Defy Gravity
Gravity is pulling you into the grave. The heavier you are, the more pull Death has on you. So try to become Weightless, like me. I usually phrase my philosophy in a positive way, saying, “If you lose weight, you will feel better and live longer and be able to evolve, defy gravity!” But that doesn’t work for most people. So I have to yell: “Lose weight or die!”

Every day you have to ask yourself if you’re going to contribute to your own death by overeating and being lazy. Or are you going to do something to prevent that? I can hear you saying it, and you’re right: Nobody lives forever. But most men wait until they’ve been diagnosed with cancer or diabetes to make a positive change in their lifestyle. When you’re staring at your doctor who tells you that you may only have 1 year left to live unless you eat better and start exercising… then you decide that life is worth extending. I’m terrified of that. You should be too. Why not make sure that meeting never happens?

If you’ve read my Obesity Statistics article, then you already know the risks. Every day experts are finding more ways that being overweight is a hazard to your life, just take a look at the news.

Here’s the list:

• Diabetes (type 2, the preventable kind)
• Heart Disease
• Several Cancers, including:
  • bladder
  • lung
  • oral cavity
  • pancreas
  • stomach
  • small intestine
  • larynx
  • lymphoma
  • and every man’s favourite: prostate
• GERD: gastro-esophogeal reflux disease (chronic heartburn and acid regurgitation)
• The recent discovery of a link to Alzheimer’s disease

It Is Easy to Stay on a Diet
Unless you actually have an Impulse Control Disorder (talk to a psychiatrist), you CAN stay on a diet. The second you have a cookie in hand, just think of it as poison. It may not kill you right away, but it eventually will. Diet or die!

Here’s a diet secret that I normally would never mention: the diet products you can buy from my online store are pricey. If you need another form of motivation to stay on a diet, consider paying for it. If you don’t use the program, you’re wasting the money you spent to buy it. Use the products, so that you know it was money well spent. If you’re just buying your groceries like normal, you might not eat that salad because it’s cheap to throw it away. If I gave you my products for $1, you might give up on them in a few days just as easily, and you’d never find out how great they are if you use them consistently for one month.

Too Fat to Run?
Do you think that your weight is preventing you from exercising? If you read my article Exercise: Essential carefully, you know you do not have to start jogging right away. You can start your exercise regimen by walking for 30 minutes every day. If you cannot do even that, then it is even more important to start a diet right away. If you can jog, but feel embarrassed to do it, because you think people will laugh at you: Get over it. Exercise or die! Do you know what I think when I see an overweight person jogging? I think: “Good for him! He’s saving his life. He’s improving himself.” I also feel a little guilty, because I end up thinking: “If that big guy is brave enough to struggle like that, I must be such a wimp to skip a workout.” Believe me, if anyone snickers at you for exercising, they’re losers.

It Is Easier to Die
I will not deny that it is easier to die: to lay around, eat chips and wait for an early death while watching TV. When you exercise, they call it “working out” because it is work! Staying on a diet takes some self-discipline, I grant you that as well. If you have a death-wish, by all means, take the easy path. But do not try to pretend that having those extra 50 pounds is okay. You’re just lying to yourself.

It makes me so angry to see overweight people who aren’t doing anything about it. I am Weightless, and I still exercise and keep a diet. If I have the motivation just to avoid gaining weight, how much more reason does the obese man have? Is it harder? No, it should be easier, because he is the one in real danger. I am not. I could put on 10 pounds, and my mother would think I look healthier. But I run. When I do intervals, I pretend that there’s huge dog chasing me who will kill me if I can’t outrun it. And I run for my life!

So, that is all the motivation you should need: Diet or Die. Exercise or Die. Run for Your Life!

Live, Evolve, Become Weightless
This article is my simple philosophy on weight loss motivation. Now that you’re motivated and have a simple way to stay motivated, read the other articles on my site to get all the details on the best weight loss program for men.

David “Mr. Weightless” McCormick is the founder of Weightless Products, which is dedicated to providing free articles and advice for men to lose weight fast and promote health. Wait Less for Weight Loss, visit The Best Weight Loss Program for Men today.

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A regular exercise program of either running, walking, cycling, swimming, aerobics or any other physical exercise helps to improve the efficiency of the human body in many ways. A healthy exercise regimen can help strengthen the body physically, as well as make you more confident and help you avoid some future illnesses.

Exercise keeps your bones and joints in line and strong, so the benefits aren’t purely superficial. It also acts to strengthen your cardiovascular system, to help keep your heart healthy. A few great fitness exercises used in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle and healthy diet can help you live longer and better.

A general feeling of improved well-being can be found through light exercises, so there is no need to overdo things. Light walking is probably the easiest fitness exercise there is; yet this doesn’t mean it isn’t a great fitness exercise. It helps blow the cobwebs away and can improve the heart, lower blood pressure and improve physique. All of these things help keep you healthy, active and measurably improve your lifestyle.

Great fitness exercises can include the use of weights, a fitness ball, exercise machines or just you and your muscles.

Combining physical exercise with nutritional supplements can vastly improve all of your physical and mental attributes and decrease the possibility of illness and damage, especially related to muscles, bones, blood, and even the heart. Exercising also helps release hormones throughout your body and the adrenalin that physical exertion releases can improve mental health. So you see, great fitness exercises improve your general well-being in addition to your physique.

Helen Murtha is a freelance author from Pasadena, California. For examples of other articles, see http://www.1st-in-exercise-equipment.org

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What is Glucosamine?

Glucosamine, together with a related ingredient called Chondroitin, are substances which exist naturally in your body. It is believed that glucosamine helps to build and repair cartilage (the soft, spongy material between your joints), while chondroitin lends to the elasticity and flexibility of joints. A deficiency of either one can lead to increased wear and tear on the joint, and cause redness, swelling and stiffness as a result. When used together, glucosamine and chondroitin act as a tag-team of arthritis fighters, improving flexibility, soothing inflammation and reducing swelling caused by achy joints.

Where Can I Buy Glucosamine and Chondroitin Supplements?

You can find these products in virtually any pharmacy or health goods store. The downside to this is, like other herbal and alternative medicines, supplements are not regulated by any governing body. That’s why you’ll need to do a little bit of research to find the best, most potent brand for your needs. Here’s what you need to know when comparison shopping for a glucosamine supplement:

· You should expect to pay anywhere from $1-3 per pill when taking glucosamine daily. Since insurance companies rarely cover supplements of any kind, you’ll most likely be paying for them out of pocket.

· Read the ingredients label on the bottle to determine the dosage. Approximately 1500mg of glucosamine and 1200mg of chondroitin have been safely used in clinical trials. Depending on your individual medication tolerances and the severity of your arthritis, you should consult your physician or rheumatologist to find the right dose for your individual needs.

· Select supplements manufactured by a well-known, reputable company. Recommended brands include: Osteo Bi-Flex, WholeHealth, Flex-A-Min, MoveFree and individual pharmacy brands.

Are There Any Side Effects I Should Know About? As with any medication or supplements, there are a few warnings you should know:

· If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, do not use glucosamine/chondroitin supplements, as no long-term studies have been done to gage what materials (if any) are passed on to the baby either internally or through breast milk.

· If you are diabetic, chondroitin (a form of sugar) may cause your blood sugar to rise.

· Chondroitin also acts as a mild blood thinner. Therefore, if you are taking any heart medication or are taking an aspirin regimen, have your blood clotting time checked more frequently by your doctor.

· Glucosamine/Chondroitin supplements should not be taken by children since no studies have been done to determine their effect (if any) on the child’s development.

(Please note: The information contained within this article is not intended to replace or substitute for that of an experienced physician. Remember to check with your doctor or rheumatologist before starting daily glucosamine/chondroitin supplements, and don’t stop or reduce any of your current medications (whether they’re for arthritis or not) without first talking with your doctor).

Arnel Ricafranca
Founder of Fitness VIP
Fitness Expert/ Qualified online personal trainer
http://www.fitness-vip.com

If you would like additional support and coaching along the way - I strongly suggest you take a peak at my online “member’s only” site at http://www.fitnessgenerator.com/fitness-vip - as what we have for you there can definitely help you make progress fast.

Visit http://www.fitness-vip.com for more articles.

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Reflexology is a technique whereby pressure is applied to these areas resulting in stress reduction by using thumb, finger and hand methods. Using reflexology promotes physiological improvements in the body. (For more information on reflexology, be sure to check out the Holistic Junction Business Directory for practitioners and schools specializing in reflexology.)

Reflexology is the correspondence of the reflexes in the feet and hands to the organs and all parts of the body. Stimulating these reflexes with this unique technique can promote the body’s own healing potential to promote better health. Reflexology is primarily used for relaxing tension.

Reflexology restores natural balance and revitalization. Not intended to cure diseases, reflexology is valuable in locating high stress or tension areas in the body. Reflexology can be utilized in encouraging natural healing.

Since 75% of all health problems are linked to stress, reflexology could prove invaluable in this day and age.

For more information on reflexology schools and a possible career in reflexology, be sure to check out the Holistic Junction Business Directory for practitioners and schools specializing in reflexology today.

Copyright - All Rights Reserved: Reflexology by C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot in conjunction with Holistic Junction

About the Author: C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot is the Public Relations Director & Staff Writer for Holistic Junction — Your source of information for Holistic Practitioners; Reflexology, Reflexology Schools, Massage Therapy Schools and Naturopathic Schools; Alternative Healthcare; Insightful Literature and so much more!

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Why are we so hung up on sizes? Men don’t care. If something is too snug, they just go to a larger size. If the fit is a little tight for a woman, she’ll buy it anyway, and swear to lose a few pounds so it fits more comfortably.

Many years ago, I worked in the garment district. I was shocked to learn that, as manufacturers, we were allowed to change a label two sizes in either direction if that was necessary to fill the retailer’s order. Two sizes is a big difference! That’s when I learned to ignore labels, especially during sales. Often the only reason something really nice is still hanging on the rack, despite deep price reductions, is that the marked size is inaccurate. I acquired a lot of inexpensive, beautiful clothes that way.

The female obsession with sizes has not been lost on the production folks. A size 8, for example, is now two and a half inches bigger around the waist than its size 8 counterpart 30 years ago. There are now sections in stores carrying size 2 and size 0 (what?), just to make us feel good. Pay more for your clothes at a fancy department store and I guarantee you’ll fit into a smaller size than at the local K-Mart.

Where’s the reality? As a nation, we are getting fatter all the time. Does the fact that we fit into “smaller” sizes contradict that?

No, it’s just one more instance of the mutual-fooling-ourselves in which we so delight. Let’s be honest and look at the size of our bodies, not our clothes.

Virginia Bola is a licensed psychologist and an admitted diet fanatic. She specializes in therapeutic reframing and the effects of attitudes and motivation on individual goals. The author of The Wolf at the Door: An Unemployment Survival Manual, and a free ezine, The Worker’s Edge, she recently published a psychologically-based weight control e-workbook, “Diet with an Attitude” which develops mental skills towards the goal of permanent weight control. She can be reached at http://www.DietWithAnAttitude.com. She provides support and guidance in use of the workbook through her regular blog, http://dietwithanattitude.blogspot.com

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Let’s face it? its not easy trying to manage our lives today with so much going on. Learning about food and diet is very time consuming but frankly it’s very necessary for the benefit of ourselves, family and our grandchildren.

It doesn’t take much to see we’ve got a real problem here. Seen many obese children lately? A total society where over 60% of the people are overweight? Come on give us a break here something’s gone astray and we’re not sure what to do about it.

It seems like every-time we turn our heads a new fad hits us right between the eyes.We struggle and shuffle with the hope that we’re on to something but to no avail. Boy do we learn from those expensive lessons.

Fortunately there is good news, simple easy, not expensive, and easy to understand. Finally, a report that makes sense and doesn’t cost you any money either. Things like fat, fiber, fruits, vegetables, calories, supplementation, and exercise all come together for you and your family.

Recently posted to the internet was the 2005 American version of the good things in our food life and what to do with it. A really simple way to get a grip on ourselves It’s called the dietary guideline and finally puts things to rest with a few simple steps.

Do yourself a favor by getting the new health, energy and vitality report.

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Approaching our weight loss efforts with a bettor’s attitude, we’re going to pick four sure winners in the dieting game. To improve our chances, we going to “box” our choices, meaning that they can finish in any order as long as our picks run first, second, third, and fourth.

1. Restrict your eating to mealtimes.

We often control ourselves relatively well when we sit down at the table. Whether at home or eating out, we have put some thought into the food on our plate and have made a conscious decision about what we will allow ourselves.

It is what happens between actual meals that is often our downfall. We act without awareness or forethought, absent-mindedly picking on leftovers or items just “hanging around” - candy, potato chips, last night’s unfinished bowl of popcorn, a last lonely cupcake. With little genuine memory of doing it, we have doubled or tripled our daily caloric intake and completely subverted our best intentions. Whether you eat twice a day or “three squares” stick to that, and keep your teeth firmly clenched for the rest of the time.

2. Increase your activity.

Most of us who are overweight hate exercise. We always manage not to find time to perform a daily routine or join a gym. It is true that you can increase your energy expenditure during the day by such changes as using the stairs instead of the elevator, parking as far away from the store or market as possible, or walking over to a coworker’s desk rather than calling him on the telephone. The problem is that these suggestions, so often voiced by the weight loss specialists, have little effect, especially in the short term. If you honestly believe that a few extra steps a day is going to make you buff, you are in big-time denial my friend.

Increasing your activity levels to the range where they will really help your weight goals is going to take genuine and regular effort. If you can’t stand the thought of calisthenics in the morning, try these.

a. Don’t just take the stairs, use them. If you work on the third floor of a six story building, walk up to the roof and then back down to your floor. If you have a two story home or an upstairs apartment, make sure you keep leaving things behind so you are forced to go up and down the stairs at least three or four times before you get in your car and drive off.

b. Park your car in the back 40 at the supermarket and then leave your wallet under the seat. When you reach the store, you’ll have to walk all the way back to get it. When you’ve loaded your groceries into your trunk, push the basket all the way back to the store’s front door - now you’ve walked the distance four times instead of just once.

c. Use your break or lunch time to walk around the block. Then convince yourself that you might have dropped something and retrace your entire trip.

d. Turn on music when you clean house or wash the dishes. Dance constantly while you try to finish your chores without breaking anything.

e. When you watch television, only put an ounce or two of water, or coffee, or tea, in your cup or glass. Get up for a refill at every commercial. During the evening, you may get up and down fifty times which will keep you limber as well as burning calories.

Some of these ideas may take so much time that you’ll throw in the towel and choose an early morning exercise routine instead, knowing that then you don’t have to worry about this silliness all day!

3. Think small.

We gain weight because of the types of food we eat and the amount we eat. For now, we are going to concentrate on the quantity of our intake - calories DO count.

Start thinking small at the market. Yes, the food producers give us a price break if we buy the “economy” size (they have a vested interest in keep our appetites unfettered). We can save even more by buying in bulk. At this stage in our weight loss program, we are less interested in saving money than in saving our diet. Buy the smallest available size of everything.

When you start to prepare your meal, estimate how much of each item you need, and then reduce by 25%. Use dessert instead of dinner plates. A portion of food looks much bigger when it’s threatening to spill over the edges.

As you start to eat, cut your food into small pieces. Not bite-sized pieces, mind you, but more like pet food morsels or large peas. Then eat one at a time, making sure your mouth is totally empty before taking another piece.

You will find yourself feeing full (and rather bored with the whole procedure) long before your little plate is empty. The thought of a second helping may even make you nauseous.

If you are eating out, try to order a child’s plate, a senior menu size, or just an appetizer. Never order a complete meal when a la carte dishes are available - the rest is just “filler” anyway.

4. Always have a pleasant diversion on hand.

The less time you spend interacting with food, the less you will eat. Set up your schedule to allow yourself as little time to eat as possible. If you have an important meeting at 1 PM, don’t take time for lunch until 12:45. At 1 PM, stop and clear everything away. If you want to watch a special television show at 7 PM, don’t start eating dinner until 6:45. At 7 PM, dump any uneaten food into the garbage pail and turn on your show.

If you didn’t have time to finish your meal, more power to you - you’re that many calories ahead. And remember that this tip must be combined with your earlier agreement not to eat between meals.

If you’re home with nothing special to do, identify some fun non-eating activity and schedule that right after you start to eat so again you are forced to stop earlier than your stomach demands. Schedule yourself to start a new book, surf the Internet, read a favorite catalog, visit a neighbor, or sit down with the kids to discuss their day.

Never find yourself at “loose ends” with nothing better to do than eat. Make a list of things you enjoy so there is always something to tempt you away from the table.

Mix and match these four suggestions as you move along in your journey to slim. In any order, in any degree, in any rotation, they will help carry you across the finish line to reap your well-earned rewards.

Virginia Bola is a licensed psychologist and an admitted diet fanatic. She specializes in therapeutic reframing and the effects of attitudes and motivation on individual goals. The author of The Wolf at the Door: An Unemployment Survival Manual, and a free ezine, The Worker’s Edge, she recently published a psychologically-based weight control e-workbook, “Diet with an Attitude” which develops mental skills towards the goal of permanent weight control. She can be reached at http://www.DietWithAnAttitude.com. She provides support and guidance in use of the workbook through her regular blog, http://dietwithanattitude.blogspot.com

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Reflexology & Meridian Therapy can help persons suffering from PMS (Premenstrual Snydrome), promote deep relaxation, improve flexibility, increases blood circulation, aids in waste product removal from your exertions, improves emotional and mental well-being, assists in natural healing abilities, and helps strengthen immune system. Reflexology & Meridian therapy additionally improve natural healing mechanisms, reduce inflammation, and improves posture as well.

Additionally, Reflexology & Meridian Therapy are the integration of pressure point and reflexology techniques and the combination of anatomy and physiology with the Meridians and Five Element Theory and practice.

Reflexology is the correspondence of the reflexes in the feet and hands to the organs and all parts of the body. Stimulating these reflexes with this unique technique can promote the body’s own healing potential to promote better health. Reflexology is primarily used for relaxing tension.

Doctors agree that over 75% of our health problems can be linked to nervous stress. Reflexology improves nerve and blood supply, and helps nature balance and harmonize all bodily functions.

Meridian Therapy includes the meridians, their channel pathology; the application of specific pressure points along the meridians and the Five Element theory and practice.

The aim of Meridian Therapy is to keep the body’s vital energy flowing, eliminating blockages, energy loss or stagnation. This therapy is also responsible for stimulating the body’s own healing potential not only to heal itself but also to prevent future imbalances.

The Five Element Theory is used to Determine:

• where the balance has broken down.
• the underlying cause of the imbalance.
• the treatment protocol.

Meridian Therapy extends the scope of Reflexology enormously. It leads to the discovery of exciting additional treatment areas that can be added to the conventional or standard treatment protocol.

To find information about Reflexology & Meridian therapy, see our category directories for Reflexology & Meridian therapy, as well as our Holistic Practitioner directory for Reflexology & Meridian therapy today at HolisticJunction.com!

Copyright - All Rights Reserved: Reflexology & Meridian Therapy by C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot

About the Author: C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot is the Public Relations Director & Staff Writer for Holistic Junction — Your source of information for Holistic Practitioners; Reflexology Schools, Reflexology & Meridian Therapy, Massage Therapy Schools and Naturopathic Schools; Alternative Healthcare; Insightful Literature and so much more!

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We love them. The potato, that most ubiquitous and perennially popular vegetable, is simply sliced into strips and deep fried. The fast food chains have managed to create total consistency so that fries at a McDonalds in Kalamazoo are identical with those offered in San Francisco, Atlanta, Moscow, or Madrid. They are the ultimate finger food, easily consumed behind the wheel, standing in the subway, or walking down the street. Some of us choose to add ketchup, or vinegar, or salsa, but they also taste great just as they are.

The civilized world has a giant addiction to the lowly tuber. It is hard to conceive of the centuries of eating that took place before potatoes were brought back to Europe from the New World and became a staple of every country’s cuisine. What did the poor eat before potatoes made their appearance? Bread? Grains? Vegetables?

The advent of the potato changed our diets forever. It was easy to grow, plentiful, and cheap. The flavor was mild, marrying well with almost anything we chose to eat with it. Its texture changed depending upon how it was prepared. And how many ways we invented to cut it, cook it, and use it with every meal imaginable!

We baked it in its skin or roasted it in bite-sized pieces. We boiled it whole or mashed it into a creamy mush. We grated it and fried it for breakfast. We made soup of it and made it a key ingredient in stews. We made pancakes out of it. We sliced it, riced, it, and diced it. We put it into bread, rolled it into dough, and created America’s favorite snack, the potato chip.

But the masterpiece that captured us all was deep frying it. Thick, country-style chips, shoe strings, curly and spicy -we loved them all: golden and crisp and perfect.

French fries now make up 25% of our children’s intake of vegetables. Fast food nutritionists attempted to substitute healthier alternatives which were peremptorily dismissed by the majority of their customers. Fries remain the accompaniment of choice for all fast food: burgers, hot dogs, chicken, fish, roast beef, and ribs. We simply cannot get enough and never, ever, seem to tire of the little crunches of pleasure.

The innocuous potato, relatively low in calories and packing its fair share of vitamins and minerals, has been transformed into a culinary weapon of mass destruction. Disfigured by saturated fat into a caloric and artery-hardening horror, the French fry may be the deadliest peril we face on a daily basis.

Just a few orders of fries a week can increase our weight by ten pounds a year! Over a decade, that’s a hundred pounds, over a lifetime, an awe-inspiring figure. With 60% of us overweight, half of that figure actually obese, we must look to our dietary intake to find the cause. As diabetes and other weight-related conditions mushroom, we know in our hearts that lifestyle changes are needed.

We go on diet regimens, drink liquid meals, fast, cut out sauces, and have our stomachs stapled. We join gyms, buy home exercise equipment, and follow along with television fitness shows. We blame the additives in our food, the hormones in our meat, and the fat in our salad dressings. We forsake the carbohydrates and sugars that our bodies can’t process and opt for high fiber breads and low fat milk.

We refuse to believe, because we don’t want to believe, that a seemingly harmless, crisp little addition to our meal can pack such a lethal wallop.

“But I just nibble a few,” you wail, “And not every day.” It’s not the single meal intake that leads to an explosion. It’s the cumulative total, day after day, year after year, that plants the time bomb within our system. It is the additive effect of repetitive use that eventually reaches critical mass and our physiology implodes.

Imagine, if you will, that not one fry was sold or eaten over the course of a year, anywhere in the United States. With just that change alone, the collective national weight loss could exceed a billion pounds!

The poor potato is ill-equipped to perform as a deadly weapon. It offers us enjoyment and variety and taste and health. But we have taken its honest goodness and distorted it into a slow killer. With every bend of our elbow to pop its sweet flavor into our mouths, we lay down fat on our hips, our stomachs, our arteries, and our pancreas.

Let’s save ourselves and save the potato. Much as we hate to admit it, the French fry is something that has to go, before we do.

Virginia Bola is a licensed psychologist and an admitted diet fanatic. She specializes in therapeutic reframing and the effects of attitudes and motivation on individual goals. The author of The Wolf at the Door: An Unemployment Survival Manual, and a free ezine, The Worker’s Edge, she recently published a psychologically-based weight control e-workbook, “Diet with an Attitude” which develops mental skills towards the goal of permanent weight control. She can be reached at http://www.DietWithAnAttitude.com. She provides support and guidance in use of the workbook through her regular blog, http://dietwithanattitude.blogspot.com

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Enough of the diet gurus, the nutritionists, and the weight loss experts (including me), let’s enjoy ourselves for a while. The diabetes and clogged arteries will overtake us all too quickly. For today, let’s feast freely at the banquet of life.

1.Ordering in a restaurant is incredible fun.

Your dining companions may be limiting their selections, counting carbs and fats and calories but you are free of all that. You can pick the creamiest, juiciest item on the menu without a single twinge of guilt. Go ahead, have the baked potato with extra butter and sour cream. Chew the divine crispy bread with your creamed soup or artichoke dip appetizer. Go exotic with beef Wellington in its flaky crust shell or dive into that impeccably marbled steak. And while your companions sip coffee, order peach pie - a la mode, no less. Now, weren’t you the one who made the most of the evening?

2.Enjoy the company picnic.

Let your coworkers make fools of themselves running three-legged races and playing very bad touch football. They will have sore muscles and bruises for a week. While they are moaning and groaning on Monday morning, you’ll be comfortable and serene, enjoying your memories of being the first, and the last, in line at the buffet table and how much fun it was to graze uninterrupted on those marvelous desserts.

3.Appreciate your daughter’s school play.

All those skinny, active mothers have been working for weeks to get everything prepared. The benefits of obesity became crystal clear when you were not even asked to paint scenery, hang curtains, set up chairs, or walk the neighborhood to solicit contributions. You can limit your involvement to showing up for the performance, fresh and unstressed, gratefully eying the tasty snacks set out for afterwards.

4.Make the amusement park comfortable.

The wheelchairs provided for the disabled and the obese are a heavenly way to see the entire park. Every other adult becomes exhausted as the day wears on, tired of waiting in lines and walking miles to get to the rides the kids want. You are cool and comfortable as they wheel you around. As the others get grumpier, the kids flock to you and lament that their parents don’t maintain your interest and encouragement of everything they want to do. And on the long drive home, when others are too tired to eat, you still have energy left for a burger and fries.

5.Make your vacation complete.

No one even considered suggesting a camping trip or a week at the beach, did they? No, they knew your idea of a treat was a short road trip with stays at deluxe hotels with soft beds, room service, and a concierge at your beck and call. Let the others take a walk around town while you lie down with a good book or television show. When they return and, over dinner, tell you of the sights they’ve seen, you can listen intently while mentally rating the local cuisine based on your vast gastronomic expertise.

Ah, life’s good!

P. S. If you take this seriously, get yourself to a therapist, tout suite.

Virginia Bola is a licensed psychologist and an admitted diet fanatic. She specializes in therapeutic reframing and the effects of attitudes and motivation on individual goals. The author of The Wolf at the Door: An Unemployment Survival Manual, and a free ezine, The Worker’s Edge, she recently published a psychologically-based weight control e-workbook, “Diet with an Attitude” which develops mental skills towards the goal of permanent weight control. She can be reached at http://www.DietWithAnAttitude.com. She provides support and guidance in use of the workbook through her regular blog, http://dietwithanattitude.blogspot.com

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