Carol Bardelli Freelance Writing

Weight Control and Your Mind

2009-03-12T07:42:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest and most overlooked tools for weight loss and weight control is the mind. Your thoughts influence every aspect of your life and how you choose to act. Negative thinking results in poor lifestyle choices. Troubling emotions can influence our decision making and even short circuit our goals.

By the same token, a positive mental outlook has been proven to influence not only your mind, but also your body. Dr. Candace Pert and a team of scientists have proven there is a biochemical link between the mind, thoughts we think, and our bodies. Our bodies literally “listen” to our thoughts and respond.

As we think, our bodies produce hormones. Known as peptides, the thought hormones send messages to our physical tissues, influencing how they react to states of stress or happiness. Our emotions influence both hormonal and emotional changes, as well as our immune function. Changes in your attitudes and emotions from a negative to a positive stance are crucial to health, well being, and weight management.

We’ve seen this recently in Oprah Winfrey’s forty pound weight gain. Under enormous career stress, challenged by criminal activity at her school for girls in Africa, and upset by her diagnosis of a thyroid problem, Oprah became depressed according to her trainer Bob Greene. She let go of the reins of her diet and fitness program. This can happen to the best of us. Life stresses are always challenging, but we can use our minds to manage stress and achieve any goal.

There are several specific things you can do to minimize stress and mitigate negative thinking. Contact writer to read more.

Applebee's is serving up Weight Watchers entrees fit for a queen, or king.

2008-11-11T15:57:00.001-08:00

Researching this article was the most fun I’ve ever had under the guise of work. In my next life I want to be a food critic. Restaurant reviews are a dream job.

My family and I lunched at Applebee’s. I chose one of their Weight Watchers entrees, the Steak and Portobello Mushrooms.

The steak and mushrooms were covered with a delicious brown sauce, the broccoli was perfectly seasoned – a rarity in restaurant food – and the potatoes were delectable. At first glance, the steak looked small but fit the “size of your palm” rule for a protein serving size.

The nutrition information lists this dish as 330 calories, 10 grams of fat, 8 grams of fiber, and 7 Weight Watchers points. They omitted the carbohydrate and protein content but a 3 ounce serving steak has 26 grams of protein and the ½ cup serving of potatoes is 57 calories and 12 carbohydrates.

And this particular Weight Watchers option is easy to convert into a low carbohydrate meal. Simply substitute a double serving of broccoli for the potatoes. Everything was delicious and I left feeling satisfied.

When you’re in mood to enjoy a meal out but want to stay on your diet Applebee’s is definitely an option to consider. Yes, you can eat out and loss weight too.

Your true keys to weight loss success

2008-11-03T12:49:00.000-08:00

What are the true keys to weight loss success?

The answer to this question probably differs somewhat from person to person depending on individual issues and lifestyle. But certain things will surely apply to most.

1. Desire.

You truly have to want to change. And you have to want it for yourself, not because your spouse wants you to or your best friend is doing it. And your reason to lose weight (or make any lifestyle change) should not be for some short term goal like a June wedding or bathing suit season. Peer pressure or people pleasing are poor long term motivators. Sure support is nice but unnecessary if you’re serious, motivated, and a self starter. If you’re relying on others to pat you on the back all the time or you rely on others support to stay motivated you’ll probably fail.

2. Clearly Defined Goals.

Experts point out that the more precise your goals the more likely you are to get results. Loosely defined and generalized goals like “I want to lose weight” or “I want to get in shape” are so general they are nearly worthless. More precise goals like “Lose a pound a week” or “Do two total body resistance workouts a week and three aerobics workouts a week” give you tight guidelines that are much more likely to lead to results.

3. Responsibility.

If you do not take responsibility for your poor lifestyle choices you likely will not change or adopt new healthy choices to replace the poor ones. Blaming genetics, heredity, an unhappy life situation, a physical condition or health issue, your momma’s cooking, or your poppa’s drinking doesn’t get you anywhere. Although they may be reasons you choose to eat poorly and vegetate on the couch, you are still the one in charge of your choices. Ultimately nobody makes them for you. Before you cram a donut in your mouth because your boss yelled at you, or sit on the sofa all night because a Biggest Loser rerun marathon is on, stop and realize you can make a healthier choice.

4. Focus.

Once you decide that you want to change, have defined what you want to change and how, and taken responsibility for how you got there in the first place, you can focus on the path ahead. No goal is met without focus. Here’s where life’s challenges and daily aggravations will pop up and try to derail you. It’s easy to skip a workout when it’s raining or you’re feeling under the weather. You’ll still want to grab a bite at the drive-thru when you’re in a hurry. These things are going to happen too. Every one occasionally has a lazy day or cheats. But if you lose focus on your goals and do not refocus on your goals after a cheat meal or a day off from the gym your loss of focus will snowball into outright failure. Stay focused even when you have had a bad day or week. Keep your eyes on the prize.

5. Consistency.

This is closely tied to focus. The difference is that while focus is mostly mental, consistency is physical. Your healthy choices in food and activity will have to be more frequent than your poor choices. You will have to act in a consistent fashion to succeed. People fail because they are not consistent at doing the things that will get them to their goals. Consistency leads to success. Inconsistency means you're wasting your time.

6. Flexibility.

One of the main reasons people fail at weight loss and fitness goals is inflexibility and perfectionism. “I have to be perfect or else.” While consistency is necessary to reach your goals, perfection and inflexibility will derail you. Expect pitfalls and twists on your road to your goals. Roll with the punches. Get up off the floor when you fall. Don’t give up because of a bad day of eating junk or a week of missed gym dates. You didn’t “blow it” because you "weren’t perfect" and now you're doomed to failure. NOBODY IS PERFECT. We all are imperfect humans. You do not have to be perfect to be successful. Just resolve to do better, refocus and try harder to be consistent. Quitters who insist on perfection or near perfection never achieve success. Imperfect people who keep getting up off the floor and trying are ultimately successful.

7. Drive.

You can put all the above components together but without drive you will eventually fail. What drives you to pursue your goals will be an individual matter but finding a purpose that ignites your desire and keeps it burning is essential. Without the drive to keep on pursuing a goal your enthusiasm with peter out, you’ll lose focus, not be consistent, and fail.

8. Permanent Lifestyle Change.

This is probably the most important key to success. If you implement the best nutrition plan and fitness routine ever but you can’t live with it forever your goals are doomed from the start. You have to live your way to your goals. Your lifestyle has to fit your goals and your goals must fit your lifestyle. If you cannot get these two to dovetail forget about it. Because the way you live creates your future. Donuts on the couch today equates to a fat and unfit body tomorrow. Hit the gym and eat clean today and you’ll be fitter and healthier tomorrow.

Best healthy on-the-go snacks for kids

2008-10-24T15:11:00.000-07:00

It's increasingly difficult to get kids to eat right. Making healthy choices on the go is even a bigger challenge. He's a few tips to help you keep your youngster on the right track nutrition-wise.

Minute Maid Fruit Falls Water Beverages – Made with pure filtered water and flavored with a splash fruit juices, these delicious drinks are real kid pleasers. Each 6.75 ounce pouch is only 5 calories and a good source of calcium and 100 percent of your daily vitamin c requirement. My son tried the berry and tropical fruit flavors and approves. We’ve had problems finding healthy and tasty low calorie kids drink and this fits the bill.

Precious Brand Cheese Sticks – The tasty snacks come individually wrapped and in several flavors, mozzarella, Colby Jack, Pepper Jack, and Cheddar. They also carry a lactose free mozzarella variety. I often stuff a few in my purse for a quit bite on to run. My son thinks he’s getting a treat yet they’re healthy and super convenient. The cheddar sticks are 110 calories each with 9 grams of fat, 7 grams on protein, and only 1 gram of carbohydrates. Other brands are available in most grocery stores and comparable.

Nuts and Seeds In Individual Snack Packs – There are dozens of brands and varieties available and all are delicious. Nuts are rich healthy fats and provide some protein, iron, and fiber. They’re naturally low in sugar and carbohydrates. Calorie content is approximately 175 calories an ounce depending on the variety of nut. To save money we buy online in bulk and divide them up into snack sized plastic zipper bags. Two good sources of bulk nuts is Nuts Online and Nutsite.com.

Beef Jerky and Meat Sticks – A natural take along snack, these treats are actually good for you. Most brands are high protein, low carbohydrate, and low fat. One ounce runs around 70 calories, with 12 grams of protein, 2 grams of fat, and 1 gram of carbohydrate. One of our favorites is Jack Link Tender Cuts. Although they’re preserved like beef jerky and great on-the-go, they’re easier to chew and have several delicious flavors including Prime Rib, Chicken Fajita, Barbecue Pork, and Maple and Brown Sugar.

5 Easy Ways To Cut Carbohydrates and Calories

2008-10-24T15:05:00.000-07:00

America’s collective waistline continues to expand and it’s really no mystery why. Since the 1970’s portion size has expanded at fast food chains, restaurants, and even at home. Unhealthy processed foods and refined carbohydrates fill the grocery store shelves. These two factors – too many carbohydrates and calories – are a nasty double whammy making us pack on the pounds.

By simply cutting carbohydrates and bringing our portions into line we can make our diets healthier and our waistlines smaller. Below are seven easy ways to cut your carbohydrates and calories.

1. Learn to eyeball correct portion sizes. A portion of meat should be approximately the size of your palm. A healthy carbohydrate choice like oatmeal should be about the size of a tennis ball. A serving of cheese, avocado, or nuts is about the size of a pair of dice. Fats like olive oil or butter are the size of a single dice. Aim for a ½ cup of fresh fruits – about the size of two golf balls. Vegetables can be eaten in unlimited amounts.

2. Cut out starchy foods that are high in refined carbohydrates. Foods like bread,
pasta, rice, potatoes, sugary drinks, and desserts are not only high in calories. They raise blood sugar and insulin levels and put a halt to fat burning. Unused calories from carbohydrates get stored easily as body fat.

3. Read nutrition labels for serving size. Be aware that many packaged foods like snacks and drinks look like a single serving but actually have two or more servings. These extra portions add up to extra calories and carbohydrates.

4. When dining out do not super size. More food for less money is no deal for your health or waistline. Most restaurant servings are actually two to five portions. Get a doggie bag and take half or more of your meal home for later.

5. Substitute high carbohydrate and high calorie foods with choices lower in carbs and calories. Ordering a regular coffee in place of a Starbuck’s 2 percent Iced Dulce de Leche Latte with whip cream saves a whopping 410 calories. Choosing KFC green beans instead of KFC mashed potatoes saves 90 calories. Enjoying a ½ cup of Haagen-Dazs Sorbet instead of ½ cup of regular ice cream saves around 130 calories depending on the flavor.

Cutting just 500 calories a day will lead to a one pound loss of weight per week. Making small changes can add up to big cuts in calories and carbohydrates that lead to relatively painless weight loss.

5 Bad Habits That Could Ruin Your Fitness Goals

2008-10-24T13:00:00.000-07:00

1. Allowing your “cheat days” to get out of hand.

Although calorie and carbohydrate cycling is a valuable tool in losing body fat and keeping your metabolism high, allowing yourself too many high calorie or high carbohydrate meals can easily stop weight loss in its tracks.

2. Not eating enough calories.

Many people make the mistake of dropping their calorie intake too low (approximately 1200 for women and 1500 for men) and then sustaining this inadequate intake for too long. Sure, you may lose weight faster at first, but if you eat too few calories for more than a few weeks you risk a damaged metabolism. One way to avoid this is to cycle low calorie and high calorie days. If you eat below 1500 calories for 5 to 7 days straight throw in an 1800-2000 calorie day or two. This signals your body its not really facing a famine.

3. Lifting weights that are too light.

Many people lift weights thinking they’re challenging their muscles adequately. In reality, if you do 12 to 15 repetitions without muscle burn or getting close to muscle failure (unable to perform a complete rep) you’re not challenging your muscles enough for growth. Many women are guilty of “aerobic” weightlifting with weights that are too light. At least once a week you should lifting heavy enough to push to failure and include performing a few partial reps. These last and most difficult reps are what produces muscle stimulation for growth.

4. Not doing enough aerobics.

How many exercise programs and products advertise “20 to 30 minutes of aerobics 3 times a week is all it takes to get in the best shape of your life!” This is even less than the government recommends and we know how trustworthy their advice is. Although this 20-30 minutes 3 times a week is enough for cardiovascular maintenance its not enough to create a large enough caloric deficit for fat loss. If you’re very overweight or unfit this is a place to start. But everyone should strive for increased activity for health and weight maintenance.

5. Doing too much aerobics.

Yes, you can do too much exercise and if preserving and building muscle mass is one of your fitness goals (it should be) doing more than 45 to 60 minutes of aerobics a day or more than five to six sessions a week can actually lead to muscle loss. Muscle loss equals a lower metabolism and less ability to burn fat. While not enough aerobic exercise is a minus, doing too much is too.

Welcome To Carol Bardelli Freelance Writing

2008-10-23T11:12:00.000-07:00

Carol Bardelli offers professional writing services including freelance writing on various non-fiction topics including articles, essays, reviews, tips, and original recipes. This site is intended to showcase examples of her work.

Carol's background is in journalism as a newspaper reporter, copy writer, editor, and proof reader. She's worked for The Dry Lake News as a reporter (1992-95), Juicy Britches Magazine as a publisher, editor, and writer of literary fiction (1997-1999), and JB Publications (aka Bardelli Arts) as a publisher, editor, writer of cookbooks and ebooks (1998-present). She writes prolifically and was first published at the age of eight in the Contra Costa Times.

Carol Bardelli is presently a National Fitness Examiner At The Examiner.com, a regular contributor at Healthy New Age, and a contributor at Associated Content. She also writes about fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle at Kudos For Balanced Fitness and Lifestyle.

Carol's original previously published cookbooks, currently being released as ebooks, include"

A Cowboy Cookin’ Every Night
A Cowboy Cookin' Every Night Southern Style
Wild Man Gourmet
Authentic Cowboy Cookery Then & Now
The Hooked Cook: A Fisherman's Cookbook
All American Meals - Proceeds Support Our Troops
Use Your Noodle! Three Italians Cook
The Protein Edge Cookbook
Easy Gourmet For Diabetics Cookbook
Weight Loss That Works

She also has contributed to The Best of the Best from Nevada Cookbook published by Quail Ridge Press.