Hello to all my friends and readers out in the blogosphere. Was another gorgeous day in Central New York. It’s been a really nice week so far. Speaking of weather, let’s pray for the people in Texas and Oklahoma who are in harms way from the flooding and tornados that have plagued that area this week. So today my outfit says summer all the way. First time this season wearing white. We’re calling this “Flower Power, Vibrant Color, Glorious Blooms”.

Loving wearing this beautiful bracelet that houses my exercise tracker. Note that you can see my face in the bracelet and hubby holding the phone taking the picture. Kinda cool. It took me a minute to figure out that the pink was hubby taking the picture with my phone. This ring is another one that was designed and made by the jewelry artisan I told you about. All the rings are made of sterling silver and have real stones. This one is turquoise. The coolest part of these rings are what you can’t see. They each have a hammered band which looks really cool.

Thought I would include a picture tonight of my matching pedicure. I usually don’t get them done at the same time, but this last time I did , so I told my nail tech to make them matching.

We’re going to to try and do the same thing we did last night, using material from A Pinterest Board. It was kind of fun.

We’ll be using a Weight Loss Board by Amanda Taylor.

So let’s start with this from RealTalkMoms.com.

5 SUMMER WEIGHT LOSS TIPS

Once the summer season starts, get-togethers and family outings can mean an increase in eating and drinking. These outings are sure bets when it comes to packing on the pounds and even worse may destroy the perfect eating habits you have been working with for some time.

The following are some of the most effective tips to keep up your weight loss over the summer months .

1. Instead of going out with your friends and eating out in a restaurant , invite them to your home for a home cooked meal. This might mean work on your part, but won’t it be worth it to ensure you get balanced and healthy meals with the right portion size? Furthermore, this will allow you to eat healthy, fresh whole foods while enjoying everyone’s company at leisure.

2. Keep up with your exercise routine. Though summer season is on, you shouldn’t put your exercise routines on the back-burner. Rather, you should be careful to strictly follow your exercise schedule as summer activities may often consume your time.

3. Watch what you drink. Though summer means having fun, you should still watch the beverages that you drink. You may settle with a drink or 2 but do not get overwhelmed as the calories that you may acquire from alcholic drinks may quickly add up.

4. Make sure you get a full night’s rest to ensure your metabolism is always up for any physical activities that can help in your weight loss routine. It is easy to slack a bit with your eating and exercising routines when you are tired, so rest is key.( yeah I know I am way off the reservation on this one, but I rarely skip my exercise).

5. If you realize you have overdone it with food and drink you will want to take time to burn as many calories as possible the next day with a more intense workout.

With all these weight loss tips in mind, you should be able to keep up your routines despite the hot weather, good company, and tempting foods.

http://fitnessfashionista.com/2015/05/25/smart-weight-loss-fitness-planner/. Link to the above printable fitness planner.

Next up another great idea from AThriftyMom.com.

For healthy lunches on the go, try making up some of these Salad’s in a Jar. I will provide the link to utilize some great salad ideas.

These salads are great for work, going to the beach, a picnic etc. No matter how you decide to make your salad in a jar, always add the dressing first (so it stays in the bottom of your jar) and after that put some kind of grain/seed over it ( such as quinoa or beans) and stack your veggies-then when you’re ready to eat shake the jar! A Mason Jar works great for this. The author like wide mouth jars. I would say I concur.

So here’s what’s in the one pictured above.

FROM BOTTOM TO TOP:

Dressing Of Choice

Chickpeas

Cucumbers

Cherry Tomatoes

Shredded Carrots

Tuna or Grilled Chicken

Hard Boiled Eggs

Spring Lettuce

If you need something that is not glass, you will find links to non breakable products that can be used and also links to other great salad combinations.

http://athriftymom.com/salad-in-a-jar-recipes-easy-healthy-lunch-on-the-go-ideas/. Enjoy exploring what great combinations you’re going to find here. I might have to try some myself.

Next up: From healthyfamilymatters.com

THE 10 COMMANDMENTS OF LOSING WEIGHT

You hop on the scale and cringe. Oh, is it really that high? You need to lose weight. But weight loss can be a difficult, frustrating experience. What can you do to make it easier? As if they came from a mountain top, these 10 commandments for losing weight, will help you be more effective at dropping the pounds and keeping them off.

1. THOU SHALT DRINK WATER

It is simple to confuse hunger for thirst. Your throat feels parched, but instead of water, you grab a snack. If this is a problem for you, try drinking a glass of water first. If you’re still hungry grab a healthy snack.

2. THOU SHALT NOT DRINK DIET DRINKS

The artificial sweetener in diet drinks confuses the body into producing insulin, which causes you to crave carbohydrates. So people who drink diet drinks are not any thinner or healthier than those who do not. If you need a drink other than water, try a fruit-infused water.(Since I am a Type 2 Diabetic I have a somewhat harder time with this).

3. THOU SHALT KEEP A FOOD DIARY

If you aren’t sure how much you’re eating, it makes sense to track every bite for at least a week or two, to determine how many, calories, fats, protein, and carbs you’re consuming. You may be surprised.

4. THOU SHALT ADD FOODS TO THY DIET

Losing weight is not simply a matter of eating less. It is all about eating more of the good foods and eating less of the bad foods. Stock your fridge with easy-to-eat fruits and veggies, and watch the pounds melt off.

5. THOU SHALT REMEMBER NOT ALL CALORIES ARE THE SAME

If you choose to go the calorie-counting route, remember apples and croissants both have calories, but the way they metabolize in the body is very different. Aim for foods that digest more readily.

6. THOU SHALT NOT UNDERSTIMATE PORTION SIZE

Servings in this country are completely out-of-control. A proper portion size of almost any food is the size of your fist or smaller. Buying an inexpensive kitchen scale is a good way to really understsnd how much you’re ingesting.

7. THOU SHALT NOT EAT OUT OF BOREDOM

Too may people overeat from habit. They sit in front of the television and munch away. Are you one of them? Snag your fruit-infused water instead. Or better yet, put on your shoes and go for a walk.

8. THOU SHALT GET MOVING

Weight loss usually requires exercise. You may be able to lose some pounds by adjusting your intake, but you’ll be losing muscle first. Tone your body while you lose weight, by exercise. Be sure to consider a variety of exercises, including cardiovascular like walking or running, weight-lifting and calisthenics such as push ups or crunches.

9. HONOR THY REST DAY

When starting an exercise program, many refuse to take rest days, which allow your body to refuel and prevent injury. Take at least one rest day a week; but don’t sit on the couch. Pick an activity you enjoy that gets you moderately active. By doing this, you will develop active hobbies that will help you keep the weight off. ( I am not on the reservation here either. I don’t feel right without my walk workouts. I only tend to take time off if I am sick or laid up.)

10. THOU SHALT BUILD A ROUTINE INTO THY LIFESTYLE

Remember that healthy living is for life, not the moment. The reasons why fad diets rarely work, is because you’re not expected to live like that. Once you’re off the diet, it’s easy to fall back into your old patterns. Instead, create eating and exercise patterns that you can maintain for the long haul.

It’s hard to know which way is the best way to lose weight. In the end, a gradual weight loss through a reasonable diet and exercise is the most effective method of creating a new you.

So this seems like a good place to end tonight’s session. There is tons more to be found on this board so I will link it next. https://www.pinterest.com/mandipie4u/weight-loss-board/?no_auto_redirect_or_interstitial=1

I think I will try continuing this format because we can impart a little bit of everything each night. Stay tuned to a new feature to debut on my blog soon. I will be featuring weight loss and fitness stories of other people as a way to inspire and motivate as many people as possible in this never ending journey into health and wellness. This is an awesome idea that one of my FaceBook group members came up with and I am really excited to be doing this. In fact she will be featured first. Till next time, God Bless.