A Weight Loss Wish List
Whether we've been naughty or nice, we all wish we could crawl up on Santa's lap and get our heart's desire just by telling the Big Guy what we want So if you were making your Christmas list with an eye on weight loss, what would you include? Here are a few of our Santa's List picks:
1) Food scales. Even an expert eye can be fooled into believing six ounces is four and the extra calories can mean weight gain instead of weight loss. The solution? Your very own food scale. The one you put on your Christmas list should be affordable (after all, even Santa is watching his budget these days!), and it should have numbers which are easy to read. If it doesn't come with its own bowl, be sure you know the weight of the bowl you use to weigh your serving and subtract that from your reading.
2) A shopping spree. You're never again going to wear those fat pants, right? So why not give them to charity? The bonus is tons of closet space to refill and Springfield's malls, outlet stores and independent shop owners have just the outfits to show off your new and fitter figure. Take your donations to:
Goodwill: 3151 S. Kansas Expressway, 425 S. Western Avenue or 3151 S. Kansas Expressway
YOTO Community Thrift Store: 1731 N. Glenstone Ave.
Red Racks & DAV Thrift Store: 2843 E. Sunshine St, 1711 N. Glenstone Ave., 1707 E. Battlefield Rd.
3) Some great exercise videos. And by great, we don't mean the toughest video out there. Those infomercials are expertly produced to convince you that buns of steel are as easy as buying their video, but the reality is the video will sit unused unless it's at a level you can handle. Start with a beginner's video and work your way up to the macho stuff. It's also helpful to choose a video that offers both longer and shorter workouts, so you'll have options on busy days. Want to try it free before you buy? YouTube offers a good selection of workout videos.
4) New (smaller) serving dishes. Check out grandma's china--we bet her dinner plates were smaller than your modern ones. It's no surprise American servings have been getting bigger and bigger just like our waists, but you can reverse that trend in your home by putting smaller plates on your table. At least that's what the Small Plate Movement says. Their studies show even nutrition experts serve themselves more food when eating from a larger bowl and they recommend you eat your largest meal of the day from a 9-10 inch plate. And while you're at it, downsize your spoon. Your hips will thank you for it.
5) Cookbooks. It's far easier to avoid fast food when there's something delicious waiting for you at home, so fill your pantry with fresh spices and stock your shelves with healthy recipe cookbooks. Which reminds us, have you purchased your Professional Weight Management Cookbook yet? Many of the delicious recipes you read in our newsletter come from our very own cookbook and it's available at either our Springfield or Branson locations.
6) Peace (in the world or your heart). The hormones released by stress can cause us to overeat and retain fat, so instead of reaching for that donut when the world has you down, focus on your blessings instead. Make peace with 2024 (it's almost over!) and let your happiness show in a slimmer, fitter body.