CBD Living - A great way to releive pain

I just recently started to become aware of the benefits of using CBD oil for pain relief. I have suffered from lower and upper back pain for about 2 years and have always relied on over the counter pills to help. But with CBD oil, it is a good alternative because it is a natural solution.  And no worries, it will not get you high.

I tried two great products from CBD Living that have helped a lot.  The CBD daily lotion is great for relieving muscle pain.  Once you rub it into your skin, it starts to work right away.  The CBD living soap is has a great relaxing smell and lives you feeling refreshed.


CBD Living Lotion Eucalyptus 250mg
What is CBD lotion? CBD Living Lotion is a rich, luxurious lotion perfect for treating dry skin while getting your daily CBD dose. It is made from the finest natural ingredients and is infused with nano-CBD for maximum absorption. CBD Lotion is absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream, providing your daily dose of CBD. It is great for relaxing after a long day or invigorating the senses and treating dry skin.  CBD Lotion does not contain THC and will not leave you feeling “high.”

CBD Coconut Lime Bath Soap
The coconut lime scent will make you feel like you are on a tropical vacation, in the comfort of your own shower! CBD Lavender Soap is 100% vegan-friendly and will refresh and rejuvenate your senses. It is 100% hypoallergenic and can be used on any skin type.

Artificial Sweeteners - Yahoo News

There is a great article on Yahoo News today on Artificial Sweeteners Are Linked to Weight Gain and Other Health Issues.  For me, weight loss has been a constant struggle.  I also have diabetes and high blood pressure, which are two illnesses that are no joke. Both can claim my life if not controlled. One thing I am constantly struggling with is sugar consumption. Sugar is not good for me, but I love it. I have turned to artificial sweeteners in the past. But now I am learning that they too, are not that good for you.

If you have weight-loss goals in mind but are craving sugar, you may be inclined to pick up a Diet Coke or a low-sugar dessert. But a new study confirms that opting for faux sweets does not do you any favors when it comes to staying slim or maintaining your health.

Researchers at the University of Manitoba’s George and Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation reviewed 37 studies, conducted for a decade or more, of over 400,000 people. All of the studies selected found that artificial or nonnutritive (zero calorie) sweeteners had negative impacts on the metabolism, gut bacteria, and appetite of the subjects. Furthermore, long-term consumption was linked to increased risk of weight gain, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and other health issues. It’s safe to assume that those are the opposite of what people are looking for when they pick up a sugar-free substitute.

“I think most people consuming artificial sweeteners assume these products will help them avoid weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease — and yet we are seeing the opposite association from multiple studies,” study author Meghan B. Azad tells Yahoo Beauty. “Not many studies have looked at the long-term effect of consuming artificial sweeteners. This is also surprising, given the large proportion of people consuming these products on a regular basis.”

Indeed, with 25 percent of children and 40 percent of adults in the U.S. consuming artificial sweeteners on a regular basis, plenty of unanswered questions still surround these substances. “This should inspire consumers to stop and think about whether they want to be consuming artificial sweeteners, especially on a regular basis, because we do not know if they are a truly harmless alternative to sugar,” says Azad. “People are generally consuming nonnutritive sweeteners believing they are a ‘healthy choice,’ but this may not be true.”   The researchers theorize that a contributing factor to the increased risk of weight gain may

7 Powerful Foods for Healthy Teeth and Gums

Anyone who has visited a dentist has likely been told to avoid certain foods that can be harmful to teeth. Most of us are aware, for example, that sugary foods cause cavities. However, many people don’t know that there are foods we should be eating that can directly benefit the health of our teeth and gums. Our teeth may be the hardest structures in our bodies, but in order to stay strong they need nourishment too!

Considering this, Dr. Jordan Taylor of Stone Creek Dental Care has compiled a list of the seven healthiest foods for teeth and gums:

1. Milk and yogurt. Dairy products are rich in vitamin D and calcium, which are critical to tooth and bone health. Adding calcium to your diet strengthens your teeth and the enamel that protects them. Yogurt contains probiotics, which are “good” bacteria that block the growth of “bad” bacteria that cause plaque buildup, cavities and bad breath. Just be sure to reach for the plain kind — flavored yogurt is often high in sugar, and therefore not good for your teeth!
2. Cheese. Who doesn’t want an excuse to add cheese to their diet? Like milk and yogurt, cheese contains high levels of calcium. It is also high in phosphate, which helps balance the pH levels in your mouth. Additionally, cheese reduces the amount of harmful acids in your mouth, which can cause cavities and even periodontal (gum) disease.
3. Crunchy foods. Crunchy fruits and vegetables like apples and celery act as a cleaning mechanism for your teeth, removing food debris and stimulating saliva production. While you can’t replace your toothbrush with an apple, you can help rinse away harmful bacteria by eating crunchy foods!
4. Dark, leafy greens. If you haven’t jumped on the kale bandwagon yet, you may want to reconsider — dark, leafy greens like kale and spinach are high in calcium and other vitamins and minerals, including folic acid. Did you know that pregnant women have an increased risk of developing gum disease, and that gum disease can negatively affect a developing fetus? The folic acid in leafy greens has been shown to help prevent and treat this issue.
5. Lean protein. Lean meat, chicken, fish and tofu contain phosphorous – an element that works synergistically with calcium. Calcium alone cannot strengthen teeth. Research has shown that along with Vitamin D, phosphorous plays an essential role in helping the body absorb and use calcium for stronger teeth and bones. Without it, your teeth are much more susceptible to cracking or chipping.
6. Nuts. Nuts are a nutrient powerhouse, containing protein, vitamins and minerals essential for dental and overall health. Furthermore, much like the crunchy foods mentioned above, nuts stimulate saliva production that helps wash away harmful bacteria.
7. Onions. You probably didn’t expect this one to make the list! Many people do not realize that onions have powerful antibacterial properties. If you eat raw onion, you may not have the best breath, but you’ll be fighting the damaging bacteria that causes cavities and tooth decay. Onions also can help make your teeth stronger!

It’s crucial that we take control of our dental health by eating the right foods and providing our teeth with adequate nutrients. Although teeth are an incredible part of the human body, surprisingly they are not very good at repairing themselves. That is why we must pay close attention to our diet and hygiene habits in order to prevent damage in the first place. Consider adding these foods to your diet so you can have the healthiest, strongest teeth possible!

The Mane Choice Manetabolism Plus Vitamins

I have decided to try some vitamins that helps with hair growth. When I had locs before (which I loved), my hair grew fast, and I had hair down to my butt. But with longer locs, my hair was pretty heavy and when I would wear it up or in ponytails, it caused stress on my hairline. So my edges started to break off and a lot of my locs thinned out. Now that I have taking my locs out, I am hoping to get my hair back on track. My goal is to strengthen my hair line and hopefully grow some length. The Mane Choice seems like a good choice because they have healthy ingredients and has gotten good reviews online. I will start taking the pills tomorrow - October 10th, 2015.  In the photo of me, you can see where my length is now. I will check back in two months to let you know what my progress is.  Here is more information about The Mane Choice Manetablolism Plus -

"Manetabolism Plus aids in a more comprehensive approach to growing healthy hair and keeping the body healthy at the same time. We've added extra ingredients to make Manetabolism more complete for the body as well as the hair....such as calcium, thiamine and magnesium just to name a few. Manetabolism Plus is a specially formulated vitamin that aids in promoting healthy hair, nails and skin by supplying nourishment to the body’s cells and by directly targeting hair follicles, nail beds and skin layers.In addition, it also boosts energy levels and helps to strengthen the immune system. Your hair is an indicator of your overall health. Our goal is to treat your hair from within. Manetabolism Plus brings out the healthy hair in you. Because a healthier inside shows from the outside!"

Pro-Healthy Diet and Life Change

It's that time again. My birthday is approaching quickly and I am not looking forward to it.  I will be turning the big 4 0 this year (and my heart drops).  The reality of it is that I can't do any thing to slow down the clock. So I just have to embrace my age and getting older.  But one thing that I do not want to embrace or take into the next phase of my life is my major health problems and unhealthy eating.

I have hired an awesome personal trainer and I have also decided to try eating Vegan for 30 days.   After my 30 days, I will see how I feel and what adjustments I want to make to my diet. But so far I am excited.

While researching, I found some great channels on YouTube of woman that are educating the public on how you can transition into eating Vegan, tips, recipes, information and more.  The first YouTube page I want to highlight is Food Heaven Show with Wendy & Jess.  Their Facebook page is also full of information and meal ideas. "Food Heaven Made Easy with Wendy & Jess is a web series with a mission to bring healthy cooking to your kitchen. The show is hosted by Nutritionista Wendy Lopez and Registered Dietitian Jessica Jones, who both hold Master's Degrees in Nutritional Science. These nutrition nerds demonstrate how to cook nutrient dense, delicious and affordable plant-based recipes, while providing scientifically sound nutrition information you can trust."

I also want to highlight another great youtube page FullyRawKristina.  Kristina's page also has great colorful, vibrant videos full of information, recipes and more on how to transition into a vegan or healthy eating lifestyle. Check out her Facebook page here.


I will be checking in every once in awhile to talk about my experience with trying the vegan diet and if I have experienced any benefits.

Introducing Double Dutch Aerobics

"I am Michelle Clark, owner of Double Dutch Aerobics. Double Dutch Aerobics is my hearts passion. Our classes are bringing Child like joy to fitness. As a world champion in Double Dutch, I have the skill to teach anyone who can jump up and down how to jump Double Dutch in less than 1 min! Teaching rate 100%. Our class consist of both street jumping and competitive style jumping which includes - jumping jacks, pushups, mountain climbs, popups and more! The smiles, high fives and laughs that happen during Double Dutch Aerobics reminds me that I must continue to build my Double Dutch Aerobics Empire. Currently I have Certified Double Dutch Aerobics Instructors in NYC teaching classes and I am currently certifying more teachers in Atlanta. Expansion across the world is 100% the next step.  As a working adult, we are super busy, but things that we have to include in our lives in happiness and fitness. At double dutch aerobics we combine the two. Our saying is "Double Dutch Aerobics, where fun is the experience and fit is the result"."

To see more about Double Dutch Aerobics, check out this article on MyBrownBaby.

Chef Ahki

I am excited to write about Chef Ahki. Not only is she beautiful, but she is a celebrity Chef, natural food activist and blogger. It's my birthday today, and it is a day of reflection.  I am realizing that my health is the worst that it has ever been, and I am at my heaviest weight ever in life.  Part of this is due to be having a new business that is very demanding and being a full time mom to teens and a baby. I am busier than I have ever been and my health is paying the price. I have have not slept well for two years and my diet is horrible.  You hear all the time that good sleep is a great way to keep your weight down, well it is true. One is because your body needs that time to recover from your day and replenish itself.  So that when you do wake up, your not overeating to try and make up for feeling tired. Also when you stay up for longer hours, you end up eating more than you would if you went to bed at a regular time. So besides my never getting enough sleep, and always eating more meals in the day that I should - my food choices have been pretty bad.   So with today being my birthday, and me health being at its worst - I think I want to make a promise to myself to try and make better choices when it comes to eating better, getting more rest and working out more.  

That is why I am excited to have found Chef Ahki's facebook page.  I knew about her before this time,

because she was well known beauty in the natural hair community. But today, my appreciation for what she is doing is because she centers her craft of being a Chef around healthy eating.  "Different from other "veggie heads" " green- smoothie fads" and the likes, AHKI's content is laced with amazing personal style, intelligence, real -time relevent science, and surpisingly Hip-Hop. She is known to express her fury about our current food state with phrases like Your Tastebuds have been Hijacked" "Illness is Unnecesary" Diabetes is Reversible" "Because we ain't Supposed to be Sick" "You Ain't depressed, you just malnutrtioned". "Friends Don't let friends Eat at Waffle House" etc. She has used controversial figures like Che Guevara and Malcom X to "artistically express" her ideas and considers herself a though leader. In short, she cares not if she ruffles your feathers, as long as you walk away empowered and inspired to Get Healthy..By Any Greens Neccasary.

She transitioned to a plant-based diet at just 18, and became a colon-therapist. She decided to study under Dr. Mark Armstrong and recieved a bachelors in naturopathic science and holistic theology and was intrigued by the healing power of herbs, and eastern healing modalities.

Raised by four generations of medicine women in her native Oklahoma, Ahki was introduced to indigenous foods and alternative modalities early on. Growing up working in her grandparents garden, she knows what real food is supposed to taste like, she believes that humans are electrical, and that we need electrical foods for optimum health. She uses seasonal, organic, fresh non-hybrid fruits and vegetables to create living food recipes designed to heal bodies and enhance lives." - about Ahki

READ THOSE LABELS...

"Theres' nothing worse than going to a health foods store and rollin' up on some delicious "sounding" health item only to be shocked at the overwhelming amount of CRAP that's hidden inside. Let's face it. The Health food game is sewed up too. The aisles are filled with just as much crap as you'd find at Kroger. The Good thing is...with a little research, (and some discipline) you can avoid alot of these Fraud Foods disguised as health food items. Look for MSG. Sugar. Monondiglycerides.FructoseCorn Syrup.Whey. Rice or Potato Starch. Aspartame. Casein. Corn and Canola Oil. These are just a few to begin. More on these later." -Chef Ahki

Foods for Beautiful and Healthy Hair

African American women sometimes have problems with their hair breaking, slow growth, and split ends. By adding some essential foods to your daily diet, you can prevent your fragile hair from these annoying problems. According to Seymour M. Weaver, a Houston-based dermatologist, “There's an epidemic of hair loss taking place among African-American women. It is partly because of damaging grooming techniques and styles that pull the hair back. Changing your hair care routine can promote growth---and so can the food you eat.

Vitamin B Enriched Foods

According to Seymour,” B vitamins---along with amino acids---are the building blocks for protein, so they are critical if you want to grow strong, healthy hair. Vitamin B also plays a role in producing red blood cells, which transport oxygen and nutrients to your scalp and follicles. If you suffer from vitamin B deficiency, Bauer points out that your hair is likely to shed, grow slowly and break. Eat foods such as whole-grain cereals, garbanzo beans, bananas, soy milk, oatmeal and beets, to get your daily vitamin B fix.”

Foods Rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Eating foods that are rich in omega – 3 fatty acids can help prevent the loss of hair and help it to grow. A traditional Western style diet often tips the balance towards foods rich in omega-6 fatty acids. When in fact your hair actually needs the foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids not in omega- 6 fatty acids. You can design a healthier diet by eating fatty fish like as sardines, salmon, mackerel, and herring three times a week. In addition, to adding flaxseeds to your breakfast cereals or salads at lunch and dinner will help a lot in making sure you are getting enough omega – 3 fatty acids in your diet.

Iron

According to public health experts, iron is the leader of nutritional deficiencies in the US. When the body is low in iron, the blood vessels cannot transport the oxygen to the tissue and cells, including the tissue and cells that the scalp needs to maintain the hair follicles. Iron is necessary for the cells to grow. Many women have low iron levels or iron deficiencies caused by the menstrual cycle.

To increase your iron intake you can take iron supplements (always consult your doctor before taking any supplements) or if you prefer add more iron to your daily diet. Foods that are high in iron include iron-fortified foods, lean beef, beets, poultry, beans, lentils, and lamb.

Protein

Protein is also beneficial for health hair. Eating 3 ounces of lean protein twice a day in addition to other foods high in protein can do wonders for your hair health. If beef is not part of your diet, you can eat food such as legumes, beans, peanut butter, low-fat dairy, and seafood. 

If you incorporate all of the suggestions above you will have strong, beautiful hair again in no time!

Articles Author - Tammy Mahan has worked in the healthcare field for over 20 years. She often shares her knowledge on Healthline.Com. 

3 Reasons Why We Get Bored With Healthy Lifestyles

These days one of the hot topics is healthy living.  We as moms want our kids to eat healthier foods and snacks.  We all want to workout more regularly.  We want the companies that we support to be more health conscious.  Well, it sure sounds good, but how many of us actually stick with it?  Why is it so hard to lead a healthy lifestyle long-term?  Well I’ve got at least 3 reasons....

First, leading a healthy lifestyle takes commitment.  Many of us can’t even commit to an outfit let alone a lifestyle change.  Committing to something this drastic is just something that many of us really aren't ready for and may never be.  It’s like saying “I do” at the alter all the while cringing at the idea of all that we’ll have to give up.  Then it becomes all about what we’re losing rather than the better life, longevity and overall happiness that we’re gaining.

Second, its just not in the budget.  Let’s face it, gym memberships, yoga and Pilate classes, the latest diet trends are expensive as heck!  More than that, the last time I checked we were still said to be in a recession, which means less of us have the disposable income needed to keep up with the latest healthy living trends.  Thus, as a result when times get hard, we swap our healthy living practices for mere survival tactics which usually consist of cheap, processed food, longer work hours and blood pressure pills (which by the way actually far exceed the cost of healthy living). 

Third, it’s just too damn hard.  Now, I must say that in reality healthy living is really all about perception.  In our minds that have been so programmed by the media, advertising schemes, and even the medical community and some government entities we have been made to believe that living healthy takes a lot of effort.  Yet, the fact is that healthy living is more natural to us than not.  Think back to when you were growing up and how healthy your lifestyle was.  You ran around outside from sun up to sun down, or at least until the streetlights came on lol.  Your favorite snack was peanut butter and jelly and you liked cream of wheat or oatmeal for breakfast.  Back then you did all of the things that we consider healthy living today and you did it with ease, without prescriptions, or the need to follow a trend or a PSA announcement.  We were healthy because it was in our nature to be so.

Now there may be 3 main reasons for why we get bored with healthy living, but there’s over 100

reasons why deciding to lead a healthy lifestyle is the best decision we’ll ever make.  Let’s start with... high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s, asthma, celiacs, MS, cerebral palsy, obesity, Parkinson’s, psoriasis, ulcers, stress and the list could continue forever.  How about we flip the script here?  Rather than getting bored with healthy living let’s get bored with the alternative and go back to what is our nature.... Love, health and nappiness!!!

This article was written by the Naturally Beautiful Hair Blog's guest writer - Amirah Bellamy.  Amirah is the owner of www.AmirahBFit.com.

Beautify Me by CANFO

I am excited to be staring the new year off with a healthier diet and brighter outlook on life. I have been increasing my veggie and fruit intake and have increased my exercise routine. I have also made an effort to look for great vitamins and supplements to help me to be a healthier and better me. I recently found out about Canfo's BeautifyMe.

"Beauty is simply a reflection of the body's condition: every woman has the ability to become beautiful. Hair, skin, and nails are often the most obvious reflection of the body’s condition. When the body and more specifically, when a woman's reproductive system is deprived of nutrients, hair often appears less full and vibrant; nails have bumps and ridges and are even brittle; skin becomes drier and more prone to inflammation. BeautifyMe™ works to replenish and enhance the reproductive system and its ability to absorb and maintain nutrients. As the reproductive system more efficiently absorbs nutrients, the byproduct is a healthy, replenished body with healthy, hair, skin, and nails." To learn more about Canfo and their pro-better-health products, go to Canfo.com.  I am excited to add BeautifyMe to my new healthy diet!

Excercise For Back & Chest Muscles

With the new year coming in, I am all about self empowerment and bettering my health. My friend and I got together and created a list of our 2012 goals. We also decided that we are going to encourage each other to lose weight, have better out health and make better choices over all.   With this, I have started eating better and working out more... I am already feeling so much better.   As of today, I have lost 6 pounds and I am off to a great start.

While watching the new tv show The Revolution, they talked about how with age, women's breast start to sag a bit.  They also suggested some great exercises that will help to strengthen your chest and back muscles.  I search for a few key words on youtube and found some great exercise videos that demonstrated the recommended exercises. The recommended exercises to strengthen your chest and back muscles are Reverse Fly, Bicep Curl (Helps to strengthen upper body. If you don't have and exercise band, you can use hold two bottles of water or two cans of food, and still do the same moves.), and the Superman (strengthens back and front muscles).  Here is an example of the Reverse Fly below.

Go Diva!

One of the great ways to enhance your confidence is to take class that help you embrace and love being a woman. 

"GoDiva Studio is an exotic dance studio located in Bloomfield, New Jersey that specializes in pole, belly and erotic fitness dance classes.  Founded in 2010 by three friends, Ty Smith, Nikki Philip and Sonya Miller, GoDiva Studio strives to assist women in discovering their sensuality while simultaneously confronting the negative stereotypes associated with exotic dancing, and using it for a positive purpose."
 
Not only have these ladies successfully put a spin on erotic fitness, they proudly represent the natural hair community while doing so. For more information, visit the GoDiva’s website at Go Diva Studio.

Afro-Belly Boogie

Every single week, I look forward to my favorite exercise class: Afro-Belly Boggie.  I enjoy this class so much, that I want to share information about the class with everyone. This class is full of positive energy and beyond fun.  It never fails, every week, to remind the women in the class, that we are strong, beautiful women. And sometimes, we do need that encouragement in our lives. The instructor Angel Thacker, is always encouraging and knows how to make everyone laugh. I always leave the class, completely soaked with sweat, but feeling amazing.  And what makes the class even more fun, is that we can bring our own belly dance hip skirts to wear, which adds to our ability to embrace our feminine beauty. 

"Created by Angel Thacker, Afro-Belly Boogie™ is a dance fitness program making noise across Northern California and beyond!  Since it's full launch in August 2010, the workout has gained a following of loyal participants who've enjoyed the weight loss an toning benefits that Afro-Belly Boogie™ brings.  Combining the cardio and toning aspects of African dance movements and toning and conditioning aspects of Bellydance, this fitness program combines the best of these worlds with a dash of club mix to bring the grove come to life. Great music, fabulous dance moves and big fun make this workout a revolution in dance fitness.  So join your local Afro-Belly Boogie™ workout class and "Join the Dance Revolution!"  - Afrobellyboogie.com.  

 

Angel's classes can be found in numerous cities in California. She also has instructors that teach the classes in various gyms. To find a class or request that the class be taught you in your area, go to class schedule.  Besides being an amazing instructor and inspiration coach in our classes, Angel is also a life coach and has a great 30 Fitness Program that she offers to any one that wants to improve their health and life. 

Thank you Angel, for offering this class, that helps us to embrace life and our beauty as woman.  

To and read more, go to - Afrobellyboogie.com,  Facebook.com, Meetup.com,  Examiner.com

Rue's visit to the White House

Rue Mapp created a great website called Out Door Afro. It is a site the encourages African Americans to get out and enjoy outdoor recreation. Activities like skiing, rock climbing, hiking, sky diving, and more...  are all things that people from any culture can go out and enjoy.  Because of Rue's great work with her website, public speaking and for reaching out to the community, she was invited to go the White House for the first ever America’s Great Outdoors conference.  "This event was designed to bring leaders from around the country to discuss ways to re-connect Americans to the Great Outdoors and also hosted the historic signing of the Presidential Memorandum on the topic."

"President Obama, who stood mere feet from where I was seated, impressed upon us in his speech that reconnecting all Americans to the outdoors  honors our collective national heritage. The President said “few pursuits are more satisfying to the spirit than discovering the greatness of America’s outdoors,” which referenced his personal family value of outdoor recreation."

Check out Rue's interview on the Naturally Beautiful Hair Websites interview page.  I was also interviews by Rue, and had a chance to talk about my own experiences with learning to love outdoor activities. To see my interview, click here.

20% and 80% ?!?

Last week on on the Tyra Banks show, Tyra talked about her new healthy choice lifestyle: Get your shape in shape.
Most of the information she gave is stuff we already know. But in my case, I just don't apply it! Which is why I continue to struggle with my weight till this day. But Tyra's nutritionist, Heather Bauer, talked about how weight loss is 20% exercise and 80% diet! I have never heard of that before or thought of it that way. But it makes perfect sense.

I work out at the gym 4 to 5 times a week. Although I have not gained any weight over the last couple of years, I am not losing any weight (which is my goal). So basically the reality is setting in that no matter how much you work out, if your diet sucks - it will not make a difference.

So I really want to make an effort to pay attention to what I put in my mouth and follow some of these tips from Tyra and Heather:

#5 Portion Control: Do you eat more than you should? To be sure you are eating a healthy, well-proportioned meal, follow this guide to build your plate… Protein: Picture 2 iPhones stacked together…that’s how much meat you should have on your plate. No more, no less. Carbs: Make your hand into a fist…that’s the maximum amount of carbs you should be eating. If you've been eating more than that amount on a regular basis, well, that could explain the extra pounds. Veggies: When it comes to vegetables, you can never have too much, says Heather. Try to fill half of your plate with veggies (come on, there's got to be one green veg you like!) and you're on your way to a healthier life.

#4 "Phase Eating": A "phase eater" is someone who picks one or two things to eat (while dieting for weight loss) and sticks with it. It's actually not a bad idea, Heather says--if it's a healthy choice of food (like a tuna/no mayo sandwich). Many dieters actually prefer this way of dieting; it’s an easier way to keep up with their plan. If you feel this is a route you’d want to take, go for it!

#3 Breakfast: In today’s busy world, who has time for breakfast? You should! You've heard it before and now you're hearing it again. It's the most important meal of the day. Sometimes when we wake up without an appetite it could mean you ate BIG the night before. However, waking up hungry is a very good sign of being healthy…it means that your body is working. Also, when it comes to weight loss (and brain food) you miss b-fast and you're working against yourself. Need some ideas for a healthy (low fat) breakfast? Pick something from the menu below.

BREAKFAST MENU: Yogurt w/fruit, High fiber cereal, Eggs (scrambled), Tomato and mozzarella, Oatmeal(You can pick one of these things and "phase eat" it too!)

#2 Exercise: A good work out is always a great idea. Even if your diet is fierce and you’ve been on it without any cheating, you could still use a good workout at least 3 times a week. Take a walk or run on a treadmill, you'll immediately see and feel the difference.

#1 NO Smoking: You may be a smoker (we hope not), but if you’re trying to get fit and lose weight, you've got to stay off the smokes! It’ll do nothing but hinder your plan, kill your workout and leave you literally, breathless. It's not easy gving up the habit, but if you are really ready to Get Your Shape in Shape, it's the only way to go.

City Farm Girl

My family and I live in the Bay Area, which is located in the Northern part of California. We got lucky, because when we moved, we found a great place that has a nice size back yard. My husband and my daughters work together with our neighbor to create a cool garden in our back yard. When the garden is in full bloom, we get tons of great veggies - squash, zucchini, tomatoes, lettuce and more. We also have 5 chickens, and get fresh eggs every morning.

With this, comes our pets that stay in our home. We have a lot of pets. Right now, we have 2 cats, 8 fish, and we are taking care of a friends snake. There are also deer in our neighborhood, if you can imagine that! So its no surprise to wake up and find a deer in your yard, just chillin'. But I love it all. I never thought in a million years, that I would have a little farm. I am a city girl at heart. But I have to admit, that this farm life is kinda cool... :-)

How I beat Diabetes

I was diagnose with Diabetes about 2 years ago. For the first year, I was in total denial. I didn't make any changes to my diet or lifestyle. And I paid for it. I was physically suffering; and I started to have vision problems. By the second year, thanks to my family and research, I started to take my diagnoses seriously. Being Diabetic is very serious. If not careful, a person can have the following problems: lose of vision, heart attack, stroke, and more. Also, because a Diabetic is unable to heal wounds like someone that is healthier. So a small cut/infection can turn into a huge infection that is so bad, that it can cause a limb (hand, leg, arm, foot, toes or fingers) to be amputated. So with all this news, and because I did not want to suffer any more - I started working out regularly and eating healthier.

When the economy started to fail, I was laid off from my corporate job. This was definitely a financial hardship on my family. But being laid off was also a blessing in disguise. I decide to work from home as a Personal & Administrative Assistant for a local business owner. With this job, came the ability to make my own hours. So for the past 4 to 5 months, I have been able to work out for 1 to 2 hours per day, 5 days a week. My work out routine includes cardio, weights and core exercises. With this, I have decrease my food portions and I also cut down on sugar intake. Because of this, I received some amazing news!!! I have been to 2 different doctors in the past two weeks, and both have told me that my Diabetes is no longer an issue!!! It's gone... :-D. I am so so very happy for this second chance. Diabetes is not joke. Even with this great news that I have beat my Diabetes, I am going to continue to live a healthy lifestyle so that I don't' have to fear the return of this illness.

I know that saying "go workout 2 hours a day" may be an impossible and unrealistic suggestion. This job, that has allowed me to have this schedule, is very temporary, so I two, will need to go back to the 9 to 5 type job soon. When that time comes, even with limited free time, I hope to continue to be able to exercise at least and hour to half and hour a day, some kind of way. And I am committed to doing this in the future.

For those of you who may be struggling with your weight, or have a desire to live a healthier lifestyle, check out Spark People. You can track you food, share photo's, blog about your goals and share and receive encouragement from fellow friends on the site. Best of all its free. To see my page, go to HealthyKB.