How to Take Body Measurements

Track Your Progress with a Measuring Tape

 

It's easy to get discouraged when you work so hard to lose weight and your efforts don't pay off on the scale. Seeing the same number week after week can make you want to drown your sorrows in a pint of Haagen-Daz. But wait! Before you pick up that spoon, take your measurements.

Body measurements can be a useful way to track your progress. Many times you'll see a loss of inches even if the scale isn't moving. To ensure accuracy, measure in exactly the same place and under the same conditions each time. Here are some instructions and tips to help you. When you're done measuring, you can track your measurements to see how your body changes over time!

Common Body Measurements

Bust: Place the measuring tape across your nipples and measure around the largest part of your chest. Be sure to keep the tape parallel to the floor.

Chest: Place the measuring tape just under your breasts/pecs and measure around the torso while keeping the tape parallel to the floor.

Waist: Place the measuring tape about a 1/2 inch above your bellybutton (at the narrowest part of your waist) to measure around your torso. When measuring your waist, exhale and measure before inhaling again.

Hips: Place the measuring tape across the widest part of your hips/buttocks and measure all the way around while keeping the tape parallel to the floor.

Thigh: Measure around the largest part of each thigh.

Calves: Measure around the largest part of each calf.

Upper arm: Measure around the largest part of each arm (above the elbow).

Forearm: Measure around the largest part of each arm (below the elbow).

Neck: Measure around the largest part of the neck.

Tips for Measuring

• When taking measurements, stand tall with your muscles relaxed and your feet together.
• When measuring, apply constant pressure to the tape (so it doesn't sag) without pinching the skin.
• Use a flexible measuring tape, such as plastic or cloth.
• Measure under the same conditions each time, such as wearing the same clothes (or none at all).
• Measure yourself in front of a mirror to make sure the tape is positioned correctly. If possible, have someone else do the measuring for you.
• The place to take some of these measurements will vary slightly from person to person. To ensure accuracy, just remember to take them in the same place on your body each time.

So don't let the scale get you down! Losing inches means you'll be wearing a smaller size in no time! Everyone will be commenting on how great you look and the number on the scale will suddenly seem a lot less important.

You are more than just a measly number!  Embrace your curves and work with what ya got!  We are not all meant to be stick-thin models in magazines--heck! Even they are not meant to be stick-thin models...(darn Photoshop).  Yes, they are flawed, as are we all.  Perfection was never meant for us...just be the best YOU you can be.

Enjoy life!




 
  

Is coffee a health food?

Dietitian says it's time to look at coffee in a new light

 

Cleveland, OH - Can't start your day without your morning coffee? Stop feeling guilty about it.
Experts say a cup of coffee not only provides a little pick-me-up, but you may also be pouring real health benefits into your mug each morning.

Studies have shown certain compounds in coffee can have a positive effect on our bodies.

Kristin Kirkpatrick is a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Institute. She says it may be time to look at coffee in a new light.

“We shouldn’t look at coffee as something that is not good for our health anymore," said Kirkpatrick. "There have been so many studies that show the benefits of coffee.  Coffee consumption has been linked to decreases in diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers.”

Kirkpatrick says researchers have linked coffee to a decrease in the risk of prostate cancer in men and endometrial cancer in women.

A 2012 study found a compound in coffee may block a substance that plays a role in the development of diabetes.

Kirkpatrick says coffee drinkers may also slow the development of dementia later in life and protect themselves against skin cancer. A couple of recent studies also found people who drink three or four cups of coffee per day tend to live longer.

Even decaffeinated coffee appears to provide some of the same protection, which may mean the benefits are in the bean.

“The benefit may be coming specifically from the coffee bean," said Kirkpatrick. "It has that rich, dark color. It is a plant-based food. A lot of times we forget about that, it is a bean.”

Kirkpatrick says two to three cups of coffee a day should be all you need to see the health benefits. She recommends drinking it black, since adding lots of sugar and cream adds fat and calories.

“If you want to spruce up your coffee you can do it with a little bit of skim milk, or some almond milk. If you absolutely have to have some sweetness, you can maybe try a little bit of Stevia," said Kirkpatrick.[1]


*For a mega health kick, be brave and try a dab of coconut oil in your coffee. 

Replacing processed coffee creamers with organic coconut oil is a smart move. Although it may sound strange, the result is actually quite delicious and highly nutritious. The combination of caffeine and saturated fat gives the body a great and lasting energy boost.

The best way to prepare a tropical twisted coffee drink is to brew a high quality organic cup of coffee and place it in a blender. Add in one tablespoon of organic coconut oil, blend and enjoy.

The resulting coffee drink is frothy and rich, with a wonderfully smooth taste that is very satisfying. If you like your coffee sweetened, add one teaspoon of coconut crystals.

Adding coconut oil to your coffee is a great way to supercharge and give your body a burst of energy to make it through the day. Not to mention all of the other amazing health benefits of coconut!

Those who have been using coconut oil for years never truly believed the lipid hypothesis that said saturated fat was bad for us. More and more evidence is being uncovered to say just the opposite.

Healthy saturated fat is not only good for us, but essential for numerous bodily functions. Coconut oil is described as one of the healthiest saturated fats on the earth.

Coconuts are revered all over the world for their amazing medical and nutritional properties. They have been used for ages by diverse cultures and races, all of whom respect the magnificent qualities of this tree-growing nut.

Modern medicine is finally coming alongside traditional medicine and echoing the amazing health benefits of coconut. Published studies in a number of prominent health journals note the benefits of various forms of coconut. Here are just a few of the amazing benefits of coconut that researchers are uncovering:

• Kills viruses
• Kills bacteria
• Kills fungus and yeast
• Boosts energy and endurance
• Improves insulin secretion
• Kills tapeworms, lice and other parasites
• Reduces cavities
• Prevents obesity
• Softens skin
• Protects skin from the sun
• Controls dandruff
• Prevents wrinkles[2]

What?!  Wait a minute!  Did she just say 'prevents wrinkles'??  Oh, say no more, Miss Coco Nut and Mr. Joe Coffee...I'm all in.  Just kidding, I'm a health nut, and the rest of this huge list is what's really driving me.  Besides all that, I'm so not a morning person...and ok, that's what's really driving me.  There, you got me.

So, don't feel guilty for this small morning pleasure.  Turns out, it's actually good for you!  Enjoy!

(sips)





Sources:
[1] ClickonDetroit.com
[2] TheAlternativeDaily.com

 

After Weight Loss, Now What?

This is one of the least talked about, yet most valuable parts of losing weight--maintaining the weight you lost.  Nobody wants to put in all the hard dedicated work of dieting and exercising only to gain it all back a few short months later.  It happens to the best of us.  It has happened to me more times than I'd like to admit.  It is truly a change of lifestyle that is necessary...whether we really want to accept that or not.  A change in our outlook of life, our mindset and relationship with food and nature as a whole has to be in line with our ultimate goals of optimal health and weight management.  Here are six tips to help you to not only lose weight, but keep it off forever.

Permanent weight loss can be as simple as getting ... - Natural News

http://www.naturalnews.com Mon, 03 Feb 2014 06:00:00 GMT

(NaturalNews) While losing weight can be relatively easy for most people who put their minds to it, keeping it off long term is another matter altogether. For most, lost weight will return over a relatively short time because the ...

Read more ...

And as always, come on back here when you're done and let's talk about it.

To your health...

Cancer is Hungry--Starve it!

Imagine a Cancer Treatment with virtually no side effects!  Could it be right under our noses?  Something as simple as making some possibly life-saving tweaks to our diet?  Well, there is definitely more than one way to skin a cat.
I want you to see this awesome interview by Lorie Johnson of CBN.  She and Pat Robertson speak on the benefits of the ketogenic diet, and how this diet actually destroys cancer cells.  Watch the entire 11 minute video which covers so many great topics, including why this kind of research is unknown to your doctor because it is diet-based and will not benefit the pharmaceutical companies.  She also covers the 'cholesterol myth' which has plagued our society for many years now.


 

Starving Cancer: Ketogenic Diet a Key to Recovery - Health ...
http://www.cbn.com Fri, 21 Jun 2013 07:00:00 GMT
A new cancer treatment has virtually no side effects, and can be used with other cancer treatments. It involves starving cancer cells of the fuel they the love.
Read more ...

Then come back and tell us your thoughts...

To your health.

Tips For Taking Care of Skin During Winter Revealed

Winter time can be hard on the skin, making it dry, flaky and itchy, but with proper care you can effectively banish your skin woes.

Dermatologist Rita Pichardo-Geisinger, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, provides tips that are easy to incorporate into your daily routine to help keep your skin and hair in prime condition.

First of all use a fragrance free soap because perfumes and additives can dry the skin which can lead to flaking and itching or exacerbate conditions like eczema.

It is also important to use a moisturising lotion after the shower because when you apply a moisturizer to damp skin right after showering, this helps seal in water to prevent skin from drying out.

"A moisturizer helps to act as a barrier of protection for your skin so look for one that has ceramides, a new technology that helps restore and protect the skin barrier," she said.

Next, keep the temperature at home on the cool side, not too warm, to avoid skin dehydration because if your home or workplace temperature is warm enough to make it feel like a sauna, you might be drying your skin out.

Do not forget to use a fragrance free detergent and liquid fragrance free conditioner for the clothes because some people with skin sensitivities can experience skin irritation or rash after wearing clothes washed in a detergent with fragrance additives.

Also, do not forget your moisturizing lotion with sunscreen for your face, even if it is winter time.
If lips get chapped, avoid cracking by using a lip balm with sunscreen to get the double benefit of smooth and protected lips, Rita asserted.

And, your hair can get dry in the wintertime too, so you might need to use a hydrating shampoo or an anti-frizz leave-in conditioner.

Lastly, tend to your toes and feet and treat them with good lactic acid creams that can help keep feet soft and supple.