Portion size is directly related to your size.

What's up with portion size?

I sat down and looked at the breakfast menu. I'm really a "lunch Lover" but I do understand the importance of breakfast. It starts your day off with energy and prepares you to face the day ahead.

So I decide on an omelet. I didn't notice anyone else being served an omelet or I would have had second thoughts. So we sip on some coffee, breakfast comes and they sit this omelet in front of me that fills a 12 in plate, see for your self. Don't get me wrong, the omelet was not bad tasting, in fact in was delicious, the 1/3 of the omelet I ate was delicious.

As I looked at the 2/3 that was being wasted because I couldn't eat it (it came with potatoes, on a separate plate) and wondered if it would be enough breakfast for just one other person or if it would actually stretch to another person too. How many people are hungry or kids go to school with nothing in their stomach?

So we decided to put it to the test. The next time we ordered the omelet knowing how big it was and split the thing, there was still some left over, maybe only enough for a child but still if you were a family of 3 this omelet would feed the entire family. We were told that some people come in and eat the entire thing them self.

You can imagine that this got me to thinking again about the biggest problem we have in the United States and that is obesity. WE ARE EATING OUR SELF SICK. The biggest medical costs come from diseases that could be avoided, like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and complications from these illnesses. Guess what? The illnesses I just mentioned are mostly diet related. WE ARE DOING IT TO OUR SELF, with all of the fast food, large portions, packaged and prepared foods that are loaded with things we can't pronounce.

Write down one of those words that are in the ingredients that you can't pronounce and Google it to see what it is. Then don't just "know" what it is, do something about it and cut-it-out of your diet.

There are some things that you can do to help your self out

1. Always ask for a smaller portion or order from the light eaters menu.

2. Only eat 1/2 of a restaurant serving.

3. Go a little further and ask for a "to go" container and put 1/2 of your meal away at the gate.

4. Make eating out a "treat". Home cooking allows much more control of what is consumed

5. Don't go out to eat when "starving". Make sure and have a healthy snack to curb appetite a bit.

6. Don't eat until you are full. Save 30% of your stomach for digestion.

To find out more read my article: Sick and Eating.

http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=2007308

visit us at:

http://www.shellithompson@blogspot.com

And until next time,

Take Really Good Care of Your Self.

Getting to the Heart of the matter

Let's get to the heart of the matter.

There are new studies that come out all of the time about health and fitness. The human body has an endless amount of "un-knowns" to be studied.

There are hundreds of studies that come out each year. Studies that we need to examine a little closer. Everyone is different so each individual has to assess the studies and see if it resonates with what they know about their own body.

We have all known for years that cardio. exercises are effective ways to keep our pulminary systems in shape.


The latest study suggests that resistance work is the best way to burn fat and calories. To someone that really wants to loose weight and burn calories might decide to forgo the cardio. work out and turn just to resistance work.

what worries me is the way these studies get interpreted by different individuals.

The reason that this is troubling to myself is because without a stong heart muscle it doesn't really matter how much fat and calories you are burning.

Your heart is the center or YOUR universe wether you like it or not.

So why wouldn't it matter?? Well because without a strong heart you won't be pumping those weights.

Your heart and lungs work together and form your pulminary system. Your lungs collect the oxygen and the heart distributes that oxygen to the MUSCLES, without the oxygen the muscles don't function and neither do your other organs.

So if your heart is weak and has to work harder to keep up the muscles demand for oxygen, the diagnosis is called hypertension or high blood pressure.

The "simple" solution is diet and exercise. Being aware before the onset is the best rule of thumb. In order for that to happen we need to get educated.

So keep doing the cardio. work but add weights 3 to 4 times a week.

Keep in mind while practicing resistance training to only train every other day. Giving your muscles a day of rebuilding and recovery.

The most important thing is to have fun. Sometimes that's hard to do so stay tuned we are going to have some fun with weights next time.

Until next time,
Really take care of yourself,

find out more about us @

http://shellithompson.blogspot.com/

Making resistance training fun

Okay, now that you are on the same page with me, let's look at resistance training or weight training.

I hear from many people that they don't enjoy weight training. I think that exercise is a personal choice and what you do with your choices is up to you right?
So if we could find a way to make this thing more fun maybe you could find time to fit it into your schedule.

There are still others that really don't like it but they really do like the way that they feel afterwards. At least these individuals have a place to operate from that they will be rewarded physically.

If you are one of the ones that don't like it and aren't noticing any difference in the the way you feel after then maybe you need a reward that you can give your self.
Maybe your reward will be some type of treat but make it good so it isn't easy to pass up. This will be your reward for doing your exercises.

There are different things that you can do with the music, the beat and the count so stay tuned and we will talk more about this in the coming week. You can review my last blog

@ http://healthpulse-shelli.blogspot.com/2009/09/importance-of-resistance-training.html

Each and every one is different is some way. All of those differences need to be addressed so that we can all be optimum condition and live our life to the fullest. That is what we believe and the way we live our life.

http://healthpulse-shelli.blogspot.com/2009/06/everybody-is-different.html

Remember all of us are different, so treat your self differently.

Until next time,

Really take care of your self.

The Importance of Resistance Training

Many people don't understand the importance of resistance training.

When I ask people if they lift weights I get many answers from, "I do it but I hate it" (wow) or, "I don't want my muscles to look like a man". (okay) or just ,"no"

One thing we need to understand as women is that we are deffinately built diffrent than a guy. Even if we did want to look buff all of the time it would be very hard and require many hours in the gym. Women are not made to look chisseled they are supposed to be "round and soft".

I don't think that either one is a description of the woman that I want to be.

For one thing, I want to take care of my body so it will sustain me through life.

So I will lift weights, stretch do cardio exercises and that all leads to a more healthy and active lifestyle and that is also a way of getting exercise.

Now back to the importance of weight bearing exercises. As a woman we all know that as time marches on we loose bone mass. Yes we can take medication but the most natural way of PREVENTING it from happening is to participate in resistance training.

If you are afraid of bulking up this is what I suggest and do for myself. I lower the amount of the weight to be lifted and then I increase the number of repetitions. This will tone the muscle and increase endurance making the muscle stronger.

Another good exercise is isometrics. That is taking a low weight and holding it for at least a slow count of 12. This also tones and increases endurance.

Remember that Muscle weighs more than fat but it takes up less space.

Toning your muscles will make your skin look better

You burn more fat and calories with weight lifting than aeorbic exercise. By no means give up that cardio work out, you heart needs attention too!

find out more @

http://healthpulse-shelli.blogspot.com/2009/06/everybody-is-different.html