Author: Elizabeth

Routines are great. We know what to expect, when to expect it, and what is expected of us. This is especially true in exercise routines. I use a set workout and I stick to it. However, if we find ourselves at a plateau or losing interest in our workouts, then it’s time to try something new.

If you are at a gym, then consult one of the personal trainers about a new workout. If you are using a DVD series, then try a different set. If you are walking, try jogging or water aerobics. You can even search online for exercise demos. If you have an iPhone, try Nike Trainer or other workout apps. Android users can use Nike Boom.

What routines have you used and enjoyed? What are you wanting to try next?

Drinking half of our body weight in water everyday can seem like a tall order. For those not in the habit of drinking water everyday, it may even seem impossible.

One easy solution is to drink a small glass of water every hour on the hour. A friend of mine recommended this to me some years ago. She looked like she was in her 40’s-early 50’s. This is quite impressive when you learn she was almost 30 years older!

She she shared with me how she drank her water on the hour, kept a positive attitude through her faith, ate healthy every day, exercised for at least 30 minutes, and had a support network. She did all of this in the face of extreme adversity, with her husband terminally ill and her family living far away.

Although she didn’t know our motto,she lived by making WAVES every day. So, let’s all look younger, feel better and be happier. Can you drink water every hour?

Many of us get stuck in a rut on this journey, when we use the scales as our only method to measure our success. Don’t forget, inches also count!

It feels great to fit into that beautiful dress you’ve had hanging in the closet, just waithing for you to fit into it.  Or for men to go down to the next waist size.

Let’s face it, we care about how we look and what size we wear. We shouldn’t let the number on the scale dictate how well we are doing.

Now, as you shrink out of those clothes, I want to encourage you to pay it forward. Find someone else on this weight loss journey and pass them along. I call this Weight Loss Wonder Pants. I created a special page just for this. Why? Because we feel wonderful when we fit into that smaller size jeans. Do you have any clothes to pass along? Or are you looking for a particular size? Visit the Weight Loss Wonder Pants page and share with others.

If we are used to overeating, we are used to consuming a large amount of food. When we start to change our lifestyle, it can be hard to get used to a smaller amount.

I found chewing gum was a huge help! I could chew a good piece of gum until my jaw ached. This had the double benefit of satisfying my urge to chew and making me not want to eat as much with my sore jaw.

Now, beware that all types of gum are not the same. A sugary gum may have as much as 25 calories per piece. If you chewed 5 pieces of gum a day, that adds up to 125 calories or the equivalent of an afternoon snack! On the other hand, if you find a gum with less than 5 calories per piece, you have had less than 25 calories for all 5 pieces.

I personally like the gums with xylitol. These gums have been recommended to help clean your teeth as well as curb your urge to chew. So, find a flavor you like today and when the urge strikes to chew when you’re not quite hungry, reach for your gum. What’s your favourite flavor of gum?

Nobody ever starts out with a goal and tells themselves that they are going to fail. Yet, almost everyone hits a point where the going gets tough and we feel like we just can’t go on. That is when most people quit.

These are the times that we need support to continue and succeed. Others can lift us up and give us the courage we need to keep moving forward. Take a moment to say “Thank You” to whomever has lifted you up along the way. Then look for someone who needs to be encouraged and give them that gentle nudge to continue on to success. After all, we never know when we will be the one in need of support.

When we do strength training, we should rotate muscle groups every 48 hours and not sooner. For example, if you worked your arms on Monday, the next day (Tuesday), you would want to concentrate on working your legs. We create small tears in our muscle tissue and they need to heal before we go through the process again.

A commonly asked question is “What weight should I lift?”. There is no amount that is right for everyone. What I have found that works best for me personally, is to start small and gradually increase the weight.

You want your muscles to feel tired after 10-15 reps, using free weights (dumbells, barbells, etc.). When using machines for strength training, you want your muscles to feel tired after 15-30 reps. For example, when I started working on my shoulders the weight of the bar was all I could handle. I was sore at the end of 15 reps and the last several reps were difficult to complete. I worked up to 30 reps and when I could complete that without too much discomfort, I increased the weight by 5 pounds. I continued in this pattern and today I am lifting 40 pounds on the shoulder press machine.

I have created a weight loss chart to help give you a general guide on your weight loss journey.