Have a Cold?

Here are some tips to help you...

Always drink plenty fluids, a runny noses, coughing and sneezing can lead to dehydration. You will also want to take a nice hot shower, especially if you are extremely congested and you do not have a humidifier. The humidified air will help ease the congestion. Last but not least, get plenty of sleep.


Do not take antibiotics, they only wok against bacteria. Don't get yourself all stressed out. Having a cold is enough stress to your body and adding more could just make your cold and symptoms even worse. Oh one other thing, don't sweat out a cold - there is no truth in that idea...Just be sure you are comfortable and have everything you need to get through the bug..

Eyewear Savings

My job offer an eye wear Savings plan. basically I can get a discount a participating providers. I wasn't going to sign up for it but HR said for the the cost of $12.00 a year it is really worth getting. My insurance company offers a discount as well and I have always just used that. Apparently the company I work for will be looking for health insurance quotes in a couple of months. They suggested I get it as a buffer, in case the need to drop vision to lower costs...eeek! It doesn't really surprise me, the cost of every in going up dramatically and my job still cover a large portion of our health insurance. So I enrolled, 12 dollars doesn't really make or break anything. If I get a better discount through them then it was all worth it!

We Went To The Eye Doctor

Last night my son and I went to the eye doctor, I dread the eye doctor! My vision is poor to begin with and every year it never gets any better! My son he need glasses for the blackboard, well now they call it a whiteboard.

Me on the other hand, I feel like a train wreck!My vision has gotten worse, as I already figured out on my own but now there is something new. So I go over this huge list of noticable issues and at the end of all the tests, doctor asks me if #1, have you taken prescription steroids? Me: no, Doctor: #2 Are you being treated for asthma? Me: No and last but not least Doctor: Have you ever has severe head trauma? Me: Yes...So doc wants to know and I tell him. He was mortified as most people would be and I told him that I didn't write it on the paper because I didn't think it was necessary for him to know. He agreed that I had no reason to think he should know. I know I am pretty open with my life here at A Day In The Zone and at A Dose Of Nonsense but this part of my childhood would make most of you cringe as it did my doctor. All I will say is that I was abused as an infant and maybe one day I will post about it more.

So anyways, doc now knows why I have at a ripe age 32, I have cataracts! I gave a goofy look as I always related cataracts to old age, my great grandmother has them! He said that it is very unusual to see them in a person my age and that is why he asked me those questions. Now my routine eye exam has turned into a medical issue. We'll see, no pun intended..I go back Monday for more tests...Ugh...

Weight Loss Option

I is very obvious today that obesity has become a serious problem here in the United States. There are millions of people that are over weight for several different reason from food addiction's to medical issues. They say that the best and healthiest way to lose weight is through exercise and diet, but there are alternatives. I am going to tell you about one of these alternatives cause you all know how much I love to help you out.

If you are one of millions that struggle to lose weight, have you considered Lab Band surgery? Lap Band surgery is a less invasive way to control food intake. The surgeon will place what is called a gastric band around your upper stomach that will create a small pouch. This new smaller part of your stomach will control how much food you can consume. The idea behind this concept is to give you the feeling of being full longer. The opening from the small pouch to the larger part of your stomach helps decrease the amount of time food that has been consumed can move.

Are there risks?? Of course there are every surgery has risks and some of these risks can include band slippage, band erosion, port site pain or leakage. I don't want to scare you with all the risks so if you are interested in other potential risks check out the site on lap band Toronto. There is a frequently asked questions link that could help answer any of the questions that you may have before making a choice to see a doctor.

So I told you about some risks and I am sure you all want to hear about the advantages of adjustable gastric banding. As they say, keep the best for last! Advantages are of course, weight loss, unlike other surgeries it is reversible. Yes, you read that correctly, reversible. It is of course meant to be permanent but if there are issues then it can be removed and your stomach will be just like it was before. It is also less invasive; this surgery is performed laparoscopically which means less pain, no stitches or staple and you will heal much faster. Sound good so far? The biggest and most important one of all, it is safer! So how is it safer? There are fewer risks of complications, nutritional deficits and a lower mortality rate.

If you are interested in the lap band surgery it have added links for you to check it out for yourself. I am by no means an expert and this is a decision that obviously you will need to discuss with your doctor. Most surgeries have eligibility requirement and other factors that need to be determined and looked into. Like most of my posts this post was aimed at being informative and tell you a little about an option you may not have considered or possibly may not have known about. As most of you know, I myself struggle with weight issues and I just want to help as many people as I can. Do what is best for you and most importantly, do it for yourself. You will succeed much more if you do it for you and no one else.

Fruit Form

Do you eat your fruit or drink it? Me, I usually eat it only because my many years at Weight Watchers has taught me that fruit juice isn't always your friend. The amount of sugar in fruit drinks is way to high to even begin to be healthy and besides, you only really getting about 10% real juice out of that bottle! The truly better juices, well you still get high sugar and low fiber. Drop the glass and pick up some fruit.

I feel Grosssss

Thanksgiving has been over for about a week now and yet I feel gross....still!! How is that possible and just think there are still 2 more holidays to go..ugh. Today I have drunk a ton of water hoping to get rid of tha nasty feeling but no such luck..Any ideas our there??

I am off to prepare some posts and I will check back later.

Ring Ring..Mystery Number

I hate it when that happens to me, the phone rings and a phone number shows up on the caller ID but it does not have a name. 9 times out of 10 if I don’t know the number or see a name I will not answer the phone. I found a site that you can look up phone numbers and it is www.nationwidephonelookup.com. The information you get from them is limited, you will get basics like city and state BUT you don’t get a name. If you want a name then you need to pay for a report. Me, I wouldn’t pay for a report but others might want more reliable information and are willing to pay..so check them out and see what you think..happy phone number hunting!

Burn More

Hypothetically speaking, you have received a couple of wedding invitations, thankfully these weddings aren't until the spring and summer of 2009. You want to look great cause all your old friends will be there. You need to lose weight, but you wonder how does it all work and what are my options. Just know you have plenty of time, as it is only December of 2008. No need to fret..

Burning more calories than you consume in order to lose weight.

One pound of fat is made up of roughly 3,500 extra calories. So in order to lose one pound of fat, you need to create a caloric deficit of 3,500 calories.

You can create a deficit of calories in three different ways:

1. Eat fewer calories than you burn each day. Keep in mind that your body burns calories all day long as part of your basal metabolic rate (BMR), because it takes energy (calories) for your body to perform basic functions that are necessary for life—breathing, digesting, circulating, thinking and more. On top of that, physical activity (bathing, walking, typing and exercising) uses even more calories each day.

If you eat 500 fewer calories each day for a week, you'll lose about one pound of fat
500 calories x 7 days = 3,500 calories.

2. Burn more calories than you consume by increasing your physical activity. If you eat enough calories to support your BMR, but exercise more, you'll create a caloric deficit simply by burning extra calories. This works only when you're not overeating to begin with.

Regardless of your BMR, if you exercised to burn an extra 500 calories each day, you'll lose about one pound of fat in a week.
500 calories x 7 days = 3,500 calories.

3. A combination of eating fewer calories and exercising to burn more calories. This is the most effective way to lose weight and keep it off. It's much easier to create a substantial calorie deficit when you combine dieting with exercise because you don't have to deprive yourself from food, and you don't have to exercise in crazy amounts.

If you cut just 200 calories a day from your diet and burned just 300 calories a day by exercising, you'd lose about one pound per week. Compare that to the other examples above—you're losing weight at about the same rate without making major changes to your diet or exercise routine. Some people hate to cut calories, while others hate to exercise, so a combination approach allows you to do more of whatever comes easier for you.

As long as you are consistent, your calorie deficit will "add up" over time, and you’ll slim down.
It's also important to note that although this math seems relatively simple, our bodies are very complicated and you might not always see the results you expect based on equations alone. Many other factors can affect your weight loss rate along the way.

Being Consistant

It is recommend that we exercise up to 90 minutes a days, most days of the week, of course if you lay dormant then you would want to gradually work your way up to that duration. A recent study found that participants who exercised for 20-30 minutes did so more consistently than those involved in 45-60 minute workout sessions. This study shows that you may be more likely to stick to a shorter workout than a longer one. I would have to agree with that, that is how I got started at the gym back in August. What is that saying? Oh, slow and steady wins the race!

If you and your family members are having trouble staying consistent with exercise, try a shorter workout session. Tell yourself that you'll exercise for 10 or 15 minutes, and follow through with it. Of course 10 minutes of exercise is better than totally skipping a workout. But, once you've hit that small goal, ask yourself if you could keep going. Besides I have faith that you could keep going. You may find that planning on a short workout is enough to get everyone to the gym (or park, trail, etc.), and once you're there, you can do a lot more than you thought.Besides, being on Hydroxycut hardcore isn't going to get the jiggle to go away.

Food and Thanksgiving

I trust that everyone has a awesome Thanksgiving? Mine was good, to much food but most of the time that is how it is anyways! So every year I try to take the approach that I will not eat too much and it never works, I am not sure if it is lack of will power or what, I think it could be all the good food that is around. My other down fall...sweets. I love cake, pie, brownies, simply anything sweet and tasty. The way I looked at it this year was that I was going to TRY not to go overboard but since I have been going to the gym I was not going to deprive myself either. Is it a good strategy? I do not know, but I sure sounds good! Now that Thanksgiving is over, I can go back to my normal course of eating and the gym. The gym has really been better than any diet I have ever tried, I guess I will never have to worry about trying things like Orovo. I have found my weight loss secret!