|
Let's Get a Little Bit Crazy
05/29/2007
We’ve all heard the phrase, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.”
Many of us have experienced the frustrating ups and downs of dieting, or simply
trying to maintaining healthy body weight. If dieting is driving you crazy, it’s
time to try a crazy way to good health. It’s time to just “join ‘em”!
If the yo-yo of diethood is driving you crazy, try the
Crazy 8 Weight Management Program.
Never heard of it? Well, that’s because I just now made it
up. But I think it carries some weight. The good kind of weight. I encourage you
to give it a try for 8 days.
Here’s the “Crazy 8”. For 8 days, do the following one day
at a time….
Day #1:
Drink 8 glasses of water each day --- nothing new there.
We’ve all heard and read this often overlooked strategy for maintaining good
health. But let’s face it. We take water for granted. We think it’s always gonna
be there. Plus, it doesn’t taste like anything. And that’s because there’s not
anything like it which makes it special. And so are you. So get the two together
– you and water --- and get healthier. Simple. Drink water.
In the same way we wash and clean our external physical
body, we need to wash and clean our internal body with an “internal shower” by
drinking 8 glasses of water throughout the day.
Human beings can survive without food for thirty to forty
days --- about five weeks – but without water, life would end in three to five
days. The average person’s body is composed of about 70 percent water, although
the water content varies considerably from person to person and even from one
body part to another. The body’s water supply is responsible for and involved in
nearly every bodily process, including digestion, absorption, circulation, and
excretion. Water is also the primary transporter of nutrients throughout the
body. Water helps maintain normal body temperature and is essential for carrying
waste material out of the body. Therefore, replacing the water that is
continually being lost through sweating and elimination is very important.
As we age, the sense of thirst becomes dulled. At the same
time, we have a lower percentage of reserve body water than we had when we were
younger. This is why it is important to drink water even when you do not feel
thirsty.
Day #2:
Get 8 hours of sleep each night ---- right. Easier said
than done, I know. But try it for one night. Go to bed 30 min to one hour
earlier. See if you feel more energized the next day. Sleep right each night
with 8 hours. When we get the proper 8 hours of rest each night, our thinking is
clearer and we are able to make healthier decisions.
Day #3:
Eat 8 fruits and vegetables each day --- no, I didn’t say
become a vegetarian and give up meat. Think about your favorite fruits and your
favorite vegetables, and plan to eat 8 for one day. For ideas, check out my
book, The ABCs of Fruits & Veggies on my web site:
www.amytheapplelady.com
Day #4:
Give 8 compliments to anyone…strangers and best friends
alike. Write a list of 8 people who are special to you. Call those 8 people and
share a nice compliment with each one. If you can’t think of 8 people who are in
your circle of friends and family, you might need to strengthen your
relationship skills. As humans, we are designed to interact with one another and
fellowship with one another.
Day #5:
Read 8 scriptures. Here are 8 of my favorite scriptures:
I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in
body as you are strong in spirit. 3 John 1:2
Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an
attitude of Thanksgiving. Col 4:2
Let us lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so
easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before
us. Heb 12:1
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Prov
1:7
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your might. Deut 6:5
Give and it will be given to you. Luke 6:38
In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For you alone O
Lord, make me to dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8
For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the
Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.
Jer 29:11
Day #6:
Give 8 hugs a day. You can hug yourself too.
Day #7:
Laugh at least 8 times a day, and remember to breathe and
smile. Laughing can be described as “internal aerobics” or “internal yoga.” In
the same way our physical body needs aerobic exercise, our internal body needs
the same activity. As I mentioned in my April column, elementary school age
children laugh 400 times a day, and most adults only laugh about 17 times a day.
Some people don’t laugh at all. Even if you have to jump start your own laugh
alone, try saying “he, he ha ha, he, he, ha, ha” until you find yourself
laughing at yourself. By the way, information about a local Laughter Club is
coming in a future column.
Day #8:
Do 8 sit ups, 8 push ups, 8 jumping jacks, walk in place
for 8 minutes, dance in place for 8 minutes and jog in place for 8 minutes.
Afterward, compliment yourself for getting a half hour of exercise for the day!
Congratulations! You have just joined the Crazy 8 Club and
become healthier. Keep it up for 8 weeks, and then 8 months. Before you know it,
you will be living a healthier life. After you try the 8-day program, I
encourage you to email me and let me know your thoughts at
applelady@themcguirecompany.com
In the meantime, get a little crazy.
Originally published in
Burleson-Crowley Connection Newspaper,
|
