known as the Material Girl has always flaunted a body that is to die for, and has become a true fitness paragon over the years. She keeps herself in tip-top shape by having Ashtanga Yoga, and follows a strict diet that mostly shuns junk foods. She adopted a macrobiotic eating plan that includes organic foods rich in lean protein.

6. Claudia Schiffer
The bodacious German supermodel eats salad and steamed vegetables for dinner and eats only fruits before the afternoon. While on locations, she prefers to eat black grapes and drinks tomato juice and herbal tea.

7. Christie Brinkley
Long-time supermodel maintains her all-American good looks by being a vegetarian. She does not keep junk foods of any kind inside her home to make sure that she does not eat them when cravings occur. She snacks on sweet potatoes in place of candy bars, and she adopts a liquid juice diet when she needs to slim down fast.

Celebs are just like ordinary people. They need to maintain their figures just like anyone else, and there is more pressure on their part since they are constantly in the public eye.

It's no surprise that these celebs have their own diet secrets when it comes to staying fit and gorgeous. Who doesn't want to know their secrets in staying absolutely sexy and gorgeous?

Ordinary folks can have celebrity-like bodies, too, and by following these celeb diet secrets and fitness plans, they can also look like red-carpet worthy.

Proactol: A Proven Herbal Remedy (Part 2)

Proactol

is a completely natural fiber complex made from the dehydrated leaves of Opuntia ficus indica, a species of cactus. This prickly pear cactus grows large fruits known as tunas or nopal. Nopal have traditionally been used for both medicines and cosmetics [1].

Early research on this cactus found that animals which consumed its dried leaves had lower levels of bad cholesterol, known as LDL, but that their levels of good cholesterol, or HDL, did not decrease [2].

A patented medicinal herb made from the dried leaves of Opuntia ficus indica is known as NeOpuntia. NeOpuntia is the ingredient found in the commercially available diet pill Proactol. NeOpuntia is known to be an

effective weight loss

alternative because it binds with lipids in the digestive tract and prevents them from being absorbed into the body.

NeOpuntia is set apart from other herbal weight loss remedies because there has been much attention devoted to researching its efficacy and safety on both animal and human subjects. InQpharm is one agency responsible for conducting several of the clinical studies on NeOpuntia. Go to Proactol web page right now.

Which Chocolate is Best for Weight Loss?

Dark Chocolate vs Milk Chocolate: Which one's best for weight loss?

There’s evidence that the body responds differently to the calories in dark chocolate versus milk chocolate.

Milk chocolate contains more sugar and, as such, is more likely to trigger cravings and be stored as fat. Dark chocolate contains less sugar and is more satiating: A study at Denmark’s University of Copenhagen found that compared with milk chocolate eaters, women who enjoyed 3.5 oz. of dark chocolate reported fewer cravings and ate 15 percent fewer calories over the next five hours.

That’s likely thanks to the healthy monounsaturated fatty acids in dark chocolate , but not in milk chocolate.

Tip: Did you know that having goodies in the house limits munching?
Stocking pantry shelves with tempting treats can actually reduce the urge to indulge, according to a study at Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium.

The researchers concluded that, while being exposed to pictures of a treat (such as a chocolate) on TV can lead to overeating of any available food, weight-conscious women who had a stock of the temptation in their homes felt more in control and were less likely to cave in to cravings.