The importance of YOU time

With the hectic pace of life as we know it today, days are ridiculously jam-packed with little to no breathing room left. Many of us are finding ourselves short on time -- mostly time that should be devoted exclusively as OUR time.

I'm not referring to time spent watching our children's sports, or even a solo trip to the grocery store sans children and/or husbands. No, I am referring to time devoted exclusively to you -- time needed to recharge your batteries and nourish your soul. It's a tragedy that there are so many things/events/responsibilities that all take precedence over ourselves and time just for us.

As adults, and maybe even more so as women, we are conditioned to believe that we are the caretakers, we can only devote a precious amount of time to ourselves after everyone else's needs are fully met. Do you realize how improbable that is? Just like waiting for the perfect time to have a baby, or the exact moment to sell your house when all the planets are in perfect alignment, there is no perfect time. Someone will ALWAYS need you in some fashion.

When you neglect yourself, you may find yourself exhausted, barely able to make it thru the motions of the day. Your self esteem is affected because you are not placing a high priority on yourself, thereby sending your brain signals that you aren't worthy of needing care or attention. Negative self-talk has a very strong impact upon our self esteem! Your body hears those negative words and they manifest into unpleasant physical reactions.

It's VITAL that you put your needs at the top of your list, and make time for yourself every single day. This is NOT selfish behavior, I assure you! When you neglect your needs, everyone and everything around you suffers (not to mention your sanity and well being!)

When you eat right, exercise, and take better care of yourself, a snowball effect takes place. Your family and friends in turn feel better, because you are optimizing all of your positive traits and are truly being the best YOU possible.

I've had this exact dialogue with clients many times, and expect it will always be a subject of conversation. No matter how pressed for time, no matter how stressful your life may be, you simply cannot eliminate time devoted to your personal well-being and happiness.

Set aside little blocks of time every day exclusively reserved for you. If you are new to exercise, start with some gentle walking around your neighborhood; if you have a gym membership, go there for an hour where the telephone can't disturb you and hit the weights. Spend some time re-evaluating your meals, planning healthy choices in advance, so when everyone is famished you don't head for your local fast food restaurant. These small changes will have a huge impact in a short period of time, I promise you!

Please don't deprive yourself of the bliss that accompanies good health and well being.

You are your very best investment, and you are SO worth it!

"Healthy" Fast-Food Options? Right!

I am dumfounded at what I came across on the Internet today.........

"Fresh" lemonade from Wendy's - love the commercial that says it is made from lemons and real cane sugar. 1 serving = 570 calories and 78 grams of sugar. This is 2-1/2 days worth of sugar in one serving.

McDonald's Frozen Strawberry lemonade has these shocking numbers:
16 oz. 270 calories - sounds good, right? One serving is 67 grams of sugar. Daily suggested is 32 grams.

Diabetes, anyone?

Last but not least, read this: New M&M Shake from Steak n Shake: Small 670 calories, 93 grams of sugar. Large 1170 calories, 168 grams of sugar. Daily recommended sugar intake - 32 grams. So the large shake is over 5 days worth of sugar.

UNBELIEVABLE. Bear in mind that these are merely beverages, and are consumed with a meal, a hefty one if it's ordered at Wendy's, McDonalds, or Steak N Shake.

As consumers, we HAVE to educate ourselves and know just what we are putting into our bodies, even when we order a lemonade that is marketed to be "fresh and healthy".

Maybe someday the fast food giants will mend their ways and offer an abundance of healthier foods, but I'm not predicting it will happen anytime soon. As long as we eat the junk they create, they'll keep plugging away at our waistlines as well as our health.

Serious stuff.