Happy Holidays

Seasons greeting, merry Christmas, enjoy your Hanukkah and Kwanzaa...whatever you do and however you go about embracing your own personal choice this holiday season, I wish you all hope, happiness, and health (and those are just the "H's") not only during the next few days, but, as always, throughout the year--365! Oh, and, of course, a video:

SPREAD HOLIDAY CHEER THROUGHOUT THE YEAR



For all of you who got slammed by the recent blizzard that dropped a few feet of snow on my old stomping grounds Back East, I offer you this little ditty:

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM LIVELIFE365.COM



Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and an amazing 2010!

Until next (year) time...

peace,

Mike
livelife365.com

Beat Those Winter Blues

Where’s the sun? Is it freezing in here, or is it just me? Pass the Kleenex…ah, could you hurry…ah…ahh…ahhh. Sniffle, sniffle. Hey, are there any more holiday cookies left? Is your brother ever going to leave our guest bedroom? Man, I feel like…hold on…ah…ahhh…ahhhh

CHOOOO!

Winter. Blah.

Is it spring yet?

Nope, not for a long time.

Does this sound familiar? This time of year, after weeks of overindulging on fattening foods during the holidays, compounded by icy and sun-deprived weather, further complicated by the cold and flu season, can take its toll. Hey, I can go on and on, complain with the best of them. Instead, I’d rather offer up some positive tips on how to:

BEAT THOSE WINTER BLUES



TAKE A HIKE!

Or at least take a walk. Too cold or rainy outside? That does present some problems, but ones that need to be addressed if you not only want to help combat those winter blues, but stay (get?) in shape. A daily thirty-minute walk does wonders for you. It gets your blood flowing, which actually warms you up, shaking the cobwebs off the old bones and sending much needed (and appreciated) endorphins to the brain that stimulate your soul (and life) with happiness. Still too cold for you? Get yourself a treadmill or stationary bike, anything! Just pump those legs and pump that blood. Be sure to dress accordingly: hat, gloves, waterproof jacket, and, always, good walking shoes.

STEP AWAY FROM THE COOKIES!

Eating the right foods and the right amounts is a reoccurring mantra for me and this website. There is no better time to adopt healthier nutritional eating habits than right now, during the blah winter months, following the holiday (overindulging) season. Besides assisting your weight loss goals (and we all have those, don’t we?), proper nutrition can actually make you FEEL better. These fitness and nutrition videos can help get you started.

PASS THE KLEENEX AND WASH YOUR HANDS!

Sneezing, coughing, phlegm-laden human beings that you come into contact with are everywhere this time of year, and often unavoidable. But you CAN protect yourself from catching whatever illness is ailing them by following a few precautions:

*Try to avoid shaking hands or having other contact if you know someone is sick.
*Wash your hands with HOT water and soap throughout the day. If you can’t, then carry a hand sanitizer with you and use that until you can wash properly.
*Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze, hoping that others will do the same for you.
*Always use a Kleenex, and toss it when done. Don’t use hankies, they hold germs.
*Wash your hands BEFORE and AFTER using a public restroom, then use a paper towel to turn off the faucet and one for the door handle.
*Try to avoid sharing telephones, keyboards, pens--anything where hand-to-hand contact is prevalent.
*ALWAYS disinfect hotel room TV remote controls!

SUPPLEMENT THE SUN!

Winter weather can swallow up the sun for days on end, and that’s not a good thing. Why? Vitamin D. A lack of this important vitamin, which we get naturally from exposure to the sun, can lead to myriad health issues, as well as contribute to the winter blues. A simple solution: Take a vitamin D supplement. A not so simple solution: Move to Maui.

GRAB A GUITAR!

Sometimes boredom or the same old, same old contributes to the blahs this time of year. Why not start that hobby you’ve been putting off? I love playing my guitar. It helps take my mind off things and it is said that music, be it performing or just listening to it, can cheer you up. Not musically inclined? There are hundreds of other hobbies that may interest you: sewing, reading, collecting, the list is endless, the rewards many.

SMALLER IS BIGGER!

Enjoy the simpler things in life, especially during these challenging financial times. Play with your kids. Take a nice stroll with your spouse…to the bedroom. Cook a meal together. Work a puzzle, jigsaw or crossword. Interact, in positive ways, with those who mean the most to you and those winter blues will evaporate like a snowman in July (except in Canada and parts of Minnesota). Deal, adjust, cope, enjoy. Live life.

MAKE IT YOUR GOAL!

(see prior post)

LAUGH IT OFF!

Nothing beats humor and laughter to make those winter blah/blues go away. Laughter not only cheers you up and makes you feel better, but it’s proven to be healthy for you. The significance of laughter is often underrated as a healthy option for what’s bringing you down or making you sick.

Winter has just begun and will not be over any time soon. Why not make the best of winter (can you tell it’s not my favorite season?) by taking action and doing everything you can to enhance each day, living life to its fullest. Every day. Every way. And beat those winter blues.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

Happy Holidays!

Wishing all a very happy holiday season and a fantastic 2009!



peace,

Mike

Cut Yourself A Break This Holiday Season

Is there anything worse than being on a diet during the holidays? How about being on a diet period? Even if you’re not on a specific weight reduction/maintenance program, but are just practicing healthy eating habits (like my high-fiber diet), holidays, especially family gatherings around the dinner table, can be a challenge.

I have a simple solution for all your holiday eating angst:

CUT YOURSELF A BREAK!

What does that really mean, huh, Mike?

Simply: enjoy yourself, don’t hold back. Eat.

Really?

Yup.

How much?

As much as you like, within reason.

Wow, cool, fair enough. One more question?

Shoot.

Why? How? Huh?

That was more than one question, but here goes:

The holiday eating season should be treated no differently than cutting yourself some slack on weekends or at a wedding reception or any number of other special occasions that life tosses your way. I am very strict when it comes to healthy eating and proper diet, but I cut myself a break all the time. In fact, I don’t even like using the word “diet” when it is referred to in the “I’m on a diet” sense. A “diet” is what you eat daily. Your daily “diet” should already be a healthy one, and if it’s not then what does it matter what you eat, or how much you eat, during the holidays?

Huh?

Here’s the thing: if you have been successfully eating the right foods and the right amounts, have been maintaining your goal weight or at least have been able to make healthy strides toward those goals, then you already KNOW what it takes to live a healthy life: eat the right foods and the right amounts, exercise, and enjoy each day.

CUT YOURSELF A BREAK!

My point is, if you “cheat” a little during this upcoming holiday season, maybe gain a few unwanted pounds, it’s not the end of the world. You already know how to lose those pounds. And if you are currently practicing healthy dietary choices, like those suggested at livelife365.com, then you already understand what you can and cannot eat.

You will probably practice self-control without even being conscious of it. And if you don’t and decide to grab that second slice of pie or opt for seconds on the turkey and gravy, don’t fret:

CUT YOURSELF A BREAK!


And enjoy these special occasions with family, friends, food, and fun.

Life is short.
Life is, at times, challenging.
But life is also a celebration of living. Part of living is breaking bread with family and friends.

Cut yourself a break this holiday season…and pass the mashed potatoes…and bean casserole…and candied yams…and pumpkin pie…and…

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Two more videos to enjoy during this holiday season:

On Being a Vegetarian During the Holidays

Mike‘s 30 Second Doritos Ad, and some Funny Outtakes


Until next time…

peace,

Mike