Not So Fun Battle of the Bulge!

Well, yesterday you read about one of those changes I want to make for the New Year and some of you may possibly have the same goal – to lose weight.

My friends and I at the Liberty States Fiction Writers have even set up a loop for members to share ideas on how to lose weight and also, to encourage each other so we will feel fabulous for our March 19th conference! That’s one of the things I love about this group – that everyone is willing to be supportive of one another, whether with respect to writing, losing weight, sharing sorrow or savoring success. They are there for each other. LSF Writers, you rock!

But back to the weight loss. Here are some free sites that you can use to help you keep track of your goals, plan menus, etc.

Lose It!
Livestrong The Daily Plate

Here’s a good resource for recipes and other suggestions:

Kraft Healthy Living

Hope you find these sites helpful as well! Have a great weekend.

Thoughtful Thursday – The New Year

The New Year has come roaring in and I’m trying hard not to make resolutions. I guess because I always think that it’s more than about just making a promise for the short term, it’s about making a long term change for the better.

Despite that, I can’t help getting caught up in the New Year’s frenzy of promises, so here are a few things I’m going to try to do for myself and others.

1. Lose weight. A continuous battle for me.

2. Be more patient. I am so not patient at times.

3. Work harder. Seems impossible and yet I truly believe in the American Dream that all things are possible thanks to the fruit of hard labor.

4. Rethink promo. Been there done that so many times and all for naught. There has got to be a better way.

5. Play more. All work and no play makes Caridad a grumpy girl.

What are your New Year’s resolutions? Any fun things you’ve got planned for the coming year?

Guilty Pleasure Monday and a Happy Release Day!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I want to wish you all the very best for 2011 and hope you had a great holiday season.

We’re starting off the New Year with one of my favorite cuties: Bobby Cannavale! If I had to picture who would play Rafael Santiago from AZTEC GOLD, Bobby would be the man. I first saw Bobbie on THIRD WATCH where he played one of the paramedics and since then, he’s been in a number of other movies and television programs. Bobbie has that little boy charm in a wonderful man’s body! If you want to see him in a really cute role, check him out in SHALL WE DANCE with Richard Gere.

Hope you enjoyed today’s Guilty Pleasure, but here’s another special little thing for you today! It’s release day today for AZTEC GOLD, my new paranormal novella from Carina Press! I’ll be visiting a number of blogs during the month to celebrate and will also have a fun contest coming up for you.

To also celebrate the release of AZTEC GOLD, I’ve done a little video trailer for you! If you can’t see the video below, you can click here to see the video.

Bobby Cannavale Photo Credit: Tony [email protected]

Tuesday Tip – Happiness, Stress and Weight

scaleWe’ve been talking about a lot of things for the New Year – Resilience, Happiness and Stress just to name a few. For me one thing that’s inherently tied to all three of those is my weight and not in a good way.

I know that I eat when I’m unhappy or stressed out. I know when it began – when my mom got sick and died. Back then the only thing that seemed to provide any comfort was food and so a pattern was born.

Of course understanding that and doing something about it are two different things. So when things got a little crazy last year, my weight ballooned. Again.

This year I’m doing something about it as well as about Happiness and Stress. So far so good. Choosing to be upbeat has helped. Taking some of those stress-busting steps has helped, especially two of them – prepping the night before and getting up ten minutes earlier.

Now I’m dealing with the weight thing, something which you know we’ve dealt with in the past.

My daughter gifted me with a copy of EAT THIS, NOT THAT for Christmas and I’m busy reading through it. I’ll let you know any good tips from there.

Some tips I have seen in the bombardment of New Year Resolution articles that I’ve tried and are good:

1. For snacking try a handful of almonds (about 12). Low in fat and high in fiber, they help stave off hunger.

2. Make sure to have breakfast. I’ve been starting with a cup of Quaker Oat Meal and I’m finding that I’m less hungry at lunch and also at dinner.

3. Have an orange at lunch or as a dessert. Citrus is apparently another great hunger fighter.

4. Exercise each day. A 20 minute walk will make a difference in how you feel. Try to include strength training. Building muscle will help with your metabolism.

5. Eat more slowly. It takes your brain some time to catch up and send the signal that you’re full. If you eat too fast (which I always do), you may be overeating.

6. Go Green! Use Avocado slices on your sandwich instead of mayo or butter. It’s a great vegetable fat and tasty too. Not an avocado fan? Switch to mustard instead.

7. Brown bag your lunch. Not only will you be saving money in these tough economic times, you will be better able to control what you are eating.

8. Try to eat more veggies. If you can, start your meal by eating the veggies. They have less calories for their volume and can help you eat less of the fattening stuff. Not a veggie person? Try V8 or tomato juice.

9. Cut back on carbs. If you keep them in moderation, you’ll notice an immediate change in belly fat and will likely have less cravings. When eating carbs, make sure they are high in fiber, low in refined sugars and have no trans fats.

10. Finally, remind yourself that it’s more stressful to be heavy and have health issues than it is to change your eating habits.

Hope you found these 10 tips helpful! If you’ve got some of your own to share, please let us know by posting a comment.

Happy New Year!

With year end work and writing deadlines looming large, I’ll be taking a short break until next week!

I wish you all the very best for the New Year and hope that it is blessed, peaceful and filled with love.

CaridadNewYear