Our Lady of Weight Loss

Depression and Your Weight by Janice Taylor, Life & Wellness Coach, Author, Syndicated Columnist, Seminar Leader and 50-pound Big-Time-Loser.

I know from first hand experience that depression can move someone toward food. (Yes, this 'happy idiot' has had bouts of depression.) And I know - again from first hand experience - that 'eating for depression' is counter-productive and counter-intuitive. Gaining weight only serves to intensity the depression and add to feelings of worthlessness. So, I put together a list of relatively simple things that help to alleviate depression. Woo Hoo! Let's MOVE (literally) past depression, NOW!

1. Sleep. Lack of sleep magnifies the effects of depression. Log in 6 to 8 hours each night, and try 15 - 30 minute catnaps throughout the day. Feeling rested, alert and awake is so important for feeling good. It is the foundation of a vibrant, dynamic life.

2. Move. If you are feeling low, move. Just the act of moving from one place to another creates 'movement,' and 'movement' can help to move feelings of depression out!

3. Exercise. When we exercise or are physically active the brain secretes chemicals, such as endorphins, which make us feel so much better.

4. Meditate. Meditation reduces stress, helps us to sleep better, thus alleviateing depression. Consistency matters. So if you can only 'sit' for 5 minutes a day, that's all right. Do what you can. Hint: when you meditate the same time each day you are creating a positive habit, which will anchor the positive mood that is activated by meditation.

5. Wear Red. Bill Blass says, "When in doubt, wear red." What great advice!! Dark clothing tends to increase the effects of depression. Color can stimulate positive feelings and red is a real energy color. Reds and oranges are traditionally worn by spiritual seekers in India and Asia: they understood that vibrant colors create a vibrant energy field around the wearer of these wonderfully bright clothes.

6. Eat Healthfully. You'll feel lighter. Isn't it a great feeling to know that you're taking care of yourself? Rather than doing yourself in??

7. Drink Water. Studies show that dehydration can be a cause of depression. So bottoms up!

8. Light. As the season changes from summer to autumn, so goes the light. Research shows that getting 20 minutes of sunlight per day, even by sitting at a window, helps fight depression. Don't we all feel so much better waking up to the sun's smiling rays?

9. Smile. What came first, the smile or the good mood? It's hard to tell. Famed spiritual teacher Thich Nhat Hahn has advised that smiling leads to Godliness....and don't forget the mind-body connection. Our body often affects our mind. Just try this experiment: smile and see if you don't feel happier. The mind is conditioned to experience smiling with feelings of joy and happiness. Ha ha ha!

10. Breathing. Breathing helps release stress and anxiety which are components of depression. Focusing on the breathing and releasing tightness in the body and worry in the mind lifts the spirit. Breathing exercises have always be an important part of stress reduction programs. Take a few moments throughout the day to just exhale the tension out and breathe in some calm.

11. Pamper yourself. Take the time to see a movie ( a comedy of course!), go to a show, buy some flowers ( the color and scents provide color therapy and aromatherapy which lifts the spirits), talk to a friend--embrace life! You deserve it!

Spread the word, NOT the icing!
Janice

Write Janice for free 'life' consult!
Follow Janice on Twitter! Food facts. tips and motivation throughout the day!
Workshops! Come, play with me!
Free Our Lady of Weight Loss E-Cards! Spread the FUN word!

For more motivation and inspiration, join the Kick in the Tush Club: Beliefnet Chapter.

Pick up a copy of Janice's latest: All Is Forgiven, Move ON ~ Our Lady of Weight Loss's 101 Fat-Burning Steps on Your Journey to Sveltesville!

" . . . . kooky genius ~ see if her idiosyncratic diet plan will work for you." ~ O, The Oprah Magazine

about Janice

She's Got Quite a Pear! by Janice Taylor, Life & Wellness Coach, Cert. Hypnotist, Author, Syndicated Columnist, Seminar Leader and 50-pound Big-Time-Loser!!

Thanks to the miracles of modern science, effective storage methods and swift modes of transport, pears are no longer only available in fall and winter. They are a serve 'em up friendly - year round - summer, spring, winter and fall - fruit.

There are 5,000 varieties of pears grown worldwide, almost 1,000 varieties grown in the U.S., but we most likely encounter only six or seven commercially grown pears.

Eighty-four percent of our pears are grown in Oregon and Washington. The combination of the volcanic soil and clean mountain water, coupled with the warm days and cool nights of spring and summer in the Pacific Northwest make this region the ideal growing environment.

Bartletts are green-speckled and smooth-skinned. They turn yellow as they ripen. Bartletts are good to just eat and/or to bake.

Bosc pears are brown-skinned and have distinctive, long, tapering necks and fat bottoms. They're sweet, aromatic and are recommended for eating, baking and poaching.

Comice and Seckel pears are harder to come by but worth the effort. The French refer to the Comice as the Queen of Pears - need I say more! She is large, roundish, covered in a thick yellow-green skin with patches of russet. Some consider her the best eating variety. Seckels are small and brown-skinned, with a faint red blush and are generally a cooking pear.

Anjou pears are egg-shaped and their skins are a greenish-yellow color freckled with brown spots. Anjous are great for eating and cooking, and generally available until June.

Pears are loaded with Vitamin C, a good source of the B-complex vitamins, potassium, phosphorous, iodine, and dietary fiber, and a good-sized pear is a bargain at 100 calories. Pears contain about 16 percent carbohydrate and negligible amounts of fat and protein.

Their skin, a delicious source of fiber, provides 5.1 grams or 20% of the recommended daily fiber value. And the skin is rich with phytonutrients.

Did you know that pears are unique in that they best ripen best off the tree? (This was news to me. I'm always squeezing fruit at the market, looking for the ripe ones!) Pears should be ripened after purchase.

Pears (with the exception of Bartlett) do not change color as they ripen. The best way to know if these pears are ripe is to apply gentle pressure to the stem end of the pear with your thumb (a.k.a. the neck). If it yields a bit, it's ready to eat.

So, if you're sitting with a bunch of hard pears, put them in a paper bag or covered fruit bowl. Leave at room temperature. Check their 'necks' every day. When they yield to the touch, they're ready.

Once, ripened, if you want to store your pears, put them in your fridge. They should stay fresh for 3 to 5 days.

Righteous Recipe:
Grilled Pears

Ingredients: 4 pears * 1/4 cup light brown sugar * 1 teaspoon nutmeg * 1 teaspoon cinnamon * 2 teaspoons butter * 1/3 cup water

Instructions: Peel pears and cut in half lengthwise; remove core - set aside. * In large skillet - over low to medium flame - combine butter, nutmeg, cinnamon, brown sugar. * Drizzle water as it mixes. * When it covers the bottom of the pan, place pears, cut side down. * Grill until pears are tender - about 10 minutes or so.

Note: When cooking pears, it's best to remove the skin - even though they are loaded with vitamins - because the skin tends to get tough during the cooking process.

LINKS:
Fresh pears, cheese and wine: A Tasty Tradition.
When is a Californian Bartlett ready to eat?

Spread the word, NOT the icing!
Janice

Write Janice for free 'life' consult!
Follow Janice on Twitter! Food facts. tips and motivation throughout the day!
Workshops! Come, play with me!
Free Our Lady of Weight Loss E-Cards! Spread the FUN word!

For more motivation and inspiration, join the Kick in the Tush Club: Beliefnet Chapter.

Pick up a copy of Janice's latest: All Is Forgiven, Move ON ~ Our Lady of Weight Loss's 101 Fat-Burning Steps on Your Journey to Sveltesville!

" . . . . kooky genius ~ see if her idiosyncratic diet plan will work for you." ~ O, The Oprah Magazine

about Janice

This digitally enhanced collage (now jigsaw puzzle) entitled Blow the Fat Cells Out of My Mind was created by Janice Taylor, Life & Wellness Coach, Cert. Hypnotist, Author and 50-pound BIG-Time-LOSER!!!!

Janice tells us, "I permanently removed over 50 pounds 7 years ago. My strongest 'weapon of FAT destruction' was and IS my brain. When you feed yourself with positive imagery, thoughts, feelings and love, the fat easily and effortlessly melts away. My fat ratio is: 70:30 - It's 70% the mind, 30% food, strategy, planning and exercise."

Spread the word, NOT the icing,
Janice

Write Janice for free 'life' consult!
Follow Janice on Twitter! Food facts. tips and motivation throughout the day!
Workshops! Come, play with me!
Free Our Lady of Weight Loss E-Cards! Spread the FUN word!

For more motivation and inspiration, join the Kick in the Tush Club: Beliefnet Chapter.

Pick up a copy of Janice's latest: All Is Forgiven, Move ON ~ Our Lady of Weight Loss's 101 Fat-Burning Steps on Your Journey to Sveltesville!

" . . . . kooky genius ~ see if her idiosyncratic diet plan will work for you." ~ O, The Oprah Magazine

about Janice

A Sunday Prayer by Janice Taylor, Life & Wellness Coach, Certified Hypnotist, author, columnist and 50-pound big-time-loser.

While traveling the Road to Sveltesville, one will undoubtedly 'hear voices' in their head that command them to 'eat another slice of cake' -or- 'drive (like a zombie) to the closest store and buy bags of chocolate.'

I don't know what your inner-saboteur orders to you, but you do! The inner-saboteur is a voice that brings about an internal struggle.

Here follows a prayer and a song presented with the intention of silencing the saboteur.

Dear Our Lady of Weight Loss,

When the "saboteur" who resides within
sends defeating messages
with a negative spin,
I pray, dear Lady, I 'send him packin'!'

When the "saboteur" whose voice is loud
knocks on my door
a dark war cloud
I pray, dear Lady, I sing this song.

"I hear you knocking
But you can't come in.
I hear you knocking
Go back to where you been."

Hallelujah, I've returned to my very best place
a healthy, caring, self-loving space
without a trace
of pain.
Just smile, smile along my body's length.

Amen.

Spread the word, NOT the icing,
Janice

Write Janice for free 'life' consult!
Follow Janice on Twitter! Food facts. tips and motivation throughout the day!
Workshops! Come, play with me!
Free Our Lady of Weight Loss E-Cards! Spread the FUN word!

For more motivation and inspiration, join the Kick in the Tush Club: Beliefnet Chapter.

Pick up a copy of Janice's latest: All Is Forgiven, Move ON ~ Our Lady of Weight Loss's 101 Fat-Burning Steps on Your Journey to Sveltesville!

" . . . . kooky genius ~ see if her idiosyncratic diet plan will work for you." ~ O, The Oprah Magazine

about Janice

A Grain of Salt by Janice Taylor, Life & Wellness Coach, Certified Hypnotist, Author, and 50-pound Big-Time-Loser.

Salt, also known as sodium chloride, is our number-one source of sodium. It is an important, much needed mineral in our diets. Sodium regulates the water in our bodies, and it controls muscle and nerve function. We only need 500 mg of sodium per day, but the average American ingests five or six grams of sodium per day! That's about two and a half times the amount needed.

Excess sodium levels may lead to fluid retention, which can lead to increased circulatory volume (which can put a strain on the heart and kidneys), hypertension and high blood pressure. (Oh my!)

Unless you're running marathons, swimming the British Channel or climbing mountains (in other words, engaging in arduous exercise in sweltering environments wherein you need extra sodium to compensate for the amount of fluids you're sweating out), you might want to consider reducing your sodium intake.

The amount of sodium found in processed foods is very high.
Here are a few tips on you might reduce reduce or (if you can - eliminate) the amount of processed meals, canned soups and snack foods that you eat.

• Read the nutrition labels on all packages.
• Check the sodium levels. It's a real eye-opener.
• Out of sight - out of mind: keep the salt off the table.
• Remove excess salt from pretzels. Stay away from salted chips and nuts.
• Eat fresh fruits and vegetables!
• In lieu of salt, try these seasonings. (Source: National Institutes of Health)

For Meat, Poultry, and Fish:
Beef - Bay leaf, marjoram, nutmeg, onion, pepper, sage, thyme
Lamb - Curry powder, garlic, rosemary, mint
Pork - Garlic, onion, sage, pepper, oregano
Veal - Bay leaf, curry powder, ginger, marjoram, oregano
Chicken - Ginger, marjoram, oregano, paprika, poultry seasoning, rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme
Fish - Curry powder, dill, dry mustard, lemon juice, marjoram, paprika, pepper

For Vegetables:
Carrots - Cinnamon, cloves, marjoram, nutmeg, rosemary, sage
Corn - Cumin, curry powder, onion, paprika, parsley
Green Beans - Dill, curry powder, lemon juice, marjoram, oregano, tarragon, thyme
Greens - Onion, Pepper
Peas - Ginger, marjoram, onion, parsley, sage
Potatoes - Dill, garlic, onion, paprika, parsley, sage
Summer Squash - Cloves, curry powder, marjoram, nutmeg, rosemary, sage
Winter Squash - Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, onion
Tomatoes - Basil, bay leaf, dill, marjoram, onion, oregano, parsley, pepper

What to do with all your left-over salt? Here are a few of my favorite beauty tips!

Want to whiten your teeth? Pulverize one part salt to two parts baking soda. (Can either use mortal and pester or rolling pin.) Brush your teeth with mixture. It whitens, removes plaque and is said to promote healthier gums!

Eyes puffy? Mix one teaspoon of salt in a pint of hot water. Soak cotton balls or pads in it and apply to puffy areas. (I'm boiling water right now - no kidding!

Need a facial? Mix equal parts of salt and olive oil. Massage into face, throat and neck. Leave on for five minutes. Remove with warm water.

It's bath time! Mix the following ingredients together in a plastic container - 1/2 cup baking soda; 1/2 cup dry milk; 1 cup Epson salt; 1 cup sea salt. Add 'salt bath' to taste.

Spread the word, NOT the icing,
Janice

Write Janice for free 'life' consult!
Follow Janice on Twitter! Food facts. tips and motivation throughout the day!
Workshops! Come, play with me!
Free Our Lady of Weight Loss E-Cards! Spread the FUN word!

For more motivation and inspiration, join the Kick in the Tush Club: Beliefnet Chapter.

Pick up a copy of Janice's latest: All Is Forgiven, Move ON ~ Our Lady of Weight Loss's 101 Fat-Burning Steps on Your Journey to Sveltesville!

" . . . . kooky genius ~ see if her idiosyncratic diet plan will work for you." ~ O, The Oprah Magazine

about Janice

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