Feeling bad, got heartburn, can’t sleep, feel sick? These conditions and more can be caused by improper pH in your body. For generations farmers have known their soil MUST have the proper pH or crops won’t grow. Adjusting the alkaline content of their fields makes the difference between lush, healthy fruits and vegetables OR withering plants that don’t produce.

Recent scientific research shows our bodies work much the same way. We shouldn’t be surprised. After all, we are all part of life on earth.

If your body’s pH swings toward the acidic, you start to experience a wide range of ailments. Your system can become acidic from an acid-rich diet, from toxic overload, and from emotional stress.

Much of what we eat and do in our modern life works to fill our bodies with toxins that harm our health and well being. People who have a poor alkaline balance tire easily, recover slowly from illness, over eat, frequently smoke, and often suffer from allergies and headaches.

SELF TEST YOUR pH

There is a simple pH self-test (using inexpensive litmus paper, available from health food or drug stores), which can quickly tell you whether or not your system is acidic or alkaline. This test will provide you with an indication of the state of your health. Be advised that this test is only an indicator, and only reflects that moment in time when it was performed. PH levels are constantly changing within our bodies.

Perform first thing after waking, or two hours after eating or drinking.

Swallow the saliva in your mouth, and then produce new. Repeat this several times.

Transfer saliva to Litmus paper (Do not put the litmus paper in your mouth).

Compare the result to the pH color chart provided with your litmus kit with the appropriate ph categories below.

The solution is to remove those nasty toxins from your body. Fortunately, you don’t need surgery, hospital processes, or expensive prescription drugs to do it. Your feet have thousands of sweat glands that can easily be used to drain harmful toxins out of your body.

Recent developments have made it possible to create ion foot baths that can change the pH of your body. Toxins simply flow out of your feet into the bath water.

The science behind the ion foot spa is advanced, but a quality foot spa should be easy for anyone to use. This is important, as using the ionic process improperly can actually poison your body and make your health worse.

Don’t worry, though, a quality foot spa will have several pre- determined settings. You can use the setting of your choice with confidence, as medical experts designed it to protect and improve your health.

Look for a moderately priced foot spa and avoid the cheaper versions which are often not certified for North American use.

Foot spas have become so popular, that many clinics, spas, and beauty salons are using them. Offering this service to their customers creates repeat business that has become a major source of income for many.

Chris Vermeulen is with Lenson International Corp., makers of the innovative Lenson Ion Foot Spa. The spa removes harmful toxins from your body, improves your health, soothes ailments, and makes you feel better than you have in years. See www.LensonUSA.com

Advertisements that say that miracle weight loss pills are on the market are not always releasing all of the facts. We see these people who are in excellent physical shape going from flabby to cut in just a matter of weeks. How is that possible? Could it be because they are taking the weight loss pills for months while embarking on a rigorous exercise program? That could very well be the case. It is easy for the advertiser to take a before picture months before the after picture and say that only six weeks went by.

How weight loss pills really work

Weight loss pills tend to have a number of natural ingredients in them that are good for the body and they may contain enzymes that prevent the absorption of carbohydrates or of fats into the system. The remainder that is not absorbed into the system is excreted. This can actually cause a bit of pain in the stomach and intestines, which can cause diarrhea and other uncomfortable situations.

Another kind of weight loss pill is one that is supposed to suppress the appetite. This is to take away a person’s desire for food. Although this sounds fantastic, this can be dangerous since food is our primary source of vitamins and minerals. Some of the adverse effects that are associated with pills that suppress appetite are insomnia, high blood pressure, difficulty thinking, and heart attacks.

However, weight loss pills can be helpful if they are used properly, but there are no miracle pills in which you take them for a week or two while eating whatever you want and see an immediate difference in weight. That is completely unrealistic. They should not be taken long-term and true weight loss medications can only be prescribed by a doctor. These supplements that are advertised on infomercials and on websites cannot work alone.

In fact, they are only effective if you eat right and exercise. Sure, they may accelerate weight loss to an extent, but not without eating healthy foods and exercising. Another thing is to not expect to look like a bodybuilder in six weeks. Looking like that takes some work and suggesting it can be done in such a short amount of time by taking a weight loss pill is an insult to those who have worked for years for their physique.

Take caution

There are also weight loss pills in which more caution than usual must be taken. There are many herbs out there that are beneficial in a lot of ways. We see herbal teas and various herbal remedies. We even see herbs in weight loss pills. It is a good idea to be cautious of these pills because they are not regulated by the FDA in any way. They also lack scientific data that says they are safe or that they are even effective. Since the manufacturers of these pills are not committed to putting the same concentration of an ingredient throughout the market, the effects a person experiences can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Just don’t let the word “herbal” fool you because that is not a green light that says it is safe.

So when it comes down to it, a weight loss pill is simply a supplement, which is why they are often called weight loss supplements. They supplement good diet and exercise to achieve the desired result. However, the result is not much different than what would be achieved with diet and exercise alone, so it may be beneficial to not place a pill with confusing and unknown ingredients within the body.

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Since the oldest times, meditation and relaxation have been considered essential for both our mental and physical health, having a wide range of benefits upon our general mood and feeling of well being. But what is the foundation of this affirmation? Why do we need to relax and to meditate? And how do meditation and relaxation get along with our dynamic and overwhelming modern life?

Why Meditate?

Meditation and relaxation go hand in hand, since we can not actually meditate unless we are perfectly relaxed. And the benefits of relaxation are well-known: better concentration, better focus and attention, release of stress and tension - after all, these are beneficial effects that all hard working, active individuals desire. But meditation implies even more than relaxation…. meditation implies a journey of the mind, a spiritual journey that allows us to reach the corners of our inner selves.

We can come in contact with our deep feelings, with our deep emotions, we are stimulated to conceive ideas, our minds and spirits are challenged. But we should not understand that this challenge presupposes an effort. Actually, this journey is helping us to become more peaceful, calmer individuals, individuals who can be in perfect harmony with themselves and with the rest of the world.

Why Are Meditation and Relaxation Essential in the Context of the Modern World?

Nowadays, meditation and relaxation are more important than ever. Why so? Simply because nowadays, people are engaged in hyperactive lives and intense daily activities that tend to exhaust them and to overwhelm them. Nowadays, most individuals are working hard; most individuals are dealing with the responsibilities of building a happy, safe life for their family. Nowadays, stress is more present than ever.

Furthermore, the modern world of today leaves little space, if any, to the important things in live. People are concerned with the functionality of their life; they are concerned with material aspects, with financial matters - that also bring high amounts of stress - and with the pragmatic sides of life. Today, people tend to think less and less about themselves, about their needs and desires.

Which Are the Positive Effects of Meditation and Relaxation?

In the context of the modern, dynamic and stressful world, people need to go back to the meaningful things in life, things that lean more towards spirituality than to pragmatism. People need to go back to themselves, to find themselves, to discover their inner live, since this is the one that can bring genuine satisfactions and rewordings. Moreover, meditation and relaxation are the key to a better efficaciousness, to better outturn when dealing with daily activities, with work or with personal matters. Meditation can actually increase our capacities in a wide range of fields, from our emotional skills to our professional ones, since it implies more creativity, more imagination, an optimized attention and a better general tonus.

Considering the facts above, individuals should embrace this chance of improving such a diverse range of abilities and aspects of their life by simply embracing meditation and relaxation. More vitality, more energy, the feelings of happiness and joy, discovering inner emotions and feelings, releasing tension and stress and many more - all these are in the power of meditation and relaxation.

Want to calm your mind, super-charge your energy level and manifest what you truly desire in life? We’ve created a FREE audio e-course with relaxation meditation techniques to get you started. If your happiness is important, click here.

Your menu that you will have in your restaurant is determined by the type of customer market that you will serve. Specifically with each type of market, the manager, owner of the restaurant or the food services manager must determine the best type of menu that is suitable and preferred for the needs and desires of their specific food customer market. That is what the area, or drive around catchments area needs.

It’s not a chicken or egg scenario. If the area served has ten pizza restaurants but few hamburger chains, even if you like pizza, why put up another pizza restaurant menu?

In designing a given menu , that manager must not only consider information on the market itself – for example age , gender , economic and employment conditions , frequency of eating out etc , but also the skill levels of the employees in the area who will be hired, the availability of food products – both availability , quality and seasonal availabilities of given food ingredients. In the end it’s not only about the restaurant but also food type, quality and ultimately the profitability and longevity of the restaurant operation in question.

The type of menu to be offered and the pricing structure of the food service establishment of course are chosen and determined by management. However, with menus that change frequently it may that often the menu planning will fall into the responsibility of a chef in the case of a restaurant or a dietician in the case of a hospital or school cafeteria.

Meal planning can often be said to be among the more complex tasks of the whole food service chain a restaurant industry. There can be said to be a large number of variables – things that can and will change, often on their own. Needless to say it’s often the costs of the ingredients, or services that change. The cost of beef or chicken may vary from week to week, from month to month. Sometime it’s the absolute costs. Sometimes the products are on special or sale. Sometimes it’s seasonal. Sometimes it may be as simple that coke is on sale, yet bottled water is not. It’s ongoing to try to make sense of it all – to price consistently both in terms of product and your customer demand and yet not have customers feel that you are non –caring, or taking advantage of them.

Not only will that but a good restaurant manager keep his finger on the pulse of his customer’s preferences and his eye on the ball. Customer preferences can change. Once a customer base is lost it can take a great amount of time and effort to lure former customers back. Not only will you have the situation of reduced cash flow but as well you may have to charge less than the competition in order to get those customers back.

In the end it can be said that the restaurant and food business can be among the most personally rewarding forms of employment but also among the most demanding businesses to be involved with. It’s all about food and satisfying your customers.

Winnipeg Wedding Inn at the Forks Winnipeg Caterers

If you have been continually exercising and eating a healthy diet but still cannot seem to meet your weight loss goals you might want to consider taking a weight loss or diet pill in addition to your regular routine to help you burn those extra calories each day that might be the big difference between burning fat or maintaining your current weight.

Some people have their doubts as to whether weight loss pills work and whether they should try using one as a weight loss aid. Here are a just few things you should ask yourself before deciding whether or not they are right for you to use.

The first thing you need to ask yourself is whether you have really tried to lose weight by the standard methods of exercise and proper diet. If you are overweight, you can’t simply take a diet pill but continue to live the exact same lifestyle and expect to lose weight. You still need to make sure you are burning the same or more calories that you consume each day either by cutting out calories from your diet and meals or by exercising more to lose weight.

There are however, some pills that can help reduce your appetite and helps reduce over eating. The problem here is that if you cut back too much on your calorie intake, your body will begin to burn less calories and if you stop taking the pills, you will begin over eating again and put back on all the weight you initially lost as well as having a less aggressive metabolism which will make it even harder in the future to lose weight. Optimal use of any diet pill is by also following a proper diet with at least some exercise each day, although for some people, healthier eating and taking an additional diet pill is all they need to start losing those unwanted pounds and any exercise they add just speeds up the process.

By reducing your appetite just enough, some pills can help stop some people from over eating. This can be the difference between getting fatter or staying the same, which you can then slowly work on with some exercise or changes to your diet.

You can also research what ingredients are in the pills and see if there are any common foods or beverages that contain them and start adding them to your current diet.

Another thing you need to consider is cost. You might want to try a bottle first to see if you get any result but you really need to consider how much it will cost to use them for several months or even a year depending on how much weight you want to lose and whether you can afford to keep using them for a prolonged period of time. It is always advised that you consult with your doctor before undertaking the use of any diet pills as they might interfere with certain medications you may be taking at the same time.

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Ab workouts have become one of the most popular forms of exercise in recent times. For most people looking to get into shape, having a well defined and visible six pack is the ultimate goal from all the dieting and exercise. Not only does working out your abs help you to look sexy, but there are other numerous health benefits from having a strong core including improved performance in sports and for improvement of several chiropractic problems.

The most popular and basic way to exercise your ab muscles are by doing what’s known as “crunches”. There are also many different ways to perform a crunch and we will look into how to do several of these below.

1. The Basic Crunch

I’m sure most of you out there have tried this one before at one time or another, it is performed by laying on your back with your knees slightly bent and your feet flat on the floor, and with your hands either on your chest or placed behind your head, you slowly lift your upper body off the floor by contracting all of your abdominal muscles. There is no need to completey raise yourself as you will no longer be using your abdominla muscles but three quarters from upright position is sufficient.

This is the perfect exercise to begin strengthening your ab muscles before moving on to the more difficult and strenuous variations of the standard crunch. As the abdominal muscles are some of the quickest to recover, you may if you like, perform ab workouts daily. You need to remember to start slow and build up your repetitions over time.

You also need to remember to do them really slowly, and make sure your ab muscles are doing most of the work, because if you go too fast you will end up using your momentum to lift your body rather than your ab muscles.

2. The Oblique Crunch

If you really want the visible results of an ab workout you should try adding oblique crunches to your exericise workout. Your obliques are also known as your “love handles” and are found on the sides of your body from your waist down to your hips. This type of crunch also works your upper abs and will give you the quickest visual results. It is also good to add this variation of the crunch to ensure all your abdominal muscles are evenly strengthened and toned.

To perform an oblique crunch, you get into the exact same position as a standard crunch but instead of raising your upper body straight up, as you lift, you twist your torso to the left or right (remember to alternate so that you workout both sides of your body) to work out those other muscles. While doing oblique crunches, try to focus on your oblique muscles by contracting them as hard as you can as you lift yourself off the floor. Doing this will add to the intensity of the workout and strengthen them much faster.

Do you want the kind of abs that will make you the envy of your friends? Find out how to get a six pack in the fastest way possible by visiting: The Truth About Six Pack Abs.

It is close to dinnertime and you are starving. You cannot wait and need something right now, but don’t want to sabotage all that you have accomplished. Your willpower is growing dim and you are struggling, yetyou must have something, just something that will tide you over. That cookie looks really good and that’s okay, but you just know that one leads to two, and three, and……..STOP!

Don’t ruin it now. You have been working out for weeks and you are really noticing a difference in the way that your clothes look and feel. You have come too far for that and just think of that new dress that you want to wear to that special upcoming event. Instead here are some great snacks that will help you to squelch that rumbling tummy. Remember though…portion control is the key to success. Try eating these foods instead and you will get through those difficult times between meals.

Here is a list of foods under 100 calories:

Vegetables: Between 15 and 40 calories

Celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms, zucchini, green beans, radishes, green peppers, lettuce, pickles.

Fruits: Between 40 and 70 calories

Oranges, apples, strawberries, grapefruit, cantaloupe, tangerines, peaches, apricots, nectarine, ? of a banana.

Crackers: Between 30 and 90 calories

Melba toast, Matzoh, pretzels (5), puffed wheat, puffed rice, Bran Chex, graham crackers (2 squares), breadsticks (1), vanilla wafers (5), rice cakes, cream of wheat, ? a bagel, ? of an English muffin.

Miscellaneous Items: Between 10 and 90 calories

Sugar-free gelatin, non-fat yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, sugar-free popsicles, sugar-free fudgsicles, popcorn, hard boiled egg, a piece of toast, Italian ice, can of chicken noodle soup, slice of American cheese, fruit flavored yogurt, sugar-free pudding.

Drinks: Between 0 and 90 calories

Tea, coffee, seltzer water, diet sodas, grapefruit juice, orange juice, skim milk, apple juice, cranberry juice, carrot juice, tomato juice, water, sugar-free drink mixes.

Eat any of the above in a reasonable portion and you will be able to curb your appetite until your next meal without spoiling what you have accomplished. Also, don’t forget to check out your grocery store for prepackaged weight loss packets of great snacks that are less than 100 calories. There are cereals, cookies, crackers, gelatin and pudding cups, popcorn and more items available that are already packaged to help you take the guesswork and temptation away from you. Or better yet, prepackage your own cereal and other items in little plastic baggies, which is more cost effective. It may take a little more time or be a little more costly, but worth it in the long run if it helps you to control your eating.

Choose your snacks wisely and plan your meals ahead. Think about when you will need a snack and be careful during your weakest moment Keep a prepackaged snack and a bottle of water with you in case you have the munchies while you are on the go. Remember, you didn’t come this far just to lose it on a high calorie snack that could have been avoided with a little thought in mind.

Follow a forty-something year old mom’s journey from overweight to healthy and fit. Check out some of her favorite food finds and healthy recipes by visiting BlogAwayThePounds.com

Walk into any store specializing in barbecues for sale and one is immediately faced with an astonishing and bewildering display of different models at widely differing prices. How do you choose the one that is right for you?

It helps to know the principal difference between them. The truth is, for all the different shapes and sizes there are basically only two barbecue models; flat bed or kettle. Which one you choose will depend very much on what you want it to do and the size of it will be determined by the number of people you intend to cook for. If you entertain a great deal, you may find yourself ending up with both types. So let’s take a look at them.

Flat Bed Barbecues

These are most often rectangular in shape, may use either gas, electricity or charcoal as a heat source and may or may not have a hood that turns them into a conventional-style oven. They range in size from a single burner to a massive range that may include a wok stand, separate hotplate and even a plate warmer.

The important thing to understand about them is that, without exception, they cook by the direct method, even when being used as an oven. What that means is that the heating elements are always directly under the food being cooked. This can create problems when foods with a high fat content, such as sausages, are being cooked because of flare-ups. These can occur even when the lid is closed, imparting an oily taint to the food.

You can get round this to some extent by always cooking your meat on a hotplate placed on the grill over the heat source. The problem that remains is that the fat has to be disposed of and the plate cleaned after each use.

A second disadvantage is that, except for the very expensive models fitted with a fan, when the lid is closed as it would be for roasting a joint, all the heating is still directly below the meat, which can lead to an uneven result. It also makes it difficult, in the case of a charcoal barbecue, to add extra fuel during cooking if that should turn out to be necessary.

Barbecue Kettles

When these put in an appearance in the 1950s they caused something of a sensation. Originally manufactured by Weber, what really caused a stir was the fact that they were, and still are, round to the point of being almost spherical. Nothing like them had ever been seen before in Western cooking and in some eyes the shape was seen as little more than a gimmick. But in fact the design was brilliant both in concept and execution, for it was this ’roundness’ that gave the kettle its unique edge over the competition. Not only did it behave just like a convection oven, it let the user take full advantage of indirect heating, thereby allowing the meat to cook quickly and evenly in its own juices.

The results were sensational and remain so today. The indirect heating was achieved by placing two small barriers opposite each other at the side of the lower grill. These could be filled with charcoal and lit, leaving a broad gap between them into which a drip tray could be placed. The food is cooked on an upper level and any fat falls into the tray below for easy disposal and without creating flare-ups. Much later the ‘barriers’ were replaced by baskets that can be heated together and then moved apart, making both direct and indirect cooking possible from one heat source.

Kettles differ from flatbeds in one other important aspect - food is always cooked in them with the lid closed and direct heat is only ever used to cook lean pieces of meat such as steak and chops. Even these should be cooked on a preheated cast-iron grill that can be bought as an optional extra and fits on top of the upper grill.

Heating is most often charcoal but can be gas and despite popular belief either will produce the same result; the true barbecue flavor comes from the way in which meat is cooked and any added flavoring material, such as hickory chips, not from the heat source itself.

Electric kettles are available but are not very popular and are expensive to run.

Which Will You Choose?

For family use and entertaining smallish groups of friends, there is no doubt in my mind that the kettle wins hands down. The standard size of 57cm (22.5ins) will handle two large chickens, a large beef or pork joint, two legs of lamb or a turkey with ease. Steaks will depend on the size, of course, but four to six at a time is probably about right.

If you want to cook large quantities of steak, chicken wings, sausages and similar food, then you might find a flatbed will suit you better and that is certainly the case if you want to turn your outside area into a replica of your kitchen, with all the add-ons that many of the more expensive flatbeds have as standard.

In terms of flavor and succulence, the flatbed cannot compete however. I find the kettle is also easier to keep clean, especially if you use disposable drip trays that are readily obtainable from the supermarket and which can also be used for cooking vegetables and even cakes and desserts.

As for quality, buy the best you can afford. In the case of a kettle, make certain it is coated with vitreous or porcelain enamel and that the parts likely to come into contact with the food are of stainless steel. Anything else will rust because of the high heat involved in the cooking process.

Most flatbeds make extensive use of cast iron and this is, on the whole, a high maintenance material, so be certain you are prepared for this before parting with your cash. Flaky rusting particles do not make for great seasoning or a particularly appetizing look. They are also indigestible.

Finally, when you get your new barbecue get a good bbq cookbook at the same time and really learn the best way to cook with the design of your choice. It has been my experience that a great many owners of expensive barbecues simply do not know how to use them. With the proper guide you will astound yourself as well as your family and friends.

The Cool Cook is a former head chef and an acknowledged authority and published writer on cooking matters. His website at All About Cooking contains a wealth of information, hints, tips and recipes for busy home cooks, including video based ?how-to? guides.

1. Myth: - Only females, especially teenage girls, have eating disorders.

Eating disorders begin during teenage years and as such are more common amongst teenage girls. However, they do occur in males also, and can occur at any time in a boy or man’s life.

2. Myth: - A person can not suffer from more than one eating disorder at any given time.

This is completely untrue. It is common for a person to suffer from more than one eating disorder at the same time.

3. Myth: - Excessive eating or bingeing is not considered a real eating disorder.

Excessive eating or bingeing is very much considered an eating disorder. It is considered a serious condition, on par with bulimia or even anorexia. In most cases a person will become an excessive eater when he or she is having personal problems and is trying to cope or in some cases block out their feelings.

4. Myth: - Males who tend to suffer from eating disorders are usually gay.

That simply has nothing to do with whether a man gets or has an eating disorder.

5. Myth: - Only underweight or overweight people suffer from eating disorders.

Eating disorders are in reference to behaviour, like ones obsession to be thin or possibly an emotional problem. It simply isn’t possible to tell, just by looking at a person’s weight, size or body shape, whether he or she has an eating disorder.

5. Myth: - Bulimic people get rid of their food by vomiting.

That simply isn’t true. Many people who are bulimic take laxatives; some fast and some may exercise to burn away their calories.

6. Myth: - By following a strict diet coupled with the necessary dedication, a person can remain thin.

One thing most people must bare in mind is that being fat is more a hereditary issue and in many cases is not caused by a person’s lifestyle, therefore making it virtually impossible for them to be as thin as they wish regardless of their commitment. With a healthy diet and regular exercise, some people can maintain or achieve a nice shapely form, but for most people out there, however they try, maintaining that perfect figure can prove to be a near impossible feat.

7. Myth: - Eating disorders are not all life threatening.

All eating disorders are potentially fatal if not treated in time or properly as they harm the entire body, especially the bones and heart as the body will not receive the optimal amount of calcium and vitamins it requires for proper functionality. People, who die from Bulimia, often die from cardiac arrests and ruptured esophagus. The cardiac arrest is caused by the electrolytes going out of balance and potassium levels being dangerously low along with a ruptured esophagus due primarily to excessive vomiting. Death can also be a result of using laxatives to purge food and also extreme exercising.

8. Myth: - Eating disorders are a sickness exclusive to the mentally ill.

It is not a mental disorder. It’s simply an obsession in some people to maintain their ideal body size/shape especially if they’re a dancer or gymnast as its imperative they maintain an attractive well toned body.

9. Myth: - Recovering completely from an eating disorder is not possible.

With the right treatment, with the support of family and friends coupled with the necessary hard work on the person’s part, complete recovery is a definite possibility. It can prove to take a long time, but a time well worth taking when the right result is achieved.

Uchenna Ani-Okoye is an internet marketing advisor and co founder of Free Affiliate Programs For more information and resource links on eating disorders visitor: People With Eating Disorders

So you thought it was willpower and diet plans that helped people lose weight faster, better, and for longer. Maybe. But in my experience as both a hypnotist and a successful weight watcher, it’s something else.

If we’re talking about pleasant weight loss.

Permanent weight loss.

Weight loss that leaves you feeling good about yourself.

In my hypnosis practice, the following beliefs go a long way toward an easier and long-lasting weight loss—and the sense of joy and discovery that accompany it.

Try on these beliefs. Start with the ones that feel natural to you. Then add the ones that come harder.

Owning them all is the goal. It will empower everything you’re doing to lose fat and add muscle. Choosing your own best weight-loss and exercise approaches can be a natural outgrowth of these new beliefs.

-Belief 1: “This is not the last cookie (ice cream sundae, piece of cake, etc.) in the world.”

You will always have the chance to sample a goody later. It doesn’t have to be right now. So why not delay it until you really need it or, better yet, desire it?

Delayed gratification with regard to eating is a smart thing to learn. You are no longer a slave to food. You get to choose. You hold the checkbook. You get to decide where and when to spend your calories (or points, carb grams, whatever) and on what.

There will always be another opportunity.

Remember that time you didn’t want to spend so much on that suit, and you found it elsewhere later at half price?

Self-control sets you up for more and better self-control. Impulsive eating sets you up for a belief that you are forever out of control and desperate.

-Belief 2: “If I can lose it, I can also gain it.”

This is about staying on target, always. It’s easier to maintain than to lose.

But often successful dieters get overconfident. They believe that in the process of dieting, they’ve been blessed with magical, effortless slimness forever.

True, their efforts may have adjusted their metabolism so that it is functioning better now.

But vigilance, good food choices, and smart exercise are responsible for their success. Poor choices can move them away again.

This is the mindset that will work for you when you are successfully losing weight and/or keeping it off.

-Belief 3: “If I can gain it, I can also lose it.”

Surprised? Don’t be. This is the flip side of belief #2 and the perfect way of thinking when you’ve fallen off the weight loss wagon.

Don’t assume your slenderizing days are kaput, and the magic is lost. Maybe you’ve slipped in some extra calories (or points) or are getting less exercise than before, unknowingly.

Cold weather, busy schedules, sad or joyous events often play a role. Get back where you were, even if you need help to get there.

Simply be more watchful for a while about counting calories and checking portions. Using a small postage scale may be an eye-opener as portions seem to enlarge when we’re having weight-loss success.

Another real possibility is that having lost weight, you now need fewer calories to move your body around in the world, and actually need to reduce your intake a bit to go with your lighter weight. (Counter-intuitive, but true.)

Or, if you prefer, keep that daily calorie count but upgrade your level or amount of exercise. Or simply change the foods you’re eating to refresh the routine.

If none of this corrects the situation, consult your regular doctor or endocrinologist for insight.

-Belief 4: “Slim feels better than a sundae tastes.”

Kudos to the person who first coined that phrase. A truer word has never been spoken.

Of course, we’re not talking about your thoughts in the moment that you’re scarfing down that chocolate bar.

We’re talking about the moment after.

And the moment after that, and the one after that.

And the moment you’re trying to zip up those pants.

Take on this belief, hold it dear, and life gets a lot easier.

-Belief 5: “Weight loss without exercise is a job half done.”

People do lose weight without exercising. It may take a longer, but that’s not the real problem. Nor will I mention health.

I will say this though.

When you lose weight without toning up, it works just fine for a while. Then, it happens: you start to notice some sag. Fallen buttocks. Loose skin around a belly that used to be rounder.

A flat belly is great.

But a flat, loose belly?

Not ideal. So if you’re doing the work of losing weight, why not add a smidge of exercise?

When that feels good, add more. Adjust the amount and kind of exercise you do. Then check for tighter skin around the midsection, thighs, and rear. And give yourself a high five! ?2008 by Wendy Lapidus-Saltz. All rights reserved.

Wendy Lapidus-Saltz is a hypnotist & mind coach specializing in weight loss, smoking cessation, love attraction and career issues. She maintains a Chicago office and works with clients worldwide by phone, offering a free phone consult. To help decide how hypnosis can help you, reach her at ILAPSAL@aol.com or 312-640-1584. Visit her websites: http://www.nonsmoker4life.com and http://www.hypno-attraction.com .