Cruising: The Perfect Place to Start Anew

Cruising: The Perfect Place to Start Anew 

A cruise is the perfect place to break old habits and start new ones. With no cell phones, emails, or texting, and none of the responsibilities of home or work, it’s your chance to refresh, rejuvenate and recharge.  

That’s what I did anyway. I just got back from cruising and, I have to say, I feel like a new guy. 

Healthier physically and mentally. And you can, too. Everything you need is right there—food, entertainment, solace, activities, spa, new friends. Well, the list is endless. So while you’re traveling the high seas in style, here are some tips to get you started in freshening up your old self.  

1. Make a pledge to shed (weight)! Sounds like an oxymoron. I mean, seriously, who loses weight on a cruise? But it’s not only possible, it’s not that hard if you plan a little.
The average gain on a seven day cruise is seven to 10 pounds. Ouch. But I went the opposite direction—I lost 14 pounds and three inches off my waist! While everyone else was gaining weight, I was shedding it at a pace of more than a pound a day.  So what did I do differently than my fellow passengers? I made a promise to myself: no extra pounds! That’s right-- I made a decision that my cravings and lack of willpower were not going to own me. But to do that, I had to rethink how I was going to make that happen. Which brings me to point number two… 

2. Drink, drink and drink some more (of the good stuff)
Water and unsweetened teas were my friends and kept me feeling full and hydrated. I added lots of fresh lemon and honey to spice it up. Plus lemon is a great detoxifier. I stayed away from all sodas, including diet sodas, juices, coffee, energy drinks and, yes, alcohol. I know that sounds painful, but it works like a charm. 

3. Move!
I used the stairs and stayed away from the elevators. It kept my metabolism working and was a great little workout throughout the day. My smart mom once gave me excellent advice:  When walking upstairs, skip every other step. It helps build up quad muscles. Dang, I love the stairs and, I promise, so will your body. 

4. Exercise
Every ship I’ve been on has a great gym and workout classes. If that’s not your thing, walk the outdoor track around the ship and take in the beautiful ocean and scenery. Throw on a pair of good shoes and walk if that’s the best you can do. The important thing is to exercise every day. When you select tours, try and pick options where you’ll be doing a lot of walking. Every time you sweat, you’ll release toxins and salt, and that’s a very good thing. Aim for an hour of exercise each day. That doesn’t mean it has to be all at once, but it certainly adds up.  

5. Get on the scale
Weighing yourself every day helps you notice any gains while they’re small and easily corrected. It’s a lot easier to lose two pounds than 10. 

6. Sign up for shipboard activities
While it’s tempting to join the others who are endlessly sunbathing, drinking, playing roulette, reading and eating, get involved in the daily activities. Look for ping pong tournaments, basketball games, and dance contests. Not only are they fun, you’ll meet new people and burn calories. Also try classes on upcoming ports and excursions, trivia contests, and ship tours. When you stay busy, you have less time to walk past the buffet line and grab cookies and fries. Plus, doing stuff is way more fun anyway.
7. Get off the ship and… walk! 

If you’re not doing an excursion, get off the ship and explore by foot. This is actually my favorite way to explore a port of call. Grab a guidebook so you see the best attractions at your own pace. On a few of our ports, I simply got off the ship and got in the ocean and spent an hour swimming and jumping in the waves. It was my own little heavenly water aerobics. (It’s pretty hard to swim and eat at the same time. Bonus!)
8. Eat wisely 

When you’re surrounded by a 24-hour buffet, this can be tough. Except it doesn’t have to be. For me, breakfast consisted of fruit, yogurt, and protein (like eggs). After a big breakfast, I skipped lunch, but ate a midday snack. I indulged on dinner, with appetizers and dessert. After a day of exercise and sensible food choices, hey, I deserved it. I was done eating by seven o’clock. In my opinion, going to bed with an extremely full stomach is pure misery.
9. Unplug 

Put that phone and laptop down. I promise you, the world won’t stop spinning because you aren’t texting and emailing. Your investments won’t implode and your house will still be there when you return. Taking an electronic break is manna for the soul. You’ll feel amazingly “better” after just a day. Stress and anxiety will vanish in a snap and you’ll enjoy your cruise far more.
Yes, you can enjoy a cruise, lose weight, start new habits, and have the time of your life. Doesn’t that sound like fun?

I lost 14 pounds on a 12 day cruise, find out how.

The average weight gain for a person on a 7 day cruise is 7 - 14 pounds, so how did I lose 14 pounds on a 12 day cruise?  I actually went on 2 cruises back to back, a 5 day and a 7 day cruise in the Caribbean.  I set sail at 209 pounds and at the end of the cruise I weighed 195 pounds and cut 3 inches off my waist.  At 6'1'' inches tall, 209 pounds is not over weight for me but I wanted to lose some inches around my midsection.  I work out 6 days a week at home and enjoy eating, but December caught up to me and decided it was time for me to start my weight lose program aboard the cruise ship.  While everyone else was gaining weight, I was shedding it at a pace of a little over a pound a day.  So what did I do differently than most people on a cruise to help me lose all that weight?

Let me share with you my secret.  First you need to know that I have been on several cruises in the past and each time I lose about a pound a day.  I have figured out a cruise is an excellent venue for a weight loss program.  Everything you need to lose weight is on a cruise ship.  So here are my 7 secrets to lose weight on a cruise.

1. I made a decision that my body was not going to own me and that I was going to own my body.  I made a decision it was time for me to start losing weight.  I choose to stop drinking diet soda's, Monsters and other drinks that contain caffeine (with a minor exception of black and green tea). I choose to eat sensibly and be consistent with my workout routine.  I choose to get up and move and stay moving and involved.  We all choose what we eat and drink and what activity we engage in.  I wanted to think consciously about those choices and start making healthy choices. I went on a cruise knowing I would lose weight.  My goal was to lose 18 pounds, I ended up losing 14.  So my first decision and goal was to use this time on the boat to start a healthy routine in multiple areas of my life.  

2.  Drink plenty of water with fresh squeezed lemon throughout the day.  I also include tea with caffeine, honey and lemon in the morning at breakfast and with dinner.  I stayed away from alcohol, coffee, soda of any kind and stuck with lemon water throughout the day.  A person needs to drink half their body weight in ounces each day to help facilitate the release of  toxins in the body.  Drinking water also keeps you hydrated in the hot sun.

3.  I used the stairs and walked the stairs everywhere I went on the ship.  I did not use the elevator even a single time.  This keep my metabolism working and was a great little workout throughout the day.  My mother told me that when I walked up stairs to skip a stair to help build up my quad muscles, smart woman. So as I walked the stairs, I skipped a stair and I walked briskly.  This mini burst of exercise gets the heart pumping.  You may find yourself winded, just carry on, in the end you will benefit.

4.  I exercised 10 of the 12 days on the ship.  My exercise routine lasted 1 hour and consisted of both cardio and weight training. 

Three of the days were pure cardio and I spent my time on a recumbent bike and watched TV.  Three of the days were pure weight training using free weights and the exercise equipment.  The other four days were a combination of weight training and cardio.  I don't live to exercise, I exercise to live.  I enjoy spending time in the gym and sweat from my body helps release toxins and salt which helps reduce water weight.

5.  While everyone was sunning themselves each day, drinking and eating I got involved and choose to get involved in the daily activities provided.  I call it "get up and move and get involved."

Each day the cruise line gives you a daily planner with dozens of events, activities and fun things to do.  Instead of lying around, I choose to do as many of these activities as I could each day.  I scheduled my day to include as many events as I could and participated in many of the tournaments.  This lasted throughout the day until midnight.  When you are busy, it gives you less time to think about food.  Bottom line, stay busy and involved.  Many of us each and drink because we are bored. If you lounge around each day, guaranteed, you will be bored.   I spent very little time working on my tan by laying around. 

6.  While on shore at various ports of call, I leisurely walked as much as I could.  I must admit, I did not go on any of the tour opportunities the boat offers and choose instead to go to the beach at 4 of the 5 port of calls.  I enjoyed splashing around in the water and used my time in the water to do a little water aerobics. 

7.  Last but not least, I ate sensibly.  Let me share with you what I ate.  For breakfast I ate 6 slices of watermelon, 2 cups of fruit yogurt, 12 prunes and 3 figs, a 4 egg omelet with bacon, ham and cheese, a cup of tea with lemon and honey and a glass of water.  Occasionally I would substitute the water melon for other fruit choices.  I did not eat lunch and around mid day I would have some kind of snack.  I enjoyed pizza, desserts, ice cream and frozen yogurt cones.  Dinner was wonderful.  I dined on 1-3 appetizers, 1-2 entrees and 1-3 desserts and again, a cup of tea. I only finished the protein in my dinner and enjoyed tasting multiples of each food group, not finishing most of my choices.  I also ate bread before the meal, no butter.  I was plenty full after both breakfast and dinner.  I choose to eat the early dinner so I would have the balance of the evening to work off what I ate.  I did not snack after dinner and did not eat again until breakfast around 10 in the morning.  As you can see I did not starve myself, quite the opposite, I was pleasantly full throughout the day.  The food on a cruise is amazing.  There are so many choices right before you that you don't have to prepare.  Choose wisely and you will see the weight just melt off.   

A cruise is the perfect place to break old habits and start new ones.  Think of it as an incredible weight loss center.  Just think, no cell phones, no email, no texts, no one telling you what you should or shouldn't do, no one questioning you as to why you aren't in your typical routine.  A cruise is a perfect venue to start the new you.  When you arrive back home, your friends and family will notice a difference in you and maybe they will be inspired to cruise with you.  In order to make new habits, we need to break the old ones,  what better way to do that than on a cruise.  

So there you have it, 7 tips to help you lose weight while cruising instead of gaining weight.  I choose to use the cruise as a way to have fun and lose weight.  Each of us gets a choice on how we use our time on the boat.  The next time you cruise, I hope you find these tips a helpful. Isn't it time for you to book your cruise?

 

Nutrisystem Fast 5 ad, is it false and deceptive advertising? You decide.

Have you seen the most recent Nutrisystem Ad with Marie Osmond and Dan Marino?  I have and reviewed it over and over ago to determine if the two spokes people (Dan and Marie) had lost weight on the Nutrisystem Fast Five + program.  Turns out they had NOT!  That is right, neither Dan or Marie had used the Nutrisystem Fast Five + program.  You would think they had.  But you would be wrong!  Nutrisystem would have you believe these two spokes people lost weight (Marie, 50 lbs and Dan, 22 lbs) using the fast five+ program, but unless you are a speed reader you may have missed the disclaimer at the bottom of the segment that featured them in the ad. 

So lets take a look at Marie first.  Marie is on air for 4 seconds and she does say, "I am Marie and I have lost 50 lbs on Nutrisystem." 

What you may have missed was the disclaimer below her, but who wouldn't, 4 seconds is not enough time for you to listen to Marie tell you she has lost 50 lbs and then read the disclaimer below.  So for those of you who missed the disclaimer, here it is.

MARIE DID NOT USE FAST 5. EXPECT TO LOSE 5 LBS IN YOUR FIRST WEEK FOR AN AVERAGE OF 1-2 POUNDS PER WEEK ON THE PROGRAM.  WEIGHT LOSS ON PRIOR NUTRISYSTEM PROGRAM.

What, Marie did not lose 50 lbs on the Fast Five program?  Are you kidding me?  You would think she had.  I guess we are not quick enough to listen to Marie talk and read the disclaimer below her picture.  Who could read the disclaimer anyway?  It is way to small.

Is this false advertising?  Deceptive advertising?  You decide?  Are you disappointed Marie did not lose 50 lbs on Nutrisystem's Fast Five program?

What does the last line in the disclaimer mean?  "Weight loss on prior Nutrisystem program."
I have no idea what that line means, do you?  Are they implying Marie lost weight on Nutrisystem on a prior program?  What program?  When?  Over what period of time?  How much did it cost her? 

Now for Dan and this is good.

Dan comes on the screen for 2 seconds and says the following, "I am Dan Marino and I lost 22 lbs."
That is it.  Unlike Marie who said she lost 50 lbs on Nutrisystem, Dan does not say he lost 22 lbs on Nutrisystem.  He simple says, he lost 22 pounds.  Now wouldn't you think Dan lost 22 lbs on Nutrisystems Fast Five program?  Well, that is not the case. Just like Marie, the disclaimer below Dan reads as follows,

DAN DID NOT USE FAST 5. EXPECT TO LOSE 5 LBS IN YOUR FIRST WEEK FOR AN AVERAGE OF 1-2 POUNDS PER WEEK ON THE PROGRAM.  WEIGHT LOSS ON PRIOR NUTRISYSTEM PROGRAM.

What he dis not lose 22 lbs on Nutrisystem?  You would think he had? Huh?

Now I get it, Dan was on the screen for only 2 seconds, how could you possible be listening him telling you he lost 22 lbs and read the disclaimer in 2 seconds, IMPOSSIBLE!

Hey Dan, how did you lose the 22 lbs?  We would like to know since you did not tell us in the ad, only that you lost 22 lbs.

There is that statement at the end of the disclaimer, Weight loss on prior Nutrisystem program.  I have no idea what that means and if it applies to Dan.  Doesn't say Dan's name. 

Well you decide, is this false or deceptive advertising?  Is Nutrisystem intending to deceive you into believing these spokes people lost weight on the Nutrisystem Fast Five program?  Probably not, since they put a disclaimer at the bottom.  But who could possible read the small disclaimer and watch the spokes person at the same time?  Nobody!  You would have to stop the ad, as I did. 

Feel free to send me your comments to billhytek@Hotmail.com

When did you give up caring about how you look, feel and your life?

When did you give up caring? 

When did you stop caring about how you look
When did you stop caring about how you felt?
When did you stop caring about your life? 

When did you lose hope?
When did you stop loving yourself?
Why do you have so little faith in yourself?
What happens to your self-esteem?
When did you stop believing in yourself? 

What is your story?

Who told you, you couldn't?
Couldn't what?  

What is your story? 

Why did you give yourself permission to stop caring about how you looked, felt or about your life?
When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Do you like the person you see? 

Do you drink too much, smoke too much, use illegal drugs, abuse prescription drugs?  Do you work too much? Have you strayed from your relationship, have you been faithful? 

Have you stopped exercising? Told yourself, you just don't matter anymore or what's the use?
What's the use of exercising, quitting smoking, using alcohol or drugs to medicate your pain? 

Are you in a relationship that is dead and unfulfilled? 

Why have you quit?  Quit believing in yourself? Quit dreaming? Quit setting goals? Quit on life? 

What's your story? 

I was recently on a cruise and noticed that there were quite a few people who ate too much, drank too much and gambled too much.  I saw a lot of unhappy faces.  People seemed to be moving about, but not living the life they once dreamed of.
I asked myself, why did they quit?  Why did you quit?  When did they stop caring how they looked? When did they give themselves permission to gain an extra 25, 50, 100, 150 pounds, to smoke 2 packs of cigarettes a day, to drink 10, 15 or 20 drinks in a day or to gamble at the casino with what little money they had left?
What possessed them to keep going?  To keep not caring?  To inflict upon themselves behaviors that they know in their heart is not healthy? 

Why?  When? And for what reason? 

Who told you that it was OK to keep drinking to excess or to take drugs or to smoke or to overeat?  Did you tell yourself or did someone tell you it was OK?  Who told you that you were not good enough?  That you didn't measure up? That it was OK to abuse and pollute your body and your mind with harmful products?

It doesn't have to be that way!!!  

Isn't it about time you started caring again?  About how you look?  Feel? Act? 

Isn't it about time you quit drinking too much, gambling too much, eating too much, and using drugs?  We could put a whole host of other behaviors such as shopping too much, soliciting sexual gratification that are unhealthy and any other narcissistic behavior that harms your relationships with others. 

Why? 

Why did you stop caring?
When did you stop caring about you? 

It is not too late.  It is never too late to change.  It is never too late to start dreaming again. The world is your oyster. 

Have faith in yourself, trust and believe in yourself, know that you are valuable, that you have worth and begin again to love yourself again, just the way you are today and then dream of who you would like to become. 

I would love to hear your story. 

I would love to hear why you stopped caring about yourself.
I would love to hear what you are going to do to change. 

If you need help, I would love to help you.  I can help you.  I can help you dream again.  I can help you change to become the person you once believed in.   

Please feel free to contact me at billhytek@hotmail.com.   

Isn't it time?
Let's begin this journey together, I will help you. 

 

4 possible reasons you aren't meeting your weight loss goals

4 Possible Reasons You Aren't Meeting Your Weight Loss Goals

By William Conley, Guest Author - December 29, 2013

 

Weight loss does not necessarily need to be a mystery. Deteriming a weight loss regimen that is right for you is a matter of personal choice.  There are numerous studies that show that diet and exercise have been proven to help in the reduction of weight.  Diet and exercise alone may prove to be helpful but have you ever wondered why it is so difficult for you to take off those unwanted pounds you have been carrying around?

Here are four potential reasons why people put on weight or have a difficult time with taking off the weight.

Continue reading the article by clicking on the URL below.

Happy New Year

http://divorcedmoms.com/articles/4-possible-reasons-you-arent-meeting-your-weight-loss-goals

Why do we put on weight how do we take it off?

Why do we put on weight how do we take it off?

 

I have been thinking the past couple days about weight gain and the inability to lose weight.

I have come up with four reasons why people put on weight

1. Stress, 

2. Boredom,  

3. Unhappiness,  

4. Genetics.  

It was easier to gain weight than to lose weight, so the key is not to gain extra weight.  

Boredom – to tire with dullness or repetition.  

Stress – mental, emotional, or physical tension, strain or distress.  

Unhappy – sad, sorrowful. Causing misfortune, unlucky. Not pleasing or satisfied.  

Genetics – the biological study of heredity. Of or relating to origin or development.  

Compulsion – the act or compelling or state of being compelled. An irresistible impulse to act irrationally.

Of course overeating can also be viewed as a habit, a compulsion, an addiction or an attempt at self-destruction.  

For example, if I overeat and become fat then no one will be interested in me.  

In this case the person is consciously choosing to overeat, so as to gain weight, in order that they will in their eyes become less appealing.  

This of course is covering up some other problem with self -worth, image or esteem that they are wrestling with.  

I am certainly bored with the routine I am currently in.

I am very happy. I perceive I have very little stress; there is no genetic basis for my weight gain so my weight gain comes when I am bored, typically with routine.  

In this case a very boring routine.

What is the reason for your weight gain or your inability to take-off weight? 

What is the cause?

Are you predestined because of genetics or heredity to being a bit overweight?  

Are you unhappy with some aspect in your life which causes you to overeat in order to mask the pain of unhappiness?  

Is there so much stress or tension in your life that when you get a moment of any kind you are putting food in your mouth?  

Or are you just bored with your routine in life, can’t figure out how to get out of the rut so you eat for pleasure? 

Eating can be very pleasant when you are in the act of eating.  

After you are done eating, you may fill yourself with guilt and thus making the experience very unpleasant.

In order to lose weight, it would be helpful to know the reason behind why you overeat and then accept that as the reason and move one.  

Some people are predisposed to be overweight.  

Others bring the problem upon themselves.

If it is a problem, then there is a solution.  

First recognize the problem, accept it as a problem and create a plan to overcome the problem.  

As with every problem in life there is always a solution.  

I love you my Lord. I am so happy that you provide me with bits of inspiration. I know I probably don’t have very many original thoughts, it is nice however to put my thoughts down on paper.  

As I write, I think about things. It helps clarify things for me.  

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ, could you please give me a good night’s rest this evening. I haven’t slept well in weeks as you know and I would really appreciate having a long nights rest. I commit to honoring you Lord, I commit to humbling myself before you. Watch over me this weekend; keep me free from harm, away from temptation and away from the evil one.