Newsletter - July 2013 for Barnstable & Plymouth Counties
As Herman was driving down the freeway, his cell phone rang. Answering, he heard his wife's voice urgently warning him, "Herman, I just heard on the news that there's a car going the wrong way on 280 Interstate. Please be careful!" "It's not just one car," said Herman. "It's hundreds of them!"
Fourth of July Facts
The 4th of July was not declared a national holiday until 1941.
When the United States became a country in 1776, there were approximately 2.5 million people living in the country. This Fourth of July 2013, the population is around 313.2 million.
The youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence was 26-year-old Edward Rutledge. The oldest signer was Benjamin Franklin. He was 70. Most of the signers were in their 30s and 40s.
The American flag was adopted on June 14, 1777.
Thank you to all my chapters who have been so accommodating with regards
to my visits, especially 487 Yarmouthport who had very little notice. I
have one chapter left which I will visit in the fall. I hope you all
enjoyed the program. I truly enjoyed visiting all of you and wish you
continued success on your weight loss journey.
The year is half over…Our goal at the beginning of the year was to lose one pound a week. If anyone is 26 pounds lighter on their last weigh-in…. in June please let me know.
Gail and I will be doing a mini-workshop at Fall Rally. You should have received your packets for Fall Rally Oct 5th in Leominster. Good luck with the summer contests!!!
446 Duxbury will be hosting our inspiration workshop on Saturday Nov. 2, 2013. Details will follow in upcoming newsletters.
Not long ago, you were energetic and determined to start your healthy lifestyle. Starting with enthusiasm and hope, you watched your food intake diligently, exercised like it was going out of style, and even avoided the temptation that seemed to lurk around every corner. You were confident that you were going to reach your goals once and for all!
Then certain tragedy struck! You ate an extra piece of birthday cake. Realizing you had “blown” your diet, you ate another and another and couldn’t get it together the next day either. Or worse, you missed one workout, and that turned into a whole week away from the gym. After that, your momentum to start over again was gone.
Every time you misstep on your healthy journey, you have two choices: to keep walking backwards, which will surely take you even further away from your goals; or to accept your lack of perfection as normal and forgivable, and take not one, but two positive steps down the path that brings your closer to the future you want.
You might have been walking backwards for a while. But instead of waiting for the next day, week, month or even year to overhaul your habits, start TODAY. And start small. You can’t go from the recliner to running or from burgers to Brussels sprouts in an afternoon. But you can do one, two or even a handful of small things that will help you regain your momentum for healthy living.
When you feel like getting back on track is overwhelming, try one (or more) of these small steps each day.
Try a short workout. Even five minutes is better than nothing.
Try a new recipe. Cooking healthy foods can be fun and it never has to be bland.
Eat a healthy breakfast. Your morning meal sets the stage for the rest of your day, so start if off right!
Drink your water. Try to aim for 8 cups each day and you’ll feel the difference!
Track your food today. No matter how it adds up, you’ll learn from it.
Exercise for 10 minutes. Jump rope, march in place, or do some crunches. Small amounts do add up to something big!
Eat a piece of fruit. Even if 5-9 servings of fruit and vegetables sounds impossible to you, one is doable.
Take a walk. Don’t worry about how long or far you go—just get out there!
Go shopping for some healthy foods.
Check the nutrition facts before you go out to eat. That way, you can make an informed choice.
Work in the yard. Gardening and yard work is a great way to add activity to your day.
Take the stairs. Even if this is the only thing you do all day, you’ll feel stronger for it.
Measure your portions. It’s a simple way to learn how much you’re eating.
Slow down during meals. You’ll be less likely to overeat and more likely to enjoy your meal.
Play! What kids call “play,” we often call “exercise.” Play a sport, a game, or use the playground equipment to bring the fun back into fitness.
Learn something new. Sometimes simply taking a quiz or reading an article about nutrition, fitness, or health can change your mindset and get you back on track.
With healthy eating and exercising, as long as you’re consistently out-stepping your steps back, you’re ahead of the game. If you expect perfection (and many of us do), you’re setting yourself up for disappointment and guilt.
You CAN get back on track today. Even if you’re
moving slowly, you’ll be moving in the right direction!
As always if you want something about your chapter in the newsletter just e-mail me.
Enjoy the rest of the summer!
Thought for the month: Happiness resides not in possessions and not in gold; the feeling of happiness dwells in the soul.
