Janice Taylor Living » How to Lose Weight

F*Ree Downloadable Easter Calorie Chart

jtaylor — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 01:20:11 +0000

Downloadable Easter Calorie Guide from the Patron Saint Permanent Fat Removal

Our Lady of Weight Loss, the patron saint of permanent fat removal, asked me to share with you this downloadable version of her Easter Candy Chart.

Download, print and carry with you! Make copies for your friends!!!

Spread the word … NOT the icing,

Janice Taylor
wise * fun * utterly useful

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What does your ‘one nightstand’ say about you?

jtaylor — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 18:38:53 +0000

I’m referencing the one night-stand that sits next to your bed. The stand that you dump the contents of your day onto before you drift off to sleep. The stand that holds your eyeglasses, your meds, your alarm clock, the book(s) you are reading, maybe your laptop, your cell phone, your landline, a pad, a pen or two, your watch, your rings, a glass of water, a glass of wine, your peace pipe, your sex toys, sugary snacks, crunchy snacks, full meals, and maybe a statue of the Buddha. And let’s not forget all our sleep paraphernalia, including eye masks, aromatherapy candles, sound machines, sleeping potions and sleeping pills.

What does your one night-stand say about you and about your quality of sleep?

As Dr. Rubin Naiman, sleep specialist and clinical assistant professor of medicine at the University of Arizona’s Center for Integrative Medicine, explained at the Weil on Wellness Immersion Program at Miraval Resort Spa, so aptly put it … “If sleep is a nightly get-away, then the nightstand is the overnight bag we carry at our side. We can learn a lot about a person and their travels by examining their bags.

“What’s on your night-stand? Is it suggestive of a rejuvenating personal retreat? Or, is it more about a stressful business trip?”

Dr. Naiman’s “one night stand” concept instantaneously captured my imagination! And from the sounds of the gasps, the aHA and light-bulb moments popping throughout the room, I was not alone. An intriguing and simple visual that tells me with certainty what I am dragging with me throughout the day and straight into the night.

Hungry for more insights on what my nightstand says about me, and curious how I can have a more restful and rejuvenating sleep, I caught up with Dr. Naiman post-conference for a most soporific conversation.

JT: How might the contents of our ‘nighttime baggage’ interfere with a good night’s sleep? What does it matter?

RN: Take a closer look at what’s on your nightstand. Ask yourself if these things encourage a natural surrender to sleep or keep you subtly tethered to the world of waking.

Things that keep you connected to waking such as clocks, lamps, radios, computers and telephones, as well as energy spiking foods, substances and information have no place on an overnight sleep retreat.

The ubiquitous digital clock, for example, can draw us back into the waking world of time.

JT: If one is ‘out,’ how does it specifically draw us back into our waking world? And retreat? Am I really going on an overnight retreat?

RN: The depth to which we will go ‘out’ depends on our willingness to let go of the waking world. It’s nearly impossible to resist the temptation of checking the time when we can’t sleep. But, doing so draws us into even greater wakefulness. To make matters worse, both the light and the electromagnetic field radiating from such a device suppresses melatonin, further compromising our sleep and overall health. Best to get the thing away from your head and your bed.

JT: Melatonin?

RN: Melatonin is a complex neuro-hormone synthesized from serotonin — primarily in the pineal gland or “third eye”-when we are exposed to dim light or darkness. I think of melatonin as the queen of our nighttime biology. It gently but decidedly ushers our bodies, brains and minds into sleep and dreams.

Melatonin has been touted as a miracle substance. As a key player in our night biology, it regulates circadian rhythms, facilitates sleep, and promotes dreaming. Melatonin is also involved in the regulation of a wide range of hormones and neurotransmitters and functions as a potent antioxidant. Beyond its usefulness in managing jet lag, circadian rhythm disorders and insomnia, a growing body of research is finding that melatonin shows promise in treating diverse conditions like hypertension, premenstrual syndrome, macular degeneration and even certain cancers.

JT: Do you take melatonin?

RN: I personally have been taking a small dose of melatonin nightly for nearly 20 years. I don’t do so to help with my sleep. I take it because I believe that like most people, I am overexposed to light at night. I use a .5 mg sublingual and sustained release preparation of melatonin. Sublingual means that it dissolves under the tongue. This carries the melatonin directly into the bloodstream before it can be filtered out by the liver. And a sustained release preparation will remain active throughout most of the night, in contrast to standard melatonin which has a very short half life.

To date, melatonin has a good safety profile. Much better than most popular sleeping pills. Still, it is generally not recommended for use in children and during pregnancy. Melatonin may exacerbate nighttime asthma and, possibly, certain autoimmune conditions. Its always wise to talk with a knowledgeable physician before embarking upon supplementation.

JT: During your talk at The Weil for Wellness Immersion at Miraval Resort Spa, you mentioned that our nightstands reflect our personal stance toward sleep and that we are all too frequently ‘desperate’ for sleep.

RN: Yes, when faced with the prospect of yet another bad night, many of us will do whatever it takes to make it through the night. Whether it’s about overeating or relying on alcohol or sleeping pills, such a one night stand approach ultimately backfires. It erodes our belief in our own natural ability to surrender to sleep.

JT: Overeating? Do you mean that people get up in the middle of the night and graze, snack or binge as a way to get back to sleep?

RN: Because eating triggers a relaxation response that temporarily sooths anxiety, food can readily become a kind of drug we depend on to get to sleep. Unfortunately, sleeplessness can readily become entangled with a number of eating disorders. Although sleep and eating are both nourishing, in one respect, they are opposites. Eating energizes us. Sleep is about relinquishing energy. We don’t sleep in our refrigerators. We shouldn’t eat in bed.

Ultimately, we need to think in terms of developing a sustainable relationship with sleep. Consider developing a personal, soothing evening ritual under gentle low-blue lighting. This might include a warm bath, some yoga or stretching, meditation or prayer, and some light or even lighthearted reading. And always, in the end, it’s about surrendering to sleep.

JT: Thank you Dr. Naiman. Fantastic! Any final thoughts for our readers?

RN: Yes. I think it’s helpful to reflect on this simple truth: We are all always already asleep. What I mean by this is that sleep is the foundation of all consciousness. It’s always present beneath our waking. And because we’re already there, we literally can’t ‘go to sleep.’ Trying to do so will only further activate the wakeful part of us. What we can do, of course, is learn to let go of waking and practice surrendering to sleep.

For more on restful and rejuvenating sleep visit Dr. Rubin Naiman: www.DrNaiman.com

And be sure to order your copy of The Yoga of Sleep. Highly recommended!

Spread the word … NOT the icing,

Janice Taylor
wise * fun * utterly useful
____________________________________________
For the best in wellness and weight loss wisdom, visit Janice:
Our Lady of Weight Loss
join the Kick in the Tush Club
Virtual Shoulder

Follow Janice Taylor on Twitter: www.twitter.com/OurLady
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OurLadyofWeightLoss

Rise and Grind Wednesday: Caffeine and Sugar Improve Memory?

jtaylor — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 17:01:24 +0000

Dig it! Scientists recently found that sweetened, caffeinated coffee not only gives you an energy boost to prepare you for your busy day, but it can also help you to remember by boosting cognitive performance.

The golden, sugary, yum delicious nugget of this research showed that when caffeine and sugar are taken together, they help boost the brain’s performance, as compared when they are ingested separately.

The research was conducted at the University of Barcelona, Spain, and it included conducting brain scans of 40 volunteers. The volunteers were tested after they consumed coffee with sugar, coffee without sugar, just plain sugar and just plain water.

The findings showed that when these two substances – caffeine and sugar – when taken together, improved brain performance. The combo increased the efficiency of two regions of the brain; regions that are responsible for sustained attention and working memory.

(Source: journal of Human Psycho-pharmacology: Clinical and Experimental)

While this may be exciting for us caffeine and sugar lovers, remember – there are 16 calories per teaspoon of sugar. This ‘news’ by no means gives license to over-indulging and creating a sugar high.

Nevertheless, I am going to purposefully enjoy my teaspoon of sugar soaked in coffee this morning.

More Coffee News:
Coffee and Aspirin Cure
Fast Weight Loss and Coffee!!!

Spread the word … NOT the icing,

Follow Janice Taylor on Twitter: www.twitter.com/OurLady
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OurLadyofWeightLoss

Does Daylight Savings Time Make YOU Fat???

jtaylor — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 16:59:20 +0000

With the exception of the State of Arizona and parts of Indiana, on this Sunday, March 13th at 2:00 am, we set our clocks ahead to enjoy an additional hour of daylight.

How will you utilize your extra hour; the hour that you will have ‘gained’ this weekend?

Will you shake off your tale feathers and take a long walk in the ‘light?’ Will you spend an extra hour decluttering, giving your spring cleaning plan a kick in the tush?

Will you allow the ‘light’ to shine bright or will you set your dials to dim?

How will you ’spend’ your extra hour? Will you kick start Spring by springing into action, sending your ‘upward spiral’ into motion? How will you fuel your inner fire? Those parts of you that are hibernating?

1. Gardening? There is magic in ‘dirt.’
2. Taking a long walk around the park?
3. Sitting on a mountain top?
4. Calling old friends?
5. Chanting Om?
6. Contemplating your navel?
7. Sitting on the porch, rocking back n’ forth?
8. Cleaning out the fridge?
9. Sleeping In or stretching it out?
10. Jumping high or laying low?

How will you set your ‘upward spiral’ in motion?
Please ‘weigh-in’ below!

Spread the word … NOT the icing,

Follow Janice Taylor on Twitter: www.twitter.com/OurLady
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OurLadyofWeightLoss

Motivational Monday: What are YOU looking for? Where will you find it?

jtaylor — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 19:12:29 +0000

One of my star coaching clients (you are all stars), confessed that she found herself walking in and out of the kitchen all day long – looking. Opening and closing the cabinets, the fridge, the oven … over and over and over again – all day long … looking, foraging, helping herself to a bite of this and a lick and taste of that.

Needless to say, this was not helping her weight loss efforts. So – together we came up with a plan. Aside from exploring what she was really looking for, as in life and not food, we still wanted to keep Martha (the name has been changed to protect the innocent) out of the fridge. You dig?

So … Martha made signs that read “What am I looking for?” and posted them on all the cabinet doors and the fridge. The signs created a ‘pause.’ Martha stopped and read them, giving ‘pause’ for thought. What was she looking for, indeed?

The signs were working brilliantly for weeks. And then one day Martha told me that she’d returned to her old routine, foraging the fridge, grazing the pantry. I said, “Oh no, are the signs not working any longer?” To which she replied, “Oh, they fell down.”

Martha put them back up with sticky tape, this time, and they are still working wonderfully!

The moral of the story: If your signs fall down, put them back up!

Spread the word … NOT the icing!

Janice Taylor
wise * fun * utterly useful

jtaylor — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 21:56:47 +0000

Today’s GET JIGGY WEIGHT LOSS JIGSAW PUZZLE was inspired by a conversation I recently had with Our Lady of Weight Loss. OLofWL was waxing poetic about Christmas Angels and winter fruits. And the next thing we both knew, The Watermelon Angel was paying us a visit. I don’t know how exactly we ‘called’ her forward, but there she stood, in all her beautiful glory!

Enjoy clicking through this week’s GET JIGGY WEIGHT LOSS JIGSAW PUZZLE!
Remember … clicking burns calories!!!

Spread the word … NOT the icing,

Janice Taylor
wise * fun * utterly useful

Chewing the Fat: My Husband Left Me for a Younger Woman

jtaylor — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 02:33:48 +0000

Dear Our Lady of Weight Loss ~ My husband left me for another woman two years ago, and I’ve been divorced for a year now.

In 1992, I started working with a man named Bob, to whom I was very much attracted…..honestly. And, yes, it was mutual. Nothing came of it, as we were both married. I haven’t seen Bob in almost 15 years. At that time I was 40 years old, and weighed 125 lbs. and at the risk of sounding immodest, I was pretty darn cute. Now … fast forward … 15 years later, and I weigh 185, and at the risk of sounding pathetic, I am fat and frumpy.

Bob and I have rekindled our friendship on the Internet. We talk on the phone and exchange e-mails daily. We’re both single now, and he’s coming to visit me on in 4 weeks.

I desperately want to see him, but I fear he’ll be repelled by my appearance. I know I can’t lose 60 lbs in under a month, but I’d like to lose as much weight as is realistically possible.

What can I do? I’m so paralyzed with fear, I’m thinking of calling off our date. ~ Thanks, Linda

***

Dear Linda ~ First let’s talk self-esteem, photos and then realistic weight loss … and then what to do. Okay? Okay!!!

Self-Esteem: Are you judging yourself solely based on your weight? Please, right now write down at least 10 great things about yourself and keep the list going. When a person is comfortable in their own skin (no matter the weight of the skin); when a person loves themselves, they ooze confidence, which is definitely attractive.

Photos: Have you seen a recent photo of Bob? 15 years is quite a while and I’m betting he’s changed, too, in more ways than one. Maybe you won’t like him. Just a thought.

Bottom line: I invite you to consider if he is worthy of you!

Weight loss: If you were to be on a say, a healthy weight loss plan, you would max lose 2 pounds per week. When I permanently removed over 50 pounds, I averaged about 1 pound per week, even in the beginning. Slow n’ steady always wins the weight loss race.

Bottom line: Are you losing weight so Bob will like you? Or, are you losing it for you? If you want to embark on a healthy living plan for YOU, let’s set up an appointment for a free consultation.

What to do? Breathe first, always. Deep cleansing breaths. Have an honest conversation (but not a self-deprecating conversation) and send him a recent photo. If Bob says he doesn’t want to see you because you are on the chubby side, so be it. His loss. Do, however, make it a good photo J Hair, make-up and an outfit that fits.

TIP: Always wear clothes that fit. No matter your size. It is KEY to looking great. And in my book, All Is Forgiven, Move On: Our Lady of Weight Loss’s 101 Fat Burning Steps to Sveltesville, there is an entire STEP dedicated to what to wear to look thinner! Not that thin is the beat all, end all. It’s only a little slice of the pie.

Spread the word … NOT the icing!
~ Our Lady of Weight Loss

The Holiday Diet: How to Be a Happy Idiot!

jtaylor — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:51:49 +0000

Woo Hoo, I am so excited to be alive!!! Well – the truth of the matter is this…

This morning, just as my eyes were fluttering their way to open, in that moment between sleep and wake, I tuned into my thoughts and heard myself say “Crap, it’s time to get up.”

I know from experience (as I’m sure we all do) that when we start the day on a ‘crappy’ note, it makes it that much more difficult to muster up enough energy to make the best choices, food or otherwise!

So … in that moment of hearing myself ‘crap out,’ I turned it around.
I remembered that – for starters – I am alive! Blessed with yet another beautiful fall day in NYC. Happy to write you! I made a mental note of 5 things that I am genuinely grateful for, and my energy began to bubble up happy.

And then … I tuned into the most delightful video: “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life,” from Ren & Stimpy, featuring the best ever Monty Python song.

Joyously, can I now report to you that I am officially a happy idiot! I invite you to join with me!

Three Easy Steps: How to Be a Happy Idiot!
1. Think a happy thought.
2. Look at the bright side of life.
3. Watch this video. Again!

Seriously, it’s relatively easy to change your mind, your point of view, your thoughts, your feelings. The more difficult part is to remember to do so!

How will you remember to wake up happy?
Weigh-in below!

More Happy News:
10 Tips: Happier and Thinner
20 Quick and Simple Weight Loss Tips
Unexplained Phenomenon: YOUR Appetite

Spread the word … NOT the icing!
Janice

If YOU Want to WAKE UP THINNER? then go to THE HOLIDAY DIET for details on the e-book, community and more!