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Statistics |
| Unique Visitors: 5 |
| Total Unique Visitors: 106514 |
| Visitors Out: 1463 |
| Total Visitors Out: 2813 |
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| Seasonal Weight Loss |
| 2008-05-10 14:18:00 |
Just like the earth goes through its round of seasons each year, I have found that we as people do as well. Living in the Pacific Northwest, many go through cycles of depression due to the dark rainy weather. As the sun shines more moods become brighter as well. For me, there is something about spring that triggers a desire to focus on my health, to get outside and be active, to consider the way I look and treat myself. As a result in April I once again began a focus on changing my lifestyle. The way I drink, eat, sleep, deal with stress, etc... All of these play into a healthy lifestyle. So far I have been very successful. For some reason in the spring it is easy for me to focus and be successful. As summer starts to swing into gear, the sum...
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| Five Month Break |
| 2007-10-15 10:22:23 |
So what happens when you take a five month break from eating right? Well first hand experience says you climb back from being 205lbs to tipping the scale at 230lbs. Your blood pressure climbs back to 165/118. You feel lousy most of the time. You become depressed because you had been doing so well and now you are right back to where you started from. Why does someone let himself slide? Not sure it is an easy answer. Home life gets goofy, stress at work climbs, the focus on what not to eat, or what to eat, gets old and you don"t feel like being disciplined. Beer looks and tastes really good. I am one who likes to experience life and enjoy all it has to offer. Not eating what you want goes against that philosophy. However, so does dying early. I...
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| South Beach Diet - Week #5 |
| 2007-05-28 00:00:40 |
Following the South Beach Diet continues to be a learning experience. I have to remind myself over and over that the primary goal is not the weight loss, but healthy living. My desire is to stop my slide towards diabetes, to lower my chance of a heart attack or stroke, to be able to participate in the activities I enjoy well into my old age. Weight loss is just part of moving towards the healthy lifestyle that I want to enjoy for years to come. This last week was full of potential pit falls and my own weak will. On a few occasions I blew it and ate a few things I had been missing. But in each of those cases I readjusted my diet the next day and got back on track. A meeting provi...
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| Relationship Between Stress and Weight |
| 2007-05-26 09:18:00 |
I have been thinking a lot lately about the connection between weight management and stress. I know that I can be a stress eater, meaning as the stress increases I tend to go for comfort food to help me get through it. A bowl of ice cream, a snickers bar, a can of Pepsi have all been stand ins for that in the past. What I am wondering is do those who are weight challenged more likely to experience stress, or when stress comes does it have a great negative impact on those of us who are heavier. Each one of us handles stress in a different way, and we all know that the same situation effects two different people in different ways as well. A study by the Department of Public Health Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago found...
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| Google Pedometer |
| 2007-05-25 02:57:00 |
Now that I am trying to be more healthy by doing some exercising I find myself jumping into my car to figure out how far I went. My problem is a lot of my walking or jogging takes place on trails my car can't go. I also find that driving my car around to log mileage is not as practical with gas up above $3.35 a gallon. So leave it to Google to use add a feature to their map program and create a Gmaps Pedometer. You can record your route, have it determine your distance and calories burned. You can save it, print it, share it, you name it. It even calculates for an out and back route. Now I can figure out where to go on a five mile walk or run. If I am traveling I can figur...
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| Diet Success or Failure? |
| 2007-05-25 02:12:14 |
I said I would report back regarding my success or failure related to my meeting and the navigation of the dieting nightmare. As I anticipated the room was ripe with temptation. The muffins, the Snickers Bars, Peanut Butter Cups, Pepsi, 7up. To make it worse the bottled water that was present a month ago was completely missing, luckily I had brought in a big bottle of water with me. Bringing a few of my own snacks was a great idea, but the meeting was so slow moving that the snacks were gone before I knew it. I was able to avoid the candy bowls and the Muffins for breakfast. As lunch approached I didn't know what to expect, and as we were told lunch had arrived we were greeted with boxes ...
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| Diet Obstacles |
| 2007-05-23 09:17:00 |
Today I will need to put all of my tricks to overcoming obstacles to work. Once a month all of the facility managers come together for a regional meeting. Looking at the tables you find a dieters, or healthy person's nightmare. Walking in I will find the morning fare of Costco Muffins - High in Carbs, Fat, Calories, etc... On the tables will be every kind of candy I crave. The cooler will be packed with soft drinks. Lunch will be provided and is out of my control to determine what is purchased. Following work we usually head out to the local bar to unwind, catch up, and debrief over a few stiff drinks. So how can a person navigate? Here are a few things I am in the process of doing, and I'll report back tomorro...
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| Weight Loss and Self Esteem |
| 2007-05-21 01:03:57 |
An interesting thing has been happening as I lose weight on my diet. Not only is my blood pressure decreasing and my blood chemistry coming back in line, I have found I am feeling better about myself. I always felt I had a good self esteem, but looking back I realize I was becoming disgusted with how I looked and felt it reflected on who I was. I was also becoming increasingly frustrated about not being able to participate in activities that I normally found enjoyable, like soccer with my kids, running, and even hiking. However, with the loss in weight I am finding my attitude about myself is changing. I feel like I am able to be in control of things that have controlled me in the past. I like looking in the mirror and se...
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| Blood Pressure - What to Do |
| 2007-05-20 11:02:34 |
For years I watched my dad struggle with High Blood Pressure. Expensive medications, attempts to be physically active, moodiness, where all apart of his life as a result of his elevated Blood Pressure. I remember as a kid vowing to never get it. Fast forward 30 years. I am now 43, and have been told by my doctor I have High Blood Pressure. Research would say that those who are over weight or obese, those who are inactive, those who have poor diets, high in salt and cholesterol, are at increased risk for High Blood Pressure. Experts differ on what is High Blood Pressure. Some say anything 0ver 120/88, yet others say 140/90. All I know is that I have it. So not wanting to go on medi...
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| Lower Blood Pressure Through Food |
| 2007-05-20 11:02:34 |
Struggling with lowering High Blood Pressure? The DASH approach might be for you. DASH is a simple acronym for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. I came across it recently in a Long Term Care Nursing Facility. This approach has been shown to help prevent, or help reduce, High Blood Pressure. It is very similar to what is found in the South Beach Diet I am on. The DASH approach is big on vegetables and fruits, encourages low fat milk and cheeses, watches or limits foods regarding saturated fat and cholesterol, and stresses a reduction in salt and sodium. Dash for Health is a Web Site that will create menus and assist you in getting ...
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| Reducing Blood Pressure Without Medication |
| 2007-05-20 11:02:34 |
Once again I am seeing the results of living Healthy in a reduction in Blood Pressure. I have just finished my third week of a eating live style change (diet) that is focused on weight loss, and changing my blood chemistry. As mentioned earlier I have high cholesterol, triglycerides, am pre-diabetic and my blood pressure has crept up beyond acceptable limits. My goal through a change in my eating habits is to change each of these problem areas and bring them back into control. In addition I have added mild forms of exercise back into my life. Walking the dog, hikes in the mountains and along the local rivers. I have cut way back on alcohol use and after three weeks am seeing the results...
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| Simple Ways to Increase Stress |
| 2007-05-20 11:02:34 |
At work we just completed a very stressful stretch of time. In the Long Term Care industry we are evaluated constantly by a variety of outside agencies regarding our quality of care, documentation, floor practice, etc... Jobs are lost as a result of state surveys, fines are levied, and reputations made or destroyed. Our annual survey was last week and the stress level went through the ceiling. This process made me think about all the other thing in life that can cause stress so I thought I would share a few from my life, in hopes that I won't allow them to affect me so greatly the next time I face them. Starting a conversation about home finances with your wife, 10 minutes before leaving for work Being late to a social engagement Paying ...
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| Dealing with Diet Setbacks |
| 2007-05-20 11:02:04 |
It was a gorgeous day Sunday. Friends were coming over for a barbeque, the grill was ready to go, and the first guest to arrive comes in with a wonderful cheese cake for desert. Each guest to follow brought something equally off my diet like chips, rolls, you name it all the foods showed up calling my name. Earlier in the day I had developed a plan on how to have just one beer, stay away from using a bun, stay with the veggies and not the chips. It was all going well until I noticed I was drinking beer number three and the party was still young. As you can guess, with the resolve broken soon the chips and fries were on my plate, a brownie and who could pass on the cheese cake. That night I felt like a loser, taken out of my game, I had blow...
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| South Beach Diet Success - Week #4 |
| 2007-05-20 11:02:04 |
Another week of my life style change and still moving in the right direction. And while the real purpose of my life style change is to avoid becoming diabetic, to reduce blood pressure without medication, and to live past 56 (when my Dad died), I find that the loss of weight is becoming almost an obsession. Each morning I get up and head right to the scale. My mood for the day is determined by what the dial reads (I hate the control that scale has on my life). I spend a lot of time thinking about combinations of foods,their affect on digestion and fat retention. Gone are the days of sitting down and just simply enjoying the taste of a steak or piece of Salmon. A glass of wine is no longer thought of as a Shiraz or Merlot, or talked about regarding its quality, inste...
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| South Beach Week 3 |
| 2007-05-20 11:02:04 |
Another week down and a few more pounds dropped. This week allowed for the reintroduction of fruits and carbs back into the diet. I have to admit, with the first two weeks calling foods high in sugar bad, it was almost scary to add them back in. I have been very limited in how much fruit and bread I eat as I try to figure this part of the diet out. I went mostly with a piece of 8 grain toast and red grapes. The toughest part of the week was a party at our house last weekend. Chips, pasta salads, french fries, cheese cake, brownies, more chips, beer, wine, and hamburger buns, made it hard to find the vegetables and chicken. They were there but you had to look hard. Yes, I had a brownie, and a couple of chips. The real problem was the beer, after two ...
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| South Beach Diet - Week 2 |
| 2007-05-06 11:51:24 |
I have just stepped off the scale at the end of week #2 on the South Beach Diet. The first two weeks are the strict phase where you cut out the high carb, high sugar items. Translated that means no bread, cereal, fruit, candy, pop, alcohol, chips, tortillas, etc..... (you know, all the things that used to make up my diet). The purpose of this strict phase is to change you blood chemistry, change your metabolism, and to reduce cravings for the wrong types of food. Obviously, the byproduct of those three things happening should show up in weight loss result and the claimed reduced inches around the middle. Those who know I am on the diet have asked a number of questions, so let me list a few answers here before...
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| Stress Reduction Tips |
| 2007-05-05 11:46:21 |
Everyone experiences stress at some level in their lives. In many ways, stress is a red flag to tell us that something is effecting us. These things are not always bad. That butterfly feeling you have before you run in a track meet, or speak in front of a crowd, is alerting every part of your body that something big is going to happen, and to be ready. The stress/anxiety you feel before meeting with your boss, tells your body it needs to be ready to think fast, impress, or maybe protect itself emotionally. For me lately, the stress has been related to my children, and it simply reminds me I need to keep my defenses up, and be ready to respond quickly to the issues they are bringing up. While stress isn't necessarily bad by itse...
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| Winning at Weight Loss |
| 2007-05-05 11:46:01 |
I found myself getting a little discourage with my attempt to lose 45 pounds this last week. Obviously I would like to see it melt off instantly, but as I have mentioned in earlier posts sustained weight loss usually occurs in those who have changed their lifestyle and reached their goal slowly over time. So to get myself out of the funk I was in I started to ask myself the same questions I ask when I run into similar feelings with my plans/strategies at work. Is the goal specific - Have I really defined what I am shooting for? In my case the goal is bigger then weight loss, it is about brining my metabolism back on line, changing my blood chemistry, and living healthy. Is the goal attainable - Can I really make it happen? If ...
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| Effects of Weight Loss on Blood Pressure |
| 2007-04-29 11:32:33 |
Over the last few weeks I have been very interested in finding non pharmaceutical ways to control my blood pressure. Without to much surprise, weight loss through proper nutrition seems to be the number one thing you can do for yourself. A 10 pound weight loss is said my some experts to reduce your BP by 8 points. Eating the right types of food can also have a dramatic impact on your blood pressure. Most of us resign to the using of medications to control blood pressure because it means we don't have to change our live style. However, I would rather spend the $50 - $100 a month I would have to pay for medications, on a gym membership, a mo...
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| South Beach Diet Excitement |
| 2007-04-29 11:32:33 |
I have just stepped off the scale after 7 days on the south beach diet. I have stayed away from weighing myself because in the past I had trouble emotionally handling the 2 pounds lost, one pound gained cycle I typically find myself in. So here are some quick facts about my past week. I started the week at 230 pounds and my goal is to be at 178-175lbs I started by going to the store and buying the food I would need to be successful I kept a jar of unsalted penults at work for quick snacks and always had a glass of water close by I made one mistake, I without thinking grabbed a piece of taffy out of a bowl in one of my employees offices without thinking. I tried very hard to anticipate situatio...
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| Remember your youth |
| 2007-04-28 20:33:02 |
Today I found myself outside watching my 14 year olds semi-final soccer match. It is said that in a soccer game the midfielder's can easily run 5+ miles. What struck me was how they were running without appearing that they were affected in anyway by the effort they were exerting. Perhaps it was the almost 70 matches they have played this year, or the fact that not one of them had an ounce of extra body fat on them. These soon to be men, boys are the picture of healthy. Bodies utilizing their fuel to produce the energy needed to complete the task assigned. Not to long ago (well longer then I want to admit) I too was able to run from dawn to dusk, place super human demands on my body, and accomplish almost every physical task I undertook. What a change whe...
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| Stress and Job |
| 2007-04-27 16:37:18 |
Its been a tough day at work, you come home to more things you need to do. You can feel the stress level going up. What do you do? For many the decision is to get lost in a favorite TV show, or to take the edge off with a glass of wine. But experts tell us the best choice is to do something healthy, something physical. Many say there are benefits to be had from simply stretching your muscles and letting your body relax naturally. Others say a 30 minute walk or run can make all the difference. Even going out and doing some physical yard work can pay off in the area of tension release.Why does physical activity make a difference. For some it is just the change of focus, the getting your mind off of the issues at work or home. Having to focus on balance...
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| What Keeps Me From Living Healthy |
| 2007-04-27 09:38:41 |
I have been asking myself the last few days, what keeps me from living Healthy. By Healthy I mean, physically, emotionally, and socially. A few months ago I was ignorant of what healthy living might look like and entail. However, waking up, looking in the mirror, and being dissatisfied, I decided to start educating myself. There is a wealth of knowledge out there in books and on the web. The trick I've found is sifting through it and determining what applies to you and your life style, as opposed to just adopting whatever someone else says. So...... back to what keeps me from living healthy.It takes work to live healthy - The planning of meals, the buying of good food, making time to work out and then actually doing it. I come home after working all...
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| South Beach Diet - Obstacles to Success |
| 2007-04-27 09:38:05 |
I am officially on the South Beach Diet, Day 4 is just beginning. I notice I woke up less hungry than the first few days, and after eating I am full. This is great, because during the first few days I almost had to tie myself down to keep from heading to the fridge, convenience store, or fast food restaurant. There were a few things I didn't anticipate or have a plan for going in, that you might want to be aware of as you start out on your diet, South Beach or other type):Co-Workers Candy Jars - Many offices where I work have candy jars. Some full of taffy, others M&M's. Prior to my diet I would take a few whenever I was in one of those offices. On day one I, without thinking, picked...
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| Pre Diabetes |
| 2007-04-23 22:48:32 |
At my most recent visit to the Doctors office, he ordered the normal labs to ensure that everything is working properly in my body. Going over the results he stated, "looks like you have Pre-Diabetes." Thoughts raced through my head. Will I have to give myself shots? will I lose a toe or foot? does that explain my vision getting worse? All of course are things that can occur with Diabetes.Going home I did a little research, and found that 54 million people in the USA with Pre-Diabetes. That didn't make me feel a whole lot better, but it was enough to show it is an issue that many people deal with. Even less comforting was the fact that most type 2 diabetics started with pre-diabetes. The definition of pre-diabetes in its simplest form is - your bloo...
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| Picking the South Beach Diet |
| 2007-04-23 22:47:19 |
I have been researching diets for sometime now, looking for one that isn't just hype, but makes sense. There were a number that stated I could lose 20 pounds in 30 days. Others promised I could eat whatever I wanted and lose weight at the same time. I figured that the diet I chose needed to address the health issues that are beginning to creep up on me. Those issues are:Obesity - In my research a few weeks back I discovered that my height and weight but my Body Mass Index just into the range of Obesity.Diabetes - My last visit to the doctor I was informed that I am pre-diabetic and need to make some changes before I become diabetic.Family History of Coronary Heart Disease - May Grandfather died of a Heart Attach, my Dad had open heart surgery.High Blood ...
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| Natural Blood Pressure Reduction |
| 2007-04-17 17:13:00 |
In researching ways to reduce blood pressure, stress, and the potential issues that can arise, I have found many articles on mediatation as a way to lower blood pressure, and to cope with the feelings of being overwhelmed. Meditation is simply a way to calm our minds and bodies, to become more intouch with ourselves, to get a handle on the world around us. It is slowing down in a fast paced world. One site that I recently came across was Anxiety 2 Calm, which looks at this idea of meditation. Another program that is being talked about is Breathing Easy. Both take the approach that learning to relax and calm ourselves can be learned, and that rather than having our external enviornment affect us, we can gain control ...
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| Benefits of Exercise on Health |
| 2007-04-17 03:49:00 |
Thirty years ago I didn't think about needing exercise, or the benefits of being active. As a kid I just was. From the moment the sun came up until it went down I would be out running, swimming, playing basketball, you name it I was doing it. It was apart of my life and routine. Fast forward 30 years and now it takes a little work to get myself motivated to start moving. I come home from work, a little worn out from the day, looking for dinner and something relaxing to do (usually the TV). The word exercise is equal to the word work. It is something I have to schedule, prepare for, dress for, and sometimes even travel to do. That just doesn't sound like something I want to focus on until I start thinking of how it helps me.In earlier articles I have writ...
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| Foolish Things to Do, Think or Say, if You Have High Blood Pressure |
| 2007-04-16 06:50:00 |
10. Pretend it is controlled and not check it regularly. 9. Don't worry about your weight, its only a few pounds. 8. Enjoy the Salt, after all everything tastes better with Salt. 7. Heart Healthy Diet? Only if it allows all the greasy food my heart desires. 6. Have a drink on me, or three or four. 5. Stretch your pills - take them every other day and save a few $$$. 4. The doctor can wait, I have a beer and some greasy fries waiting. 3. Exercise is for the professional athletes 2. Oh, I'm sure it skips every few generations, right. 1. Blood Pressure is a disease. I better just lay on the couch and watch TV High Blood Pressure must be taken seriously. Because it usually affects you without symptoms the most import...
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| Diabetes |
| 2007-04-14 18:02:00 |
Diabetes affects over 150 million people. Most simply it is a problem of how the body breaks down food, and uses it for energy . In a normal body you produce the right amount of insulin to move the sugar you have created into the cells. With Diabetes you fail to make enough insulin and you blood sugar becomes to high. Left untreated you run the risk for many problems.There are many terms out there you may have heard, Pre- diabetes, type 1, type 2. These are labels to describe those suffering with diabetes. In Pre-Diabetes your cells are beginning to resist your bodies insulin. It can resemble a lock and key. your cell is a locked door. The sugar wants to get in the door, and the cell would like the sugar to come in. The cell picks up a key (the in...
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| High Blood Pressure |
| 2007-04-13 07:18:00 |
High Blood Pressure is known as the silent killer. Many people have this disease, but because there are no apparent signs or symptoms many don't know that left uncontrolled it is leading them towards a heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, or even heart failure. The only way to really determine if you have it is to have your blood pressure checked. In most cases the cause of high blood pressure is unknown, but if you have a family history, are obese or overweight, have a stressful job, like to smoke, or are getting older, your risk gets higher and higher. Many of us can identify with two or more of the items above, increasing your risk. If your blood pressure is 140...
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| Living Healthy Requires a Plan |
| 2007-04-12 08:55:00 |
Today at work I spent a large amount of time focused on strategic planning. I looked at my vision for my company, the values that need to be embraced, the goals and objectives, and finally the path steps to get us to were we want to be. It is easy for me to think clearly and strategically in regards to my business and for me is enjoyable. However, on my way home I was struck by the fact that in the area of Healthy Living I have not done the work of creating a vision of what Healthy Living would look like for me. I have not thought through what it is I value in live and want to pursue. There are no goals listed regarding what I hope to obtain health wise. And sadly, there is not a single path step. No wonder I an so easily knocked off course, in fact, ...
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| Dangers of Obesity |
| 2007-04-11 09:04:00 |
Since determining that I am that magic Body Mass Index number that equals obesity, I have been thinking a lot about what it means or could mean. I work in the health care industry and see people who are morbidly obese, and the effects it has on their health, their live style, their self esteem, their relationships, and just about every other aspect of life. You would think that seeing someone struggle to walk or even breathe would motivate me to get on track and lose the 50 pounds that I need to lose. But since finding out that I am more than overweight, I have become a little depressed and unmotivated. Realizing this is not good, I decided to do a little research on obesity and its potential dangers. Here is what I found:Heart disease is greatly inc...
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| So What Keeps You From Living Healthy? |
| 2007-04-09 16:07:00 |
Yesterday was a day full of problems for living Healthy. It was Easter, I had to work and deal with a few tough situations, it was raining, friends and family were over, we had Mexican food. All of these things piled up on each other and I found myself not running, I ate more then I wanted, and basically I fell into the victim role.You are a victim when you feel that others, or your circumstances are controlling you, or that you are powerless to change the way things are going. Click here for a good link on Victim Mentality. Victim mentality is very dangerous to living healthy because it is a way of hiding from the truth, that you are in control of your body, and your choices. I chose to not run in the rain, I chose to eat as much of the dip, and enchilad...
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