Using PACT To Help With Weight Loss

Hello Divas!!

I have been on a roller coaster with trying to lose weight and become healthy and then falling off that bandwagon every time.

I recently tried a new app called PACT to help with my weight loss. It was recommended by a friend and I tried it out because it holds you accountable to a group of people. I did not know there was  free version so I signed up where I would have to pay if I did not complete my goals.

My friend later told me I could have signed up on a trial basis to not have to pay if I did not meet my goals but I had already made the commitment and wanted to go through with it.


So my PACT goals are to:
-log my meals for three days a week and
-log 10, 000 steps for one day a week.

I found the food goal easy because I was already logging my meals with MyFitness app. I have a Jawbone UP and that logs my steps as well and I figured I would go with one day per week because I know how difficult it is for me to get those steps.

I would have to pay $5 for every day that I miss and I gain a few cents for every day that I make the goal. The amount is determined by the people who miss their goals for the day and the amount is split among those who do make it.

Recently I have been walking about a half mile to the church near my place and then walking back for a total of a little over one mile every morning. It was easy to do this because we were on break but now that classes have started back I am not sure how many days I will be able to do this in the morning.

In any case I have that PACT app reminding me to get my goals done for the week because I really do not want to pay any money!!!

How are you keeping up with your goals?

Trying Out Infused Water

Hello Divas!

I am trying my hand at this infused water thing to see if it is something I would like to continue doing. If you don't already know..infused water is simply a different way of getting people to drink more water by making it 'more interesting'.

So you make infused water by adding fruits, herbs, and even vegetables to water. You let the mix sit a for a while so the flavors of your additions can be infused into the water. I have heard that about 4 hours is optimal but many people say they make a batch and let it infuse overnight and still get great results.

Now personally I love drinking plain water so I really see this infused water as a gimmick. In fact all I can think of when I hear infused water..is unsweetened, very watery juice!!!

That is exactly what it is!

Think of the watered down dregs of juice when all the ice has melted and that is what I think of infused water...except without the sugar.

I am trying one lemon infused water and one cucumber infused water today. If I like the results I will combine the lemon and cucumber tomorrow. If THAT goes well then I will look up a few more recipes and try them out.

Again, I am just trying this to see what the hype is all about. I do not need tricks or gimmicks to get me to drink water because I already LOVE it and can easily drink plain water all day long.

Do you drink infused water?

Beauty Goals For 2011

Hello Divas!

Everyone everywhere is thinking about the goals they would like to achieve for the new year of 2011 and I am no different. For the new year I would like to focus on a few things for myself in terms of improving my health and looks and keeping my Diva status.

Here are some of the diva beauty goals for 2011:
Hydrate
Rest
Exercise

Hydrate.
I cannot tell you how important it is to moisturize even during the winter. Most people think that you only become dehydrated during the summer when it is hot and you are sweating up a storm. While this is partly true you should know that you can become dehydrated during the winter as well due to a number of factors.

Firstly is that people tend to drink less water during the winter because they do not feel thirsty. It is important to note that you can be dehydrated without the feeling of thirst so it is important to ALWAYS drink water to stay hydrated.

The other thing that contributes to winter dehydration is the dry heat from the constantly blowing heaters that we run. This dry air is VERY tough on your skin so you need to apply moisturizers to keep skin moist from the outside as well.

Rest
It is very important to get between 6 to 8 hours of good quality sleep to keep skin looking moist and youthful. Your actual needs will vary according to your habits and how deeply you sleep but study after study show that the optimal number of hours lie between 6 and 8 for most people.

It is during our sleep time that our bodies heal and provide the cell turnover that is critical for refreshed looking skin and bright eyes.

Exercise
Exercise not only helps you to maintain a healthy weight but it also increases blood flow throughout the body and this helps to move toxins out faster. Improved circulation also benefits your skin by bringing nutrients to the skin and carrying moisture to the cells, resulting in better looking skin all around.

These may look like three very broad goals but if you take steps within each section to maintain your health and beauty then you will be doing a lot for yourself and living a longer and better life.