Knowledge is Healing

Have you devoted an embarrassing percentage of your life to trying to lose weight? I certainly have done my share (all right, I’ll be honest: MUCH more than my share!) of counting calories, carbohydrates and/or fat grams; reading the latest fad diet book (remember the gruesome grapefruit and hard-boiled egg regime?!), and alternating between starving and inhaling everything in the refrigerator (yes, I’ve even experienced the "there’s nothing else to eat in the house but maple syrup and diet bread, so break open the syrup bottle!" diet blues).

If you're tired of "trying" to be a loser, how about resolving to make 2008 the year you become a winner? If that sounds good, here's my deceptively simple tip: Focus on eating right to stay energized and healthy. Here are suggestions for five New Year’s nutrition resolutions that aren’t as hard to keep as you may think.

Resolution 1: Eat a good breakfast! It doesn’t have to be elaborate, and it doesn’t have to be enormous either. Low-carb dieting makes it easy, from a hard-boiled egg and a slice of cheese when you’re on the go, to a blenderized low-carb smoothie that goes down easy and tastes great. All the research reports reveal that you eat less and lose more if you start off the day on the right nutritional foot. Remove the temptation to indulge in a mid-morning doughnut break by sticking to this resolution.

Resolution 2: Eat the veggies. Regardless of which low-carb diet you’re following, the majority allow some amount of measured vegetables from a select list. Many low-carb dieters, however, think they’ll lose "faster" if they skip the vegetables. Oops. Big mistake. Vegetables fill you up, not out -- and they add variety to your low-carb diet. So go for the green with gusto!

Resolution 3: Take a snack pack with you when you’re on the go at work, school or away from home. Whether you enjoy crunching on baked chicken legs or dipping into a low-carb carton of yogurt, make sure to take the time each morning before you leave to fix your "go-to" snack pack!

Resolution 4: Put on your chef's hat! Each week, try a new recipe that is permitted on your diet. Try your local library for hints, ask friends, do an online search or head straight to eDiets.com and look through the many recipes offered on the site.

Resolution 5: Slow down and eat more mindfully. Pay attention to your meal, and don’t multi-task by reading, watching TV or paying bills in between bites. Then after you eat, celebrate with a visit to your support team at eDiets.com!

Congratulations: you win the diet game!

Joanne Eglash is a writer and an editor specializing in health, weight control and fitness. She's written for a variety of publications and websites, ranging from Energy for Women magazine to KidsHealth.org. Email your feedback, suggestions for future articles and questions to her at healthylifestylescoach@yahoo.com.

An extraordinary occurrence seems to happen every year around this time as people talk about their New Year’s Resolutions. The topic, apparently, triggers many individuals to experience a distinct sense of deja vu.

There is a reason that resolutions to “lose weight,” “quit smoking,” “start exercising,” “pay off all debts” and “travel the world” cause this ever-so-familiar dj vu’ feeling. They aren't new. They are the same resolves that have attempted year after year.

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Still as the ball drops on another fresh New Year ahead, past failures are wiped clean and replaced with positive notions that this year will be different.

If you or somebody you know has been affected by the New Year’s Resolution Deja vu Syndrome, don’t worry. There is an easy way to put a stop to it for good.

The best way to make turn resolutions into reality is by transforming them into your habits. Once you alter your behavior and attitude the process of change will ignite. These top 10 resolutions will help keep you focused and motivated so that your healthy resolutions will stay fresh in your mind all year round.

1. Start every day by reading an inspiring quote or saying. These are great motivation boosters. They will help kick off your day in the right direction.

2. Read at least one article a day about your goal. Whether it’s about nutrition, fitness, a destination you’d like to visit or the effects of smoking, vow to take a few minutes to read about it every single day. This will help keep the subject and your objective fresh in your mind.

3. Change your New Year’s Resolutions into New Day Resolutions. Instead of saying, “I’m going to pay off all my debts,” say, “The first bill I am going to pay off will be this, and I’m going to start by setting aside $10 today.”

4. Vow to compliment one person every single day and never put down any compliments you receive. When you take the time to notice your surroundings and the distinct beauty in things, it will automatically help you appreciate your own individual and remarkable characteristics.

5. Declare to take the word “can’t” out of your vocabulary. Become aware of your words and use only constructive language. Instead of saying "I can’t," ask yourself how you can. Rather than saying "I’m no good at this," ask yourself how you can get better.

6. Turn off your cell phone every time you sit down to eat. Something as simple as turning off your phone can make a tremendous impact on your day. Even if you only have a few minutes to eat, turn it off. Try to rid yourself of all distractions and enjoy your food and the company you are sitting with at all times. This will help make you eat slower, think about what you’re eating and enjoy the rewards of good conversation.

7. Do one thing that slightly scares you every single day. Whether it’s throwing away all the junk food stored up in your house, trying out a new workout class, submitting a poem you wrote in a contest or asking someone you’re interested in out on a date, a little nerve a day will help keep you feeling alive, alert and inspired.

8. Pat yourself on the back every day. Take credit for the good things that you accomplish. You told yourself you were going to join the gym today and you did, you parked your car at the farthest parking lot instead of the closest, you brought your healthy lunch to work, you stayed away from the soda machine, you kept your cool after your boss yelled at you -- all these little actions deserve to be acknowledged. Every night before you go to sleep, write down one of your daily accomplishments. After you’ve written down seven reward yourself in some way.

9. Mail a card every week to somebody in your life and tell them how much you appreciate them. If you don’t want to deal with buying stamps, e-mail them. This will remind you of the many good things and people in your life, and the positive energy you send out will come back to you two-fold. You will feel better about yourself and be more likely to accomplish your daily goals.

10. Vow to stop shrugging your shoulders and keep your head high at all times. Good posture will help you not only look slimmer, but also develop more confidence. You’re body language speaks worlds about how you feel. Straighten up the way you look on the outside and your inside self-confidence will soon follow.

Forget designer knock-offs -- you can get the real deal when it comes to finding fashion styles that your favorite stars wear. Celebrities are taking fashion into their own hands, launching their own apparel lines to capture their own brand of style the way no one else can. In fact, everyone from Sarah Jessica Parker to Jessica Simpson is coming out with their own clothing line. Why not give yourself the gift of looking good with these star-power fashions?

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Sarah Jessica Parker's Bitten
If you've ever watched Sex and the City, then you know that Carrie Bradshaw had a passion for fashion, and so does SJP. This summer, the fashion icon took her passion to heart and launched Bitten -- her own low-price, high-fashion line available exclusively at Steve & Barry's stores. But unlike Carrie, Sarah Jessica Parker doesn't want you to spend a small fortune on clothes -- which is why everything in the collection costs less than $20 and comes in size 2 to 22.

"…It's about fashion not being a luxury," Sarah told viewers on the Oprah Winfrey show. Amen to that! You cannot order online on the Web site, but you can find a Steve & Barry store near you by clicking on the "store locator" menu tab.

MBLEM by Mandy Moore
The triple-threat singer, actress and new designer has launched Mblem -- a cute fashion line of soft and easy knit dresses. Inspired by her favorite authentic vintage dresses, the clothing collection reflects the singer's personal sense of style. Mblem's simple dress silhouettes are made of ultra-soft cotton jersey, and the garments are dyed in stylish color palettes. The fashions are super "casual chic" but tend to be a little pricey for the "everyday" women who are most likely to wear them.

The good news is that Mblem has a special holiday collection featuring sexy A-line, trapeze, maxi and mini tunic dresses accented that come in festive colors of red, cream and black. There's also a pretty Spring '07 Collection too. You can shop Mblem online.

Penlope and Mnica Cruz -- MNG Mango
Few would argue that actress Penlope Cruz is drop-dead gorgeous or that she has impeccable style. So it makes all the sense in the world that the Vanilla Sky actress joined the ranks of celebrity-turned-designer with her own limited-edition fashion line for MNG Mango. Penlope partnered with her sister, Mnica, to launch the collection this summer. The line features jeans, jackets, sexy tees and cute tops and is mostly casual, comfy apparel. You'll find Cruz's collection at Mango shops or you can shop their fashion online.

Beyonc Knowles -- House of Dereon
Ever wonder who designs all those ultra-sexy outfits that Beyonc wears onstage? It's her mother, Tina Knowles. Now, the dynamic duo has teamed up and launched a successful line of haute couture fashion called "House of Dereon."

The label takes its name from Beyonce's grandmother, Agnes Dereon, a seamstress who designed and created clothing for private clients. Beyonc says the theme of the line is taking nothing and turning it into something because that's what her grandmother did with all kinds of fabrics. The clothes from House of Dereon can be found at Macy's and Dillards. Jeans and blouses retail for about $150.

Sweet Kisses Clothing by Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson's fashion style is high-end couture, but with the recent unveiling of her latest line of handbags, shoes and clothing for the Jessica Simpson Collection, mere mortals can look like singer/actress for a fraction of the high-end prices. Jessica's new line will be sold exclusively at Macy's and features clothing, shoes and perfume. Her collection is said to be comfortable, casual-to-sexy and sophisticated. The pricing is pretty reasonable and way below the labels Jessica loves to wear herself. Her collection clothing pieces actually reflect the celeb-designer's signature style. Look for her items at any Macy's department store.

This winter, you don't have to be a star, but with so many affordable options it's easy to dress like one.

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For many of us, the new year means making your list and checking it twice. Whether you're resolving to learn to ride a motorcycle, to end world hunger or merely to break your addiction to guacamole-flavored Doritos, the best way to clarify your priorities and organize your goals is to write them down.

Listing your resolutions can help you figure out what you really want to do with your time -- and also get a handle on whether your goals are realistic. Besides, once you've displayed them on the refrigerator door, there's no avoiding them. And when they're staring at you every morning on the bathroom mirror, it's harder to forget that you made those promises to yourself.

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The best lists are short, simple and pragmatic. For your first draft, you can think big, but in your final version, include no more than three or four goals (or else you'll wind up overburdened and overwhelmed). Keep the items specific and manageable: "I will invite friends over for dinner once a month," "Expand my social life."

If you're looking for inspiration and moral support -- and maybe the chance to borrow a few ideas from other people -- check out 43things.com, a Web site backed by internet retailer Amazon.com. The site serves as a public clearinghouse for resolutions and as a meeting place for people with like-minded ambitions to share hints and track their successes.

Web site membership comes from around the world, but many of the goals people have chosen for their own lists have a familiar ring. Most people want to improve themselves, expand their own boundaries and try new experiences.

Here are the top five resolutions named by the members of 43things.com -- and a few suggestions for how to tackle them.

5. Be happy. The surest way to be happy is not to focus on riches or success. The science of positive psychology has shown that focusing on relationships, rather than material goods, provides lasting pleasure. Volunteering breeds happiness, as do good social skills and solid networks of friends. If you're going to spend money, experiences (travel, entertainment and so forth) usually bring more pleasure than objects.

4. Fall in love. This is a perfect example of a goal that absolutely must be broken down into smaller pieces. Before you can fall in love, you need to meet someone. And if you're looking to meet someone, flirting is a big step in the right direction. Research in the science of flirting shows that two-thirds of the time, it's women who take the lead. She lets the man know she's interested through glances, laughter, smiling and welcoming body language. After that, it's give-and-take. A successful flirtation is like a pas de deux -- each mirrors the other's body language, creating a synergy. For more details on the dance, try Love Signals: A Practical Field Guide to the Body Language of Courtship, by David Givens, Ph.D.

3. Write a book. As any author will tell you, writing a book generally takes a lot longer than a year. But you can get started on your authorial ambitions by experimenting with memoir. Writing about difficult life experiences can be freeing, as it can help you stop brooding over an experience that disturbed you. It can also give you a deeper understanding of your own life story, which in turns helps you figure out what your values are -- and where to put your priorities this year.

2. Lose weight. What advice haven't you heard on this one already? Rather than rehash the obvious -- small portions, no crash diets, no "forbidden foods" -- this is a good chance to break one big goal into more manageable smaller ones. If you're looking to lose weight, think about making just one essential change this year -- getting in the habit of regular exercise. But make that goal smaller too: Resolve to start walking to work, or to take up yoga or sign up for a dance class.

1. Stop procrastinating. There's a reason this is the #1 resolution: Procrastinating is often what prevents us from making all the other changes we're trying to take on. Procrastinators often distract themselves from what they really need to do with make-work and other minor responsibilities, rather than tackling the big tasks that really need attention. It's a very hard habit to break, but for a start, put that annoying but necessary task that you've been avoiding all last year at the top of your list. If you can get through that problem, that more than anything may bring you a very happy new year.

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I've received countless letters from you readers asking how you boost your bust for low-cut shirts and styles. Well, perk up! You can go from sagging to stunning without costly cosmetic surgery. Just give yourself a lift with my five timely tips for better fits.

1. Make sure you're wearing the right size bra. Studies show that 8 out of 10 women sport the wrong cup or band size.

2. Firm breasts and tighten skin by mixing one teaspoon of vitamin E oil with one tablespoon of yogurt and one egg. Massage into breasts then wear an old bra over the mixture for at least 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

3. Lift pectoral muscles supporting breasts by bending forward from waist with abs tight. Pick up a pair of 5-pound free weights, then cross and uncross arms in front of your body. Do three sets of 10 crossovers.

4. Exercise number two: try to hold your shoulder blades together. Work up to five sets of 10 repetitions.

5. Wear a bra! The chest muscles don't provide enough support to go braless. You may be surprised but many celebrities even sleep in a bra!

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2008 could be your best year yet! eDiets can help make your weight-loss goals a reality! Get a personalized diet and custom fitness program, plus 24-hour support from our online community of experts and members! Find your perfect diet today with this FREE diet profile.

Diane Irons is the author of Bargain Beauty Secrets, 911 Beauty Secrets, World's Best Kept Beauty Secrets and Diane Irons' 14-Day Beauty Boot Camp: The Crash Course (all SourceBooks). She's appeared on national radio and TV, including Good Morning America, Sally Jesse Raphael, Maury Povich, Montel Williams, Lifetime Television, CNN, CNBC, and CBS This Morning. To find out more about Diane, please visit her Web site dianeirons.com.