Turn TV Time into "Get Fit" Time

You can turn your TV room into a fitness room easily. A cushy floor mat, if room isn't carpeted. A pair of dumbbells or two. Empty bleach jugs make good dumbbells, but be careful if they are only partially full of sand, dirt or water (whatever you use to fill them with something to create weight), as if weight shifts during movement you could injure yourself.

Canned food make good homemade weights. I have half pound and one pound cans, heavier can may be too difficult to hold. Go on a scouting expedition around your house and see what you find that could work as weights then store them behind couch and start using them. Twice a week or three times, consistently, and you'll start noticing a change within a short time - usually in a month or six weeks definitely.

My first exercise equipment was a pair of dumbbells, a one pound and a five pound set. You don't have to have a fully equipped home gym to exercise at home.

Push ups are an incredible exercise, men's and women's style. No special equipment needed, just get on floor and start. Standing squats (pretend you are going to sit in a chair, then stop at about or before chair level, and return to standing straight). There are even books written for exercising on commercial breaks. I put together a page with a few of books I've found which present this concept such as "The Commercial Break Workout: Trim and Tone Two Minutes at a Time" by Linda Buch and Seth Anne Snider-Copley.

Grab some Extra Minutes and Get Started

I wanted to get up an hour earlier so I could work out in mornings. When I exercise first thing, nothing else interferes. No matter what comes up, it doesn't take away from my fitness program. Unexpected calls or invitations, traffic jams, "There's no bread," yells my son who still thinks it's my job to keep pantry stocked, so I need to run to store, nothing ruins my day's plan to ride my bike or lift weights. The consistency of a regular exercise program just makes me feel good - you might find it does same for you, and if you have had a difficult time finding time - make time. Grab some extra minutes during commercials on TV, get up earlier, find whatever works for you. Write it on your calendar, make a date with yourself, and get started.

Kathryn Martyn, Master NLP Practitioner, author of the free e-book: Changing Beliefs, Your First Step to Permanent Weight Loss, and owner of http://www.OneMoreBite-Weightloss.com

The Costs of Clean Meat Supply

The meat and dairy industry will now begin a campaign to make higher cost of clean meat seem a ridiculous indulgence rather than a possibly life saving measure. It does cost more to have a clean food supply. I and my family are worth it, are you and yours?

For excellent reference materials read Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser, The Crazy Makers by Carol Simontacchi, and Mad Cowboy: Plain Truth from Cattle Rancher who Won't Eat Meat by Howard F. Lyman. Be informed then make choice for you and your family.

Food politics aside, I'm interested in my and my families health and well being, and I'm not interested in supporting an industry that doesn't care about quality of their products or whether those products are potentially dangerous or even deadly.

What You Can Do to Avoid Dangerous Meat

Buy all your meat from local butcher. He gets animals from local farmers, and can tell you which Farms, if you ask. Buy all your meat from local stores that certify it is grain fed. Visit sites such as EatWild.com Cut back on your consumption of all meat in general, substituting beans for instance for protein. Eat a "special occasion" steak at best restaurants such as Ruth Chris' Steak House. Now that's a steak! More Info on Mad Cow and it's Variant CJD

MadCow.org: Everything you ever wanted to know about Mad Cow.

Human BSE Foundation: An organization for those with CJD (the human variant of Mad Cow)

Mad Cow Facts

You don't have to be a fanatic, just be informed and then make best choices you can for yourself and your family.

Kathryn Martyn, Master NLP Practitioner, author of the free e-book: Changing Beliefs, Your First Step to Permanent Weight Loss, and owner of http://www.OneMoreBite-Weightloss.com