Waking up on the Other Side

Happy New Year.  If you are reading this blog, you have survived the Thanksgiving to New Years era.  Happy January 1.  Happy new decade.  What a wonderful feeling to wake up to all new possibilities.  Just like starting a new school year, the slate is wiped clean and all things are possible.  We have pondered or written down our list of resolutions and today we finally can GET BUSY!

This month we will get bombarded with advertisements about everything and anything that has to do with diet and/or exercise.  From gym memberships,  weight loss programs, equipment,  supplements, surgeries, colon cleanses and so much more, we’ll see it all.  How do we sort through all the advertising and know what is right for us?  The greatest single piece of advice I can offer is to keep in mind the one line we are taught from early childhood… “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t.”

There has, once again,  been some negative publicity on the effectiveness of supplements.  I am NOT a more is better girl, so they have never really been my thing.  When I was much younger I did take supplements to boost my metabolism and give me extra energy.  They did work, but after being pulled off the market, I realized why I was grinding my teeth at night and learned the benefits did NOT out weigh the side effects.  Be careful! 

As for weight loss programs, there are many of them out there that are effective, especially in the short term.  The downside is, many of those are not teaching us how to eat properly, so the long term results are generally disappointing.  From a common sense stand point, the Weight Watchers program has always made the most sense to me.  They offer so much support and information, the tools we need to help us be successful and not only lose weight, but just as importantly, keep it off!

As for colon cleansing, I am no doctor, but I do believe that if your colon TRULY needs cleansing, you probably have a medical issue that needs to be addressed.  Our digestive system is designed to cleanse itself!  Eating enough fiber and drinking enough water should be all we ever need to keep things moving regularly.  I use an old as dirt method to help stimulate the process.  Every morning, before my decaf, I have a huge glass of water with the juice of half a lemon squeezed in.  For the record, it works every time. 

If you are looking to join a gym, I hope you will read my article about just that, in the brand new, just born this morning, premiere issue of The Beauty Bean.  This on-line magazine, brilliantly put together by New York City’s  “all things beautiful junkie,” Alexis Wolfer, offers a cornucopia of tips and articles to make you the BEST you possible!  If you are looking to beautify, sweat, nourish, lust or pamper, you’ll find it all at this one site.  You can visit the site through my links page, or get there by visiting www.thebeautybean.com  You’ll be so glad you did!

Time to get up and get moving.  Before I do let me offer some tips that I will certainly be following today:

• Drink plenty of extra water
• Clean out your pantry and fridge
• Avoid salt and sugar
• Eat foods that are as close to their natural state as possible
• Get some efficient exercise that gets your heart rate up and keeps it up
•  Focus on the images that motivate you
• Think positive and remember that you control you!

Let’s make 2010 the year that all things are possible.