Tip #22 The Right Way to Do an Ab Crunch

Today you can learn how to do a proper abdominal crunch. You can do these anytime- while you watch the news, with a child crawling all over you, or in your office with the door closed!
Start by lying down on the floor. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor, with your toes pointing forward and your knees about shoulder width apart. Now place your hands at the base of your head, with your fingers relaxed. Keep your chin neutral-you shouldn't be pulling on head- rather, you should be able to place a fist between your chin and your chest. Left your head, neck, and shoulders off the floor. Squeeze your belly button in towards your spines as you lift- and lower! Make sure your abs are contracted both directions. If your neck feels tense, use your mental power to shift the muscular contractions to your abs.
Okay, get going. Do fifteen to twenty repetitions. Repeat two more times if you can. Exhale as you lift and inhale as you lower down. Listen to your body and take a rest whenever you need.

Credit: Melanie Douglass

Tip #21 Cut the Fat

It's true there are healthy fats and unhealthy fats. Healthy fats are found in fish, nuts, avocados, olives, peanut butter, and liquid vegetables. Unhealthy fats are found in animal products and packaged foods. However, all fats supply a dense amount of calories-nine calories per gram of food-regardless of the "healthy" or "unhealthy" classification. And because most of us simply eat to much calories, it makes sense to cut the unnecessary fat out of your diet today.

Skip the mayo, the cream cheese, the buttered veggies, rolls, or toast, the dips, and the sauces. Try a sandwich with extra veggies, a salad with a little less dressing then usual, or a bagel with jam instead of cream cheese: by doing so you can save an average of 100 calories per serving. More important, you'll realize that the food tastes just as good and is totally acceptable without the extra fat. If you cut just one 100-calorie serving of fat out of your daily diet, you'll save over 36,500 calories per year! (That's about ten pounds' worth of calories.)

Credit: Melanie Douglass

Tip #20 Listen to Your Body

Today you need to be very conscientious eater. Easier said than done, right? Because once you get into your daily routine, a momentum takes over that's hard to stop. So commit right now. Pay close attention to when and why you feel hungry, how you feel while you eat, and how you feel after you eat. Take these steps to help you learn to listen to your body:

1. Make sure you are actually hungry before you eat. You could be bored stressed, depressed, happy, or eating simply because there is food in front of you!
2. Eat only until you are satisfied today. Let's make sure we're on the same page: "satisfied" does not mean "full," "stuffed," or "sick because I ate to much"; it means you are simply no longer hungry.
3. Always try the water trick. Enjoy a tall glass of water before, after or during a meal to make sure your feeling of hunger are due to hunger and not thirst.

Credit: Melanie Douglass 

Tip #19 Find a Workout Buddy

It makes perfect sense. Find a friend to work out with and you'll stick to your goal to take better care of your body. A friend, a family member, a child who counts on you, a personal trainer, or a neighbor-any of these people can help you work out consistently, benefiting both you and your buddy because you both get to reap the payoff of good old-fashioned exercise.
Today, schedule a thirty- to sixty minute workout with a workout buddy-someone you can count on. Make a commitment to go for a walk. a run, or a bike ride, to play a game of tennis or other sport, or go try an in-home aerobics video game together. The exercise will be more fun, time will go by more quickly, and you'll  likely work more effectively. More important, you'll keep your commitment to yourself to get at least thirty minutes of heart-pumping exercise that body desperately needs today.

Credit: Melanie Douglass

Current weight: 253.5

Tip #18 Get a Grip on Portions

I know you're busy. You don't have time to measure everything you eat.But controlling portion size is is key and vital component in achieving  good health. So practice this quick and efficient method for eyeballing proper food portions-or your health will truly suffer.
Today, you need to acknowledge that there ridiculously large portions of food tempting you on every corner. Therefore, make sure everything you eat today is a sensible portion. Every serving of food item should fit in the palm of your hand. Imagine a serving of pasta that fits in the palm of your hand; or a serving  of a brown rice, an apple, a roll, a piece of meat, a handful of pretzels-all of these servings should easily fit in the palm of your hand. A serving of any beverages is just eight ounces-that's less than a can of soda that's three-fourths full. If you ever question a portion size, take a moment to check the nutrition facts label.
Based on the new USDA Food Guide Pyramid, the average adult needs about two cups of fruit, two to three cups of vegetables, three servings of whole grain, five to six ounces of lean protein, and three cups of dairy each day.

Credit: Melanie Douglass

Tip #17 The Power of Positive

Have you ever uttered the words, "I'm too fat," "I'm too out of shape," "I'm too flabby," or other negative, nonproductive thoughts? If you're human, the answer is probably a resounding "yes!" Most of us are pretty harsh when it comes to our physical attributes. We forget about all the good things we do and pick at ourselves by saying things to ourselves we would never say to someone else. And what good does it do? Does it motivate you to go do something positive? Not likely. Picking on yourself gets you down making you think and do negative things like "Oh, forget about it. I'm a fat slob and there's no hope, so I'll just eat this whole pint of ice cream."
So today your job is to be positive about yourself. Don't say anything negative about your physical shape or size. Think about your positive attributes today. Those good attributes deserve to be taken care of. That's the motivation to make the healthier choices.

Credit: Melanie Douglass