Meal Prep - My Way......Don't Judge

The other day I was looking up recipes for the next week’s meal plan and noticed a common thread. It seems that there are a lot of articles about meal prepping. Some of those articles have made it pretty complex. It occurred to me that there might be people who either don’t enjoy meal planning or don’t know how to. In either case, it would explain why some people would cheat on their diet or health program. It only seems to make sense that when the enjoyment is lacking in something that boredom follows. When that happens, eventual failure is likely. This could lead to eating unhealthy food and/or binge eating.

When it comes to meal prepping, a plan needs to be made. All this means is that you need to know what your specific health goals are. It could be weight loss, muscle building or simply toning. People tend to complicate things and it really doesn't need to be. Honestly, it’s only a little challenging at first because a new habit is being formed. But once it becomes part of a lifestyle, it's pretty easy. There is a lot of information regarding nutrition and just as many recipes out there in the form of articles, books and videos. I’m just going to tell you what’s working for me.

When I decided to become healthy, I already knew that proper nutrition had to be my first priority. I can’t stress this enough. You can’t exercise and eat shitty food then expect to meet your goals. Oh sure you could see some results and even feel a little better. But why not do your best? Meal prepping is an excellent way to ensure proper eating.

My health goals include weight loss which means cutting calories. First I weighed myself then looked up how many calories were needed to maintain that weight. Because it takes a reduction of 3500 calories to lose a pound I subtracted 7000. I wanted to lose two pounds a week (3500x2=7000). I took that number and divided by seven (days in a week) then subtracted one day’s worth of calories (for the glorious cheat day). That left me with my daily allowed calories. I don’t know if that’s how the “experts” say to do it, but that’s how I did and it’s been just fine for me.

I looked up tasty sounding recipes in the caloric range for my needs, made a shopping list with the required ingredients and went shopping. Now, I’m a snacker and have a weakness for chips. There have been many internal and external dialogues with myself (I do that a lot) while shopping and the fat me would say “One bag of chips won’t hurt.” and “What about healthy vegee chips?” At times, items not on the list would make it into my cart only to end up on a random shelf. I know myself well enough to know that chips are my personal heroin and if I gave in to temptation in the beginning,  I would never succeed in meeting my health goals. When I first started shopping for meal prepping, just leaving the store with only what was on the list was a victory. Now, it really isn’t as much of a struggle.

Preparing a week’s worth of food is pretty simple. All the food that needs cooking, is cooked in a big batch, then divided up and put it into six containers. I like pretty food so I make them all look pretty, layering them and arranging each meal to be attractive. Don’t judge. Then all the plastic/covers go on and all of the containers go into the frig. The only foods that are not included in the containers are avocado and fruit. They get pretty gross after a couple of days so I just cut one in half then save the other half for the next day.

Another trick I learned was to buy some perishables in different stages of ripeness. Take avocados, for example. I’ll buy one that’s ripe, a couple that are not quite ripe and one that won’t be ripe for four or five days. The same goes for fruit.

Something else I learned was how to shave off unnecessary calories in a recipe so I can put them into other food that can be eaten. For me, this came in the form of learning to drink coffee without milk or cream. My regular ground coffee was upgraded to the flavored grounds. Lemon and a little salt have replaced salad dressing. Raw or steamed vegetables have replaced sauteed. By making these changes, my portions of real food can be a little larger and that makes a big difference when it comes to avoiding hunger. That can be an extra piece of chicken, another piece of fruit or a handful of almonds.

Containers to store meals are a factor as well. If you’re just beginning your meal prep journey, there really isn’t any need to run out and purchase anything specific. When I first started, I just used whatever was in the kitchen. For the first few weeks, I used bowls with plastic wrap and butter containers. They worked fine. There are containers that have separate areas to keep each part of the meal fresh. Some people use freezer bags because, well.. ..they freeze their meals, others use mason jars. For me, I’m not a fan of plastic but did use the butter containers because it was all that was around. Mason jars don’t fit in my tiny frig very well so I’ve recently placed an order for some glass food storage containers and will be posting a review later on.

So when it comes to meal prepping, there really isn’t a “wrong” way of doing it and I’m sure there will be some who will shake a finger at my saying that. Sure, there are tweaks that will be made here and there and you'll get your own system down. But really, it’s your body, your lifestyle and your budget. As long as you’re taking steps towards better health no one has the right to give you shit about it. Any effort you make towards being a better you earns my respect. - Angelica Mordant

Why I Love Juicing

Ahhh juicing. When people think about juicing, a lot of times images of health fanatics and hippies come to mind. Wait.... did I just describe myself? Haha! No, seriously, it’s understandable why some people are so resistant to juicing. I sure as hell was. But what I learned is that juicing not only is delicious, but I feel GREAT afterwards.

Over the years, I would come across someone who mentioned that they juiced and would encourage me to try it. Of course I declined, not finding thick, green liquid very appetizing. But it wasn’t until I witnessed someone juicing and saw what was going into the machine that I willingly took a sip. It was delicious! Before long, sips here and there escalated to small glasses of my own. Within a month I took the plunge and bought my own. Being the cheap ass that I am, I bought a little, white Black & Decker juicer for around $35. It is now my “baby” and meets my needs perfectly.

The great thing about juicing is that you get the nutritional benefits of fruits and vegetables without actually having to eat them. I can juice and take it with me on the go. Also, because the stomach isn’t actually breaking down food, the nutrients are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. The energy and mood boost is better than coffee and it’s healthy! It’s also a great way to keep hunger at bay when in between meals.

Now there are some who just don’t like vegetables. I get it. I used to hate vegetables too. With juicing, you can add a piece of fruit or two to sweeten it up. Just like any other recipe, you can alter it to suit your own tastes. Take carrots for example. I love the flavor of carrots and want all the nutritional benefits that they have to offer. Cooking them is okay, but a lot of nutritional value is lost with cooking. At the same time, I really don’t like the texture of fresh carrots. By juicing them, I get to enjoy the flavor as well as the health benefits of them without having to eat them!

About the pulp. Some people throw it away. I don’t. Usually what I do is keep it in the fridge (not more than a couple of days) then when ready, add an egg or two and make scrambled eggs or use the eggs as a binder and make vegee patties. This way nothing goes to waste and I’m still getting the fiber and some nutrition.

For some people who are not accustomed to juicing, they may experience a headache after drinking juiced fruits and vegetables. I did in the beginning. Really all it is, is because there is so much sugar (with fruits) being delivered to the body so quickly it’s a bit overwhelming at first. If this happens to you, simply add a little water to the juice and drink it a little slower. I don’t get headaches any more and love the energy rush.

I love experimenting with new recipes. Some are better than others. Due to the amount of sugar in fruit, I try to limit them and use them as flavor enhancers rather than alone. Those fruit calories can sneak up on you!

My personal favorite juices are any combination of the following, but I usually get whatever is on sale.

Carrot

Tomato

Cucumber

Spinach

Kale

Apple

Strawberry

Kiwi

Pear

Any melon

Here’s a link to a site I use to get juicing recipe ideas. They tend to use a bit too much fruit for my needs so I ease back on the fruit. But if you’re just getting started, this is a great site. Oh yeah, I’m not endorsed by this site at all. I just like it. They also have a lot of articles and other info pertaining to juicing.

https://juicerecipes.com/

If you haven’t tried juicing, I strongly suggest you do. It doesn’t have to be an every day thing. But any way to eat healthier is a step towards a healthier you! - Angelica Mordant

Why Your Weight Loss Plan Is Failing

My journey on the weight loss path has been a learning experience to say the least. And like a lot of people, I've attempted numerous solutions to becoming healthier. Listing all of them would only appear to remind me of my failures. Or would it? Lately, I've started to realize that my previous weight loss failures really are not failures at all. They are only lessons that have been learned regarding my body and how it operates. And it isn't until we really know our bodies, that we can know the best way to get it at its healthiest.

Over the years, numerous theories regarding weight loss have come and gone, but it seems that there is only one absolute when it comes to individual bodies and the ability to shed unwanted weight. It is the simple equation of calories taken into the body verses calories expended. One must burn more calories than what he or she is taking in to lose weight. How this is achieved, is where the variables come in. And there are a lot of variables. So many so, that it would be impossible to list them all. This is where taking your previous "failures" if you will, comes in.

I suggest taking these "failed" diets as learning lessons. Take the time to really reflect on which methods worked and which didn't. More importantly, ask yourself why they didn't. Were you constantly hungry? Was it too costly? Perhaps it was inconvenient. Were the meals unappealing or tasteless? How did you feel while on the program? Did you lose energy? Perhaps you felt dizzy. You see, while our intentions may be admirable and even realistic, our methods for reaching that goal may be unrealistic.

For instance, if you are on a tight budget and sign up for a program that costs $500 dollars a month just because they had a $50 special, that's not being realistic. If you order the Insanity Workout and can't walk up a flight of stairs, that's not realistic. If preparing your meals means spending hours in the kitchen and you barely have time to take a shower every day, that's not realistic.

Being realistic means researching what would work best for you and commit to it. Set a realistic weight goal and date. Wanting to lose 100 lbs in 2 months is hardly realistic for the average person. Just because a couple people have done it does not mean you can or should. Since the point of losing weight is to BE healthy, crash diets should be used in moderation and only for short periods of time.

So ask yourself:
Can I afford this? Maybe finding a less expensive alternative is for you.
Do I have the time to prepare the meals? Prepackaged programs are in nearly every grocery store.
Do you have a large appetite? Fasts may not work for you.
Exercise? Start slow and with small lifestyle changes if you are uncomfortable joining a class. Parking your car further, walking DOWN the stairs, and replacing your office chair with a balance ball are just a few.

Once you have selected a program for your lifestyle, find a support group or buddy. If no person is close, there are a lot of groups online with thousands of people in similar situations who are either currently going through it or have succeeded in it.

Give yourself an incentive. Something just for YOU and NOT food related....no cake or dinner at a swanky restaurant. Maybe a day at the spa, complete with massage, mud bath and beauty treatments. Or something you've always wanted to do, but were too unhealthy or self conscious to do. Skydiving? Rock climbing? Zip lining the rainforest? Post pictures of your goal on the frig. Get updates on your phone and start a savings account for that reward. Try to calculate your weight loss goal date and how much you need to put in the savings every day/week so when you reach your goal, you'll have the money needed.

Stick to it, hang in there and remember that you can do whatever you set your mind and heart to do. It may not always be easy, but it WILL be well worth it. Why? Because you are well worth it. - Angelica Mordant

How I'm Losing Weight

Previously, I wrote an article about the importance of keeping a weight loss journal. In it, one is supposed to keep all pertinent information so it would be easier to see that indeed progress towards ones goal weight is being made despite the lack of visual progress. I mean really, who can tell if they've lost .2 lbs? Or how anyone really tell if their BMI has gone down by .1?

As fortune and overeating would have it, I too have seen the ugly results of not watching my diet. In the midst of lemon sorbet with champagne to celebrate summer, waaaaay too much fried chicken when my boyfriend and I broke up, and the impulsive demon which possessed me to buy (and eat) Zingers.....sigh. Yes, it seems that even those of us who know better can succumb to the evils of a bad diet. My punishment? 38 lbs of bra fat, tummy rolls, muffin top and that ever disgusting underarm wave. While I saw the numbers on the scale steadily creep upwards, I simply told myself that all I had to do was to starve myself for a couple weeks (a horrible tactic I was accustomed to in my early 30's) and all would be well in the world. Ok at least MY world.

Yet regardless of my lack of caloric intake, the scale kept saying the same thing. And I became increasingly convinced that someone had played a cruel joke and painted that fat number on my scale.

Being in my mid 40's, I came to the quick realization that this weight, (the equivalent to a 40lbs bag of dog food) would require a more disciplined and structured plan to allow for my now slower metabolism. Gasp! I really AM middle aged! And it was then that my realization turned to panic and I knew that I HAD to do something before any more time slipped by.

The consequences of my lack of discipline caused my health to deteriorate at an alarming speed. I noticed that my heels hurt very badly and after seeing a doctor, he said that I could stretch to help with the pain and that steroid shots were also a possibility, but that they only offered temporary relief and was not to be considered a cure. He said that he too suffered from this chronic illness. He was also obese. Since I am a proponent of not allowing insurance to pay for illnesses that are preventable, I got to thinking. Had my weight gain caused my plantar fascitis? In addition to extreme heel pain, I would become breathless when I climbed my stairs. I busted my ass to be able to get a large home with two stories and now it was becoming a bother? Awww hell no! My skin was dull and the wrinkles in my face seemed to deepen. Something had to be done. I also developed and increasingly difficult ability to focus, I became very forgetful and I simply felt unattractive.

Knowing my body the way I do I knew that a strict keto diet or carbohydrate controlled diet was in order. And so began my weight loss journey.

First let me say that a keto diet may not be the best solution for you. You have to be smart dear reader! PLEASE be smart and understand what works for one person may not work for another. This is what I did and if you decide to follow suit, don't be sending me any hate emails about how sick you got. There are a lot of weight loss programs out there so do your research and maybe check with your doctor to find the best one for you.

Okay with that said, I was and as of this writing am still on a keto diet. That's health lingo for a “ketosis” diet. Simply put, it's a diet that restricts carbohydrates to the point of forcing your body to use it's fat supply to live. It's a state called ketosis. There are strips you can buy at the pharmacy to test your level of ketosis, but I'm such a cheap ass, I just have a scale that measures my weight to the .20lbs. If I continue to lose even .2lb, I know I'm still in ketosis. If I don't lose or even gain, then I know something's off. Oh yeah, I also bought one of those scales that measure body fat, water content, bone density and BMI. K it was 45 bucks but it was one of the best investments in my health.

So I began by cutting out nearly ALL carbs. That's right. Extreme Atkins, South Beach or whatever trendy carb diet you can think of. I eat only meats, cheeses, eggs and fish. THAT'S IT. Is it tough? Hell yeah at first, I thought I should just settle into being flubbery forever. But after the first 2 days I lost 3 lbs....yeah yeah it was water but who cares? Then by the 5^th day, my body was settling into ketosis and I saw steady loss. I weighed myself (and still do) at the same time every morning. On an empty stomach, before anything by mouth and after visiting the restroom.

Ok so are there any tricks to this extreme keto diet? YES YES YES.

1)Sugars of any kind are forbidden. They're the devil. And if you decide to do this diet, make sure you pay attention to the ingredients for hidden sugars. The labels may say “0 carbs, 0 sugars, but in the ingredients, you may notice sugar waaaaay down on the ingredient list. Also check for and avoid dextrose, sucrose and even sucralose....basically anything that ends in “ose”.

2)When it comes to meats, sweet Italian sausage, honey ham (or any other honey meat) are forbidden. I buy those cheap packages of loose lunch meat...specifically plain ham. Boring? Yes. Effective? Yes! I try to avoid red meat but it is allowed. I just have trouble digesting it so I stick to tuna in water, boiled or broiled chicken and the occasional pork or lamb steak. You can also have just about any cut of meat. Fats are allowed although keep in mind that if you're looking get lean, then lean meats are preferred. Read the labels especially when seasoning your food!! I can't stress it enough. Lowry's seasoning salt is one of those sneaky products that has sugar in it. I've learned to just eat the meat plain, or with mustard (plain yellow mustard, not honey flavored!) and good ole mayo. Those packages of pepperoni that you put on pizza are good for nibbling. Again, read the label. I found that Hormel has an acceptable pepperoni.

3)Eggs are fine and you can have as many as you want. I like them with sugar free bacon or sausage (a little tough to find but well worth the hunt!) I also like making deviled eggs for a snack. Yum! Hard boiled are good too with a teeny bit of salt.

4)Cheeses are okay too which I'm glad. Again, I can't stress the importance of reading the label. There are a few cheeses that have some kind of sugar and it will depend entirely on the brand. Some jack will have sugar, some won't. I've found the brands in my store that work for me and I suggest taking the time to find yours. I like little cubes of cheese with the pepperoni.

5)What to drink? Water! Lots of it! The more the better, up to a gallon a day. Your skin will thank you for it. It also really does help keep that hungry feeling away. What else? Any unsweetened tea. I've noticed that ANY drink with aspartame just throws me out of ketosis and backfires so no diet sodas that have Nutrasweet/aspartame. Splenda is not very good for you either and there are reports of people having allergic reactions to it. Stevia also seems to halt progress although I don't know why. So I have flavored brewed teas (Celestial Seasonings has a good line) and I do have on occasional Lipton diet green tea. Maybe once a week but it does tend to slow down the rate of my loss so I don't want to know what would happen if I drank it every day.

So there's my personal secret to losing my weight. Will it work for you? I have no idea. I only know what works for me. Please be smart if you decide to try it. If you do, let me know how you did! I'll address exercise in the near future. You didn't really think you could escape it did you?

I've added a few pics of what I eat and added a bit of humor too.

Namaste & God Bless,

Keeping A Weight Loss Journal

If you're planning on losing weight, the recommended rate to lose is about 1-2 lbs a week. Any more than that can pose numerous health risks. But as the scale slowly makes it's way towards your goal, it sometimes can still be discouraging when you don't see actual results. That's why it's recommended that you keep a weight loss journal.

A weight loss journal is similar to a scrapbook. It tracks every aspect of your weight loss journey. It can be a simple folder with pockets, or a three ring binder. If you have a lot of weight to lose, you may even wish to keep an actual scrapbook and log your journey to better health for reference. Any way you choose, the weight loss journal is meant to keep you motivated during those times when it's difficult to see progress. Just be sure to have blank paper to keep your notes, and pockets for pictures of your progress. If you're the technical type of person, you can even keep everything in a computer folder.

In your weight loss journal, take a “before” picture. Write down all your measurements at the time you begin your weight loss program. Be sure to measure your chest, bust (women), upper arms, forearms, waist, hips, upper thighs and calves. Measure again every month and take another picture wearing the same clothing as the first picture and in the same pose, with the same background. Subtract the new measurements from the previous so you can see your progress. This is important since you may not be able to visually see your progress. Also, log all your food intake. Depending on which path to weight loss you choose, log your carbs, points, calories, fat grams or all food eaten and at what time. Record the date on all entries.

It's also recommended that you log all your exercise and calculate how many calories each activity has burned. There are many online resources that can tell you how many calories are burned for just about any activity, even when it's not a “workout”. Make notations of your resting heart rate, if you broke a sweat as well as any aches or pains you may have. Keep track of any and all accomplishments since sometimes we don't realize we are indeed making progress. For instance, you many not notice any change in your appearance but may notice a lower resting hear rate which is an indicator of progress. Another example is if you are able to stretch further than before, or don't get as winded doing something that before would leave you breathless. Those accomplishments are huge! They are indicators that your body is beginning to function more efficiently which will help in losing weight.

Once your weight loss journal is established, it really doesn't take much time at all to maintain. It can be small and fit in your purse, or even entered into your hand held electronic organizer. The point is to keep track of all the information so you can see your progress. And taking note of the journey towards better health can be just as rewarding as reaching the goal.

When Is Big Too Big....Define Health...Does Size Matter?

This isn't about what the magazines say you're supposed to look like. This isn't about becoming a size 2. This isn't about being fat. It's about being healthy. And let's face it, there are a lot of super thin people who are unhealthy. There are also a lot of overweight people who are too. But for the purpose of this article, I am specifically addressing overweight people. Myself included. This is about ending the denial, growing up, swallowing the proverbial pride and being mature enough to honestly analyze yourself and determine whether or not you're healthy at whatever size you are. Forget society, forget magazines, and forget anyone who will tell you you're fine the way you are, when they don't know anything about you. YOU need to determine whether or not YOU”RE healthy (not saying to ignore dr's recommendations for gosh sakes let's have a little common sense!). Here are some questions to ask yourself.

1)Is my quality of life affected by my being overweight? Now before you jump to a quick “no”, remember the paragraph you just read about being honest with yourself. I'm not talking about adapting and finding alternate ways to perform duties that if you were healthier (less weight) would not be a problem. Ask yourself: Do you get winded walking further than 30 feet or so? Do you need to hold onto furniture or tables to get off the floor? Can you get on the floor? Do you lean on supermarket carts? Do you dread having to park far from the store entrance? Do you shuffle your feet? Do you have chafing due to your inner thighs rubbing together or shorts bunching up? Are you the only one who's always warm in a room (not menopausal)? These may be clues that you're unhealthy because of your weight.

2)Do you suffer from any medical condition that can be either helped or eliminated altogether by losing weight or by adapting better eating habits? Now here are a few more thoughts to consider. If you have government health insurance, do you think it is fair to expect the taxpayers to pay for your unnecessary and preventable health conditions? Would you as a taxpayer want to have taxes deducted from your paycheck to pay for a stranger's health condition(s) that were completely preventable? Wouldn't you consider it irresponsible of that stranger to expect the general public to pay for their medical expenses if those expenses were due to that stranger's refusal to maintain their health? It seems a bit unfair. Just food for thought, no pun intended.

3)It's no secret that fast foods are sponsoring the politicians who put junk food in your kids school. It's no secret that corn farmers are subsidized by the government. The fattening high fructose corn syrup and other unhealthy corn products that are in just about everything making unhealthy food very cheap which explains why America's poorest people tend to be the most unhealthy. HOWEVER.....to all of you on food stamps....most health food stores and some farmer's markets now accept food stamps! This means you CAN get organic products. You CAN get healthy foods! Now, you can even get meal replacement drinks which if that's your preferred choice to drop some excess weight..... it's possible. So now there's no excuse. There isn't any reason you can't get a cart full of produce instead of a cart full of soda, frozen food and other junk. Now the responsibility rests solely on your shoulders.

You can continue to make the choices you have been that led you to the health you're currently at, or you can make different choices that can result in you feeling better, hurting less, enjoying life more, having smoother more resilient skin, sleeping better, having better focus and more. Join me in choosing better health. I have a bit of weight to lose myself, but I'm also focusing on being healthy. I also have to redefine my terms of health. Would I rather be a size 4 and sickly or would I rather be an 8 with good muscle tone and endurance? I'm working on it...it's a process, but not one that's impossible. What will you decide?

FREE Weight Loss!!

So you want to lose weight. And flooding our televisions are advertisements for costly programs, clubs and pre-packaged foods. But what is someone to do if they're on a tight budget? We are in the middle of a recession after all and many budgets do not allow for such programs. But fear not! Below are some suggestions that not only helped me just lose 10lbs in 3 weeks (and still losing), but many of the ideas are free. Yes that's right free! All it takes is determination and an adjustment of the mindset. Try any or all of these and see how much weight you lose.

1)Eat smaller portions- Seems easy enough right? But exactly how do you stick to it? After researching the cause of obesity in America, it seems that other countries eat smaller portions. And smaller portions equal smaller people. In many countries, a standard dinner plate is around 9". In America they can be up to 11". To start eating smaller portions, replace your dinner plate with a salad plate. And don't pile the food high either! I have weaned myself to a saucer for my portions and I still feel great. Limiting my portions has taught me to make every taste count. Which means, no empty calorie food which will cause me to be hungry in an hour. I have effectively trained myself to make better choices such as proteins and vitamin packed vegetables. For snacks, I choose fresh fruit to satisfy my sweet tooth instead of pastries and baked goods. Since doing so, my palate has become more sensitive meaning processed foods have a "weird" chemical taste that I now find rather gross. Cost: FREE

2)Drinking water with your meal will cause a sense of fullness which will help you to eat less. Besides, water helps keep you hydrated as well as a myriad of other health benefits. Cost: FREE

3)It takes anywhere from 10-15 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain that it's full. So I started giving my brain a chance to catch up. No matter what I'm eating, I'll stop when I've eaten ½ then have some water. Then I'll wait about 10 minutes. If I still feel hungry I'll eat more. This way I can stop when I've had all I need and won't have the opportunity to overeat or gorge myself. Cost: FREE

4)One of the hardest weight loss sabotaging habits to break was the consuming of sodas. Joan Collins was asked why she never drank diet sodas. Her response was because she had never seen a thin person drink one. That statement sat on my brain for years before I came upon a personal trainer who explained that it's the carbonation that actually prevents weight loss. While diet sodas may not cause weight gain, they will keep you from actually losing. To break my soda habit (used to drink a 2 liter of regular cola each day!) I switched to diet first to stop my weight gain. Then I would drink a glass of water for every glass of diet soda I drank. I slowly went down to ½ glass of soda for every 1 ½ glasses of water. Eventually I replaced the soda altogether with pineapple, orange or apple juice. Cost: approximately $2.00-3.00 USD per gallon of juice.

5)Cut out fast foods. Yes they're tasty, yes they're convenient. However with all the easy to fix foods available at the market, there's no reason why a quick, healthier meal can't be made at home for a fraction of the cost. There are also a lot of cookbooks available that focus on low cost meals in minutes. And when you think about it, sometimes the line at a fast food place can take 15 minutes. You can easily make a healthier dinner for you and your family in the same amount of time for a lot less money.

6)According to sleepdeprivation.com and many other experts, inadequate sleep can cause weight gain. "Leptin and Grehlin are hormones that help the body control appetite and weight gain and loss. Leptin suppresses appetite, while Grehlin increases appetite and may prevent a person from losing weight.
When lack of sleep becomes a chronic problem, levels of Grehlin increases, causing greater appetite, and levels of Leptin decrease. Regardless of diet and exercise, it's possible that some obesity is caused, or made worse, by sleep deprivation." For more information, go to their website or simply do a Google search for "sleep deprivation and weight gain". So get in your pj's, grab your fluffiest pillow and sleep away the pounds! Cost: FREE

7)When you've had a good night's sleep, get out and walk. Any walking is better than no walking. Either by parking your car further from the entrance at the mall, taking the stairs instead of elevator or just walking in your neighborhood, there are many ways to get walking. With so many professions putting us behind desks and on computers, making and taking time to be active is more important than ever. For some suggestions on being more active, check out http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2271507/fun_calorie_burning_fall_activities_pg3.html?cat=5
Hey, walking just may help you get that good night's sleep! Cost: FREE

8)Another low cost way to lose weight is to calm down. In today's time, stress levels are at an all time high and according to experts, this leads to weight gain. Taking time to reduce stress can keep cortisol levels normal. According to www.webmd.com"cortisol works on a different timetable. Its job is to help us replenish our body after the stress has passed, and it hangs around a lot longer. It can remain elevated, increasing your appetite and ultimately driving you to eat more," For ideas on naturally reducing stress, visit http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2488399/most_popular_tips_for_naturally_reducing.html?cat=5

Losing weight need not be expensive or difficult. It only takes determination and a willingness to adjust our mindset. Try one of the suggestions or try them all and see just how much you can lose!