Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Ingenious Tip to Save Time in the Laundry Room

Pre-sort your laundry as you throw dirty clothes in the hamper by using mesh laundry bags.  Leave them propped open in your hamper so that you can quickly and easily toss the darks in one bag and whites in another with no extra effort.  When it's time to do the laundry, zip the bags shut and toss the whole bag into the wash. Oh!  Who knew laundry could be such a joy!!

If you get the whole family to use this system toss all the bags with darks in the laundry at the same time.  Most machines will easily accomodate several bags.  You can even get mesh bags in different colours, one for each member of the family.  Then when you take them out of the dryer simply drop the red mesh bag in your daughter's room, and the blue one in your son's, and they can fold and put away their own laundry.

Socks have always been a nightmare for me because I always end up with singles.  Dropping socks in a mesh bag at the end of the day and keeping them in the bag throughout the wash and the dry keeps them all together.

Mesh bags are available at most department and home stores and come in several different sizes to meet your needs.  Just be sure they are not packed full or they will not wash or dry completely.

Placing a few of these mesh laundry bags in strategic places will take less than 60 seconds and will save you time and headaches later.

Love this idea? You can purchase mesh laundry bags  at Amazon.com  or most department stores and home stores.  Here are some of the best choices: 

*
 DrawString Option         Best Value           Our Favourite        Has Best Reviews

Friday, November 26, 2010

Christmas Cards: Solved!

If you have considered sending out photo Christmas cards this year, but haven't done it because you think it's too late, too expensive, or too impossible to book a photo session now that Christmas is less than a month away, think again.

Thanks to VistaPrint you have an inexpensive alternative to the photocards you would purchase at even the most discount photography studios, and have tons of great templates and designs to choose from all that can be delivered to you so fast that they will be in the mailboxes of all your friends and family well before Christmas. 

All you have to do is visit the VistaPrint website, find the "Christmas" section on the left-hand side and click on "Cards", then "Photocards".  Then simply choose the collection you like the best.  There are several to choose from, but the decision making is made easy because there are pictures of sample cards to see what your card might look like.

When you click on the "Get Started" link you will be taken to a new page with several templates to choose from, and VistaPrint will walk you through the process of personalizing your card and uploading your card. 

You will be sure to get them out on time if because they do have a 3-day rush delivery option!

The process is quick, easy, and easy on the pocketbook.  And presto, your Christmas cards are done!

Happy Holidays!

Monday, November 1, 2010

Lunch Wrapped Up

Watching your carbs and calories?  Lunch can all too often be a meal where we get more of both of those than we actually intend; even when we are picking healthy options such as whole grain sandwiches, subs, and wraps. 

It doesn't matter so much what healthy goodies these common lunch foods are stuffed with when it's sandwiched between 240 calories and 42 grams of carbohydrates (and 4g of insoluable fibre).  That's what is in 2 slices of Dempster's Whole Grains Ancient Grains bread.  If you check the label yourself you might argue the calories and carbs are half that, but check again:  The nutrition information listed is for only one piece of bread. 

Looking for breads with whole grains is certainly the healthier option over white bread, but if you are trying to lose weight they can often carry too many calories and carbohydrates to support weight loss without restricting carbs and calories elsewhere.  That's tough enough to do without your mid-day meal taking up so much of your daily allotment.

If you think those skinny little wraps are any better, think twice. If you eat 2 multigrain wraps with flax (Compliments, available at Sobey's) you will have eaten 200 calories, and 33 grams of carbs, and 3 grams of fibre. 

One of the best options that I have seen out there that has the whole grains but is easy on the calories and carbs is Dempter's BodyWise Whole Grain wraps.  Their nutrition information is for 1 wrap, but if you eat two you will have consumed a reasonable 160 calories and 32 grams of carbohydrates.

After a week that could add up to a deficit of 560 calories and 63 grams of carbohydrates over what you would have eaten if you'd had the same lunches but with Dempsters Whole Grains Ancient Grain bread.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Words Of Wisdom: Keeping Balance

There are feelings, and then there are actions. 

Your feelings can affect your actions (you are sad, and you cry or seek out a friend), and your actions can affect your feelings (you go for a walk after dinner and you feel refreshed).   The cause and effect between the two can be be negative if we are not careful, for example you feel sad and eat a carton of ice cream, or you work late and feel guilty you missed time with the family, but the connection between the two remain.  They are not isolated islands.  Balance is sometimes lost when we let one of these things take too much control.

You might be letting your feelings have all the control if:
  • You are feeling overwhelmed and it's paralysing you or making you unproductive.
  • Your feelings are getting in the way of getting along or interacting effectively with people.
You may be letting your actions have all the control if:
  • You actively suppress thoughts or feelings telling yourself you can't think about that right now.
  • You are caught up in the race and justify, or try not to worry about who gets hurt in the process.

If you feel like your life is lacking balance or feels out of control, quickly consider which one those two scenarios applies to you.  Are you letting feelings have all the say?  Or are you letting actions push your feelings off to the side?  Take a second to decide which one applies to you and read the appropriate set of suggestions below:

If you are letting feelings have all the control:
Think of one time today when you can focus on taking action.  Yes, it can be something that takes 60 seconds or less!  It could be one small thing on your to do list you can get done, that phone call you've been putting off, or a walk you can take after dinner because you know it will make you feel good.  When you've done it, be aware of how you feel.  Congratulations!  You have let action influence your feelings, rather than being re-active and being a prisoner to your emotions.
If you are letting your actions have all the control: 
Think of one time today when you can allow your emotions have some input into the decision.  And yes, it can be something that takes 60 seconds or less.  Are you feeling bad about something that you can easily fix?  Is there someone you've been meaning to call and feel bad because you haven't?  Do you want to tear up that aggrivating email with the passive aggressive comments in it from your sibling?  Well, print it out and do it!  Don't suppress that feeling, let it have say in what you do next.  Your emotions can be useful and productive, and can help keep you focussed on what actually is important in your life, and keeps us human.  Ask yourself how you feel about something, and try acting on that.  Congratulations!  You are being authentic and true to yourself by letting your emotions have there say, or at least an outlet.

Having a Conflict or Experiencing a Challenge?

Ask yourself what's in control:  You're emotions or your actions.  If one has the predominant control, find a way for the other to play a part in what's happening.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Drinking More Water Easiest Way to Lose Weight

I know I don't drink enough water.  But after reading this article posted on a health blog (click here for full article) I just may put in the effort.  It just may be the world's easiest way to burn calories and lose a bit of weight!


Here's how it works:  You can lose weight because you will feel full, and actually eat less.  Your body will also burn extra calories warming up cold water to body temperature which can also result in weight loss. 

The Plan:
For the best results, drink 16 ounces of cold water before every meal.  That is about 2 cups.    Grab a measuring cup and drinking glass the next time you sit down to the dinner table to get an idea of just how much that is.   Measure it out once, and you will know for future reference just how much water we're talking about here.  Depending on the size of your glassware it may be 1 or 1 and 1/2 glasses.  Certainly managable.

Not convinced? 
Well, not getting enough water can actually cause weight gain. Apparently, our brains are not good at telling the difference between whether we are hungry or thirsty.  So drink some water and wait 10 minutes.   You may not even be hungry anymore!   Weightloss aside, staying hydrated is just plain important for allowing our bodies to function properly. 

So be sure to grab a tall one (water that is) before you sit down to the dinner table tonight.

Monday, October 18, 2010

How to Pick Out a Great Pumpkin

If you haven't picked out your Pumpkin for Hallowe'en yet, don't worry.  If you pick it out too soon, it could go rotten before Hallowe'en anyway!  That's what happened to me last year, and we ended up having to chuck them out into the green bin and buy some more.

When you do go to pick it out, keep this in mind if you want it to last for as long as possible:  Pick out a pumpkin that is dark orange instead of a lighter-coloured one.  A darker pumpkin means that it hasn't ripened yet, and will last a lot longer.  Pumpkins that are a lighter have already ripened and will likely begin to rot sooner.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Eat Roasted Walnuts to Lower Bad Cholesterol

Why should you eat roasted walnuts?  Here's the answer in a nutshell (LOL!):  It can lower your bad cholesterol (I guess there wasn't much suspense there given the blog post title, but whatev).

To gain the benefit, you need to eat at least an ounce of walnuts a day.   That amounts to about 14 halves or 1/4 cup.

Hoping for a little more excitement than eating a handful?  Keep a jar of roasted walnuts right on your counter and have them ready as one of your "add it to anything and look like a chef" ingredients.   Try these quick, easy, and painless suggestions:

Tomorrow's Breakfast: Add them to yogurt with berries to boot, or just sprinkle them on toast with cream cheese or just plain butter.  How delightful!

For Lunch this week:  Add finely chopped walnuts to your basic tuna salad sandwich.  For a fancy recipe, visit: http://www.realage.com/recipefinder/walnut-dill-tuna-salad-recipe-3625?click=recipe_sr&click=p5link2.  Of course, you could also sprinkle them on your salad.  Don't you look hip!

For a Healthy Side Dish: I've learned that if you have a fancy side dish, your whole meal looks like a work of art.  Use walnut oil instead of butter on your vegetables.  A simple substitution!  For those recipe followers:  http://www.realage.com/recipefinder/brussels-sprouts-walnut-lemon-vinaigrette-recipe-5662?click=recipe_sr&click=p5link1

For Dinner Tonight:  Process a cup of walnuts in your food processor and include them in the breading for your chicken, or if you are lazy, just chop them up and sprinkle them on top with a few other spices.  Amazingly delicious, and you'll look like you actually know what you are doing in the kitchen being quite the maverick for adding those oh-so-riskee walnuts:  http://www.realage.com/recipefinder/picnic-chicken-three-sauces?click=recipe_sr&click=p5link3

To find out more visit this article:  http://link.realage-mail.com/u.d?Y4Gq_sQ6zwyrFl82dO0bI=12701&s=19010103

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Breast Cancer: Lowering Your Risk

Hundreds of studies that are confirming what factors have the biggest impact on your risk of breast cancer.  Get the full story by subscribing to Nutrition Action http://cspinet.org/nah/canada.htm
  1. Avoid Weight Gain.  Experts say that avoiding weight gain, especially in adulthood, is probably the single most important thing woman can do to reduce their risk. 
  2. Avoid Taking Hormones.  Studies have shown that taking hormones after menopause can have as much as a 26% increase in breast cancer risk.  The increased risk from taking hormones, though, begins to drop within two or three years of going off the hormones.
  3. Get Active.  It is clear that women who are active have a lower risk of breast cancer, and it can also help women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.  but only for woman who did more than seven hours a week of excercise such as brisk walking. 
  4. Minimize Alcohol.  Even a low intake of one drink per day a modest but significant increase in breast cancer. 
For the full article subscribe to Nutrition Action, a newsletter published by the Centre for Science in the Public Interest:  http://cspinet.org/nah/canada.htm.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Work Risk into Your Everyday Life

Are you wanting to make some changes in your life, but fear is holding you back? Find the confidence to take that big leap by making one small change every day. Even small changes like changing the route you take home every day, wearing an outfit that's a little outside your comfort zone, or getting a new hairstyle, is enough to awaken the risk-taker in you and give you the confidence to make more important changes in your life. With each small change, and the risk that comes along with it, you will improve your confidence until you are finally able to make the big changes you've been dreaming about.

Set Yourself Free from Past Obligations

If you've had projects on your "to do" list for weeks or months, then it may just be time to let those tasks slide, and resign yourself to the fact that they just aren't going to get done. If you have not yet found the time to finish, or even start them, give their priority serious reconsideration. Let yourself let go of the guilt and enjoy the peace of mind of setting yourself free of the obligation.

Tip for Tackling Procrastination

Instead of focusing on the task itself, focus on how you will feel once you have completed it. Think about how you will benefit from having it done, or how will improve your life. If you can think of 2 or 3 compelling ways of how your life will be better, you are much more likely to find the inspiration to take action.

Become a One-Minute Master with Quick Tasks

In just a minute or two, you can weed out old business cards from your wallet, you can shred a few old documents, or you can streamline the pens in your drawer with only ones that actually work.

These things can be done while on hold, while downloading software, while waiting for something to load, or while waiting for a conference call to start. Take advantage of those 60 second pockets throughout the day. You will be amazed at what a difference it can make on improving some of the frustrating elements of your day (like grabbing for pens that don't work!). It is also a super quick way to give yourself brief breaks throughout the day, and it can make a huge difference on how productive you feel.

Purge to Make Room for Inspiration this Spring

Renew your conscience and your space by purging all that is old to make room for things that inspire you and allow you to enjoy your space and time. If it does not make you feel great when using it or looking at it, then there is no place for it in your home or life.