I've been working the past few days at the hospital and it's really been kicking my butt.... sorry for the bluntness.  In addition I really think that the getting up at 5 am is not so good for me either unless I could get to bed before midnight... but it never happens.

So I'm tired and sore and mentally drained when I read thisblog and see this!

I think I may now know what my next project is going to be!

A few months ago I started exercising weekly with friends as a way to stay accountable for exercising and losing weight.... the unfortunate thing is that I haven't lost any weight or inches....

I tend to be one to gain and lose weight pretty easily, and though I've been holding onto an extra 15-20 pounds over the past 3-4 years, I thought that I would be at my goal by now. 

Yesterday I was reading a study regarding weight loss that said most people don't exercise enough to really make a difference in their weight and most need to focus on calorie restriction....

I can't tell you how stupid I thought this idea was....  I used to exercise like mad and lost weight and kept it off.  Of course you only have to exercise....

BUT.... then I thought about it some more.....  Maybe I've not lost weight because I'm not exercising consistently, or not doing so hard enough.... maybe it's because I'm eating more to make up for the calories that I have burned....

I've actually gained weight this week because I've been psychologically gearing up for next week and I've been gorging myself with junk food.....  I know that I'm doing it yet I still continue.....

So.... at this point I'm thinking that there may be a validity to the study.... 
I used to keep a strict diet also in addition to the exercise....  I'm beginning to think that this is really key for me....

Starting tomorrow.... I am going to do our exercise boot camp..... we will be exercising everyday this week.....  I think that exercise is important on so many levels as far as health, but I'm not going to plan on it losing me any weight.....

I'm going to have to get serious about what I am eating and how much of it....  I find that with the more I cook and the more nutritious the food is that I eat I tend to think that I can eat more, but this is something that I seriously need to re-evaluate.

I'm going back to keeping a daily food diary with calories, carbs, fat, protein and fiber all counted.  I've slacked off water and green tea lately and replaced them with diet pepsi and coffee.... this also needs to change.

I'm going to make sure I take my supplements this week along with essential fatty acids to maximize my energy.

I don't have any magic as far as herbal remedies that will burn off the fat.... there are some to help you feel less hungry, but none that will make it less of an effort on my part....

I guess my plan is

.... eat less

....be accountable for what I am eating

....eat balanced meals with a little bit of protein, carbs, and fat at every meal

....eat veggies and some fruits over grain or simple carbohydrates

....drink more water, avoid artificial sweeteners

....take my vitamins and supplements

One of the things that I do for good health is dry skin brushing.... think of it as having all of the benefits of massage except the good feeling part of it....

Now it's not exactly painful, but it is more of an aquired taste... essentially you have to get used to it...

Pretty much all you need to do this is a naked body and a firm, natural bristled brush...

My brush was about $5 online and is the Yerba Prima brand.  It has a long handle to reach those out of the way places.....

Now what I do is, just before I get in the shower each morning (or afternoon as the case may be),  I do a full body brushing... You do this BEFORE you get wet... the brush should also be DRY....

I start with my feet then brush up the leg and hip of one leg and then the other... I use a movement that is towards the abdomen/stomach.  I then brush extra over the femoral/side of the groin area.   I then do one hand-arm-shoulder and then the other.  I then move to the back and brush from the spine towards the abdomen (lower back) and sternum/breastbone (upper back)  around to the ribs.  I then brush the upper chest with extra brushing over the sternum.  Last I do the abdomen in a circular motion (clockwise to someone standing in front of you). 

The reason for the extra stimulation over the femoral area and sternum is due to the presence of lymph tissue here... the additional stimulation here helps to strengthen this system...

You should brush each area vigorously a few times before moving onto the next area.  Obviously you need to be gentle in sensitive areas...

So what's the point of doing this anyway?  

There are many benefits to skin brushing.... exfoliation is one, but it can also tighten the skin and decrease the appearance of cellulite.

It increases cardiovascular circulation in addition to lymphatic circulation...

But who really cares about the lymphatic system???  The lymphatic system is your body's transport system of lymph, the fluid/protein part of the blood.  The lymph system doesn't have a pump to move it and requires you to encourage movement either thru brushing or exercise/ muscle contractions.  The lymphatic system is basically your body's immunity... it controls your body's ability to fight off  foreign substances and carries metabolic wastes from the organs...

A good dry brush massage is one step in achieving better health...