CrazyBusy Mama! (Dot Calm)

I’m one of those people who thought — for a while — that soy milk was a healthy alternative to regular milk. I was quite proud of myself for ordering my chai tea latte with soy at Starbucks. Thankfully, more and more voices are being raised, declaring that there are more dangers than benefits when it comes to soy. I first heard the warning bells from Jillian Michaels’ posts on Facebook, and wanted to share this article by Marisa Vicario with you, as well. You may want to think twice about buying that carton of soy milk. Stay tuned tomorrow to learn about some healthier alternatives to soy. – Ed.

By Marisa Vicario

We consume it in everything from our morning coffee to burger substitutes but products like soy milk and veggie burgers could actually be more dangerous than we think.

Ever since the FDA deemed it heart-healthy, soy and soy-based products have been cropping up all over supermarkets and health food stores. The legume native to East Asia is an ingredient found in 60 percent of processed foods from baby food to ice cream, but lately there has been widespread controversy surrounding the health claims. In fact, some studies claim that soy can accelerate the onset of breast cancer, lower sperm count and decrease libido.

What is at the root of the concerns about soy?

Allergens: One of the top eight allergens, soy is commonly difficult to digest.

Phytoestrogens: Plant hormones that act like female estrogens called phytoestrogens are found in soy. The research is out on whether these compounds can prevent certain cancers, but it is also known that phytoestrogens have the ability to disrupt natural hormone function in the body especially during times such as pregnancy, infancy, puberty, the reproductive years and menopause and may alter sexual development.

Soy Isoflavines: Also questionable are soy isoflavines, a chemical compound derived from the soybean, which also have an estrogenic effect. While they are being studied for their role in relieving symptoms of menopause, cancer prevention, slowing osteoporosis and reducing the risk of heart disease, soy isoflavines are also being investigated for causing hyperthyroidism.

Phytic Acid: All legumes contain some phytic acid but soy contains higher-than-average levels. Phytic acid blocks mineral absorption which can cause zinc and calcium deficiencies.

Genetic Modification and Processing: Finally, over 90 percent of the soy on the market today is genetically modified and most soy products are highly processed. Soy protein isolate, the main ingredient in most soy foods that act as substitutes for meat and dairy as well as fast foods, baked goods and diet beverages is processed at high temperatures using a high pressure extrusion process and then sprayed with nitrates and MSG.

But not all soy is created equal. Organic soy that has been fermented such as miso, tempeh and natto are far safer foods than organic or genetically modified soy foods. Fermentation reduces phytic acid levels in soy making them more nourishing and digestible.

While, the jury is still out on whether the health risks pertaining to soy outweigh the benefits, there are a few rules of thumb that can be helpful:

* Read ingredients and avoid processed foods and genetically modified forms of soy.
* Enjoy old-fashioned soy (miso, natto, tempeh) in moderation
* Avoid excess soy consumption during key stages of life: pregnancy, infancy, puberty, the reproductive years and menopause
* Avoid soy if you are taking thyroid medication.
* Listen to your body and avoid soy in all forms if the body doesn’t agree with it.

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Marissa Vicario is a certified health and wellness coach based in Manhattan. For more information, visit http://www.mwahonline.com.

With Black Friday coming up at the end of this week, most of us will be out shopping for deals (though I might stay home and just do my shopping online). This article is a quick read but packs a powerful punch of common sense that is sure to make your Christmas shopping go much more smoothly! -Ed.

By Nicole Dean

Grab a notebook. Grab a pen. It’s time to get serious about your Christmas shopping by making your list (and checking it twice).

Make a list of the people you’ll be buying for this year. Leave space between each person’s name. Now go back through the list and write down gift ideas and a rough dollar amount you’re willing to spend on each person.

Example:

1. Aunt Fran – Collects lighthouses, loves golf – $30.00

2. Beth – Candles, bath and body products – $20.00

3. Joe – Something for his new truck, loves fishing – $50.00

Bring your notebook shopping with you. It will help you to stay focused on who you need to shop for, a general idea of what you’re looking for and your price range. Making a detailed list like this will prove invaluable in keeping you organized and on budget with your Christmas shopping. As you shop, cross off each person on your list. Be sure to keep an eye open for bargains and grab a few extra gifts – there’s always that visitor that shows up that you didn’t anticipate.

Set holiday shopping goals for yourself and jot them down in your notebook.

1. I will have all cards in the mail by December 10th.

2. All of my major shopping will be done by December 15th.

3. I will not go over budget!

Making lists and setting goals for yourself this holiday will save you time and stress and allow you to enjoy the season for what it really is. If you haven’t started your shopping, start now. It’s not too late to get on track. The first step is starting your notebook, making your list and getting a plan of action.

After the holidays, store your notebook away somewhere (perhaps with your decorations). It will serve as a great reference when you’re ready to start your shopping next year.

Happy Holidays, Happy Shopping…and by keeping a Holiday Notebook – Happy You!

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Nicole Dean is a mostly-sane mom and creator of www.ShowMomTheMoney.com – a fun and informative site to help moms achieve success working from home. She invites you to learn more money-saving tricks at www.showmomthemoney.com/TimeSavers.asp.

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For more money saving Black Friday tips, see TipHero’s article, 17 Ways to Prepare for Black Friday Sales. - Ed.

By Peggy Baron

Thanksgiving can be a little stressful when you have company coming and you have to cook the whole meal. Sure the company is bringing a pie and will help with the dishes and clean up, but you’ve got a whole lot of work ahead of you when you wake up on that special Thursday morning. Don’t despair and stress – rally the troops!

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably got one or two or more children running around that house don’t you? Put them to work and give them all jobs. Just don’t mention the words “work” or “job.” Kids like to be helpful, especially when they see how much you appreciate it. Let them help!

First off, you need to have a plan. Take some time before Thursday morning to plot everything out. Of course you know what you want to prepare and serve – you do the same thing every year, don’t you? So that’s the easy part. Really look at each recipe and see what’s involved. You could probably do it in your sleep, but your kids can’t. Assign a recipe to each child, depending on their skill level. You may even want to find an easier version of the recipe. Go over the steps with your child and explain how it’s all going to work. Do kind of a foodless dress rehearsal with them.

If the child is too young to do a whole recipe, just give them certain tasks in a recipe and have them help you. Little ones can melt butter in the microwave, mash the potatoes, wash the vegetables, toss the salad, and put the marshmallows on the sweet potato casserole.

This is one meal where everything seems to happen at the same time. To help prevent this, the kids can mash the potatoes ahead and keep them warm in the crockpot, ditto with the sweet potato casserole and veggies. If you don’t have a way to keep them warm, time them to come out before the mad rush, put a lid on them and wrap them in several towels. They can stay quite warm that way. The salad can definitely be made earlier in the day or even the night before.

Try to schedule the prep time so there aren’t too many people walking around the kitchen with sharp knives at once.

What about the pies? Kids love to make the pies! Go with the pre-made pie crusts if their pastry skills aren’t quite up to snuff. Maybe they could pick the pies they want this year and shake tradition up a bit. I’m sure a Chocolate Dream pie is a tradition in someone’s home even if it isn’t (yet) in yours.

Keep one step ahead of total chaos by having someone wash the dirty dishes that are accumulating. Perhaps those who are watching football on TV could lend a hand! Not only will there be fewer dishes to do at the end, but it leaves lots more room for the cooks to prepare the grand feast.

If you give it some thought and plan ahead of time, this Thanksgiving could be a lot easier on you and a heck of a lot more fun for the whole family. Have a good attitude and lots of patience and just enjoy yourself. Your kitchen will be filled with those you love, and that’s something to be thankful for.

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Peggy is the editor of the popular Cookin’ Kids Newsletter. Interesting themes, fun facts, silly clip art, easy recipes, kid jokes, cooking terms, and safety tips make this newsletter a hit with kids! Learn more about it at cookinkids.com.

By Deanna Adler

“It’s a lifestyle not a diet.”

Have you heard those words before? Actually, have you heard them so many times that they don’t even mean much anymore? I know; me, too. When I struggled with a weight problem, I heard this so often that eventually, I just tuned it out. I had failed at “making it a lifestyle” so many times that I didn’t even give it a second thought. It hadn’t worked for me and I wasn’t listening.

Have you ever heard a familiar song on the radio and suddenly realized that you had never really heard the words before? Maybe it meant something totally different than what you had thought? That’s what happened to me with this phrase. I finally tuned in to “It’s a lifestyle, not a diet,” and it’s my hope that slowing down and breaking it down will allow you to apply it to your own life, too.

When it finally made sense, here’s what it allowed me to do:

1) Stop my “DIET” thinking and find a healthy way of eating that I could maintain forever.

• No more drastic measures like cutting whole food groups or following ridiculous food plans. Have you done the cabbage soup or grapefruit diets? Wow! I was left either insatiably craving the villain foods or being so sick of allowable foods that I couldn’t endure anymore. Those plans set me up for failure.
• No more concoctions of pills or other remedies that were just downright unhealthy.

2) Make peace with the fact that I needed to be on food defense forever. Just as an alcoholic needs to have rules around alcohol, I needed rules around food. At first, I didn’t like that one bit. I wanted to eat what everyone else ate and not think about it, but the reality was that I had an unhealthy relationship with food. When I came face to face with what was going on, my obsessive thoughts about food weren’t normal in any way. I had to come to a place of acceptance that my behaviors weren’t just going to go away and I needed to deal with them on an ongoing basis.

3) Get to the bottom of why food was so satisfying and comforting to me in the first place. I can assure you, if you have a weight problem like I had, you’re not there simply because you like food. The problem is that you get too much pleasure from food. Period. You must figure this out and change it.

Writing these things here may sound simplistic but I assure you, they will require time, effort and persistence to resolve.

If you are someone who struggles with extra weight, I encourage you to read this old catchphrase again, “It’s a lifestyle, not a diet.” Slow down and ask yourself what that means to you. Do you believe it? Can it work for you? What does it look like in your life?

Becoming healthy is a complicated effort and I hope you’ll get in touch with me if you have questions, ideas, or a need for support. You can email me at deanna@deannaadler.com.

Remember, the only limit to what is possible is what you choose to believe.

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Deanna Adler is a weight loss coach and motivational speaker who works with women all across the country to battle the weight issues that so many of us face. With a wonderful husband, three great kids and a personal 125 pound weight loss story, she has one hand clutching God and the other wading through the trials of life. Deanna can offer you encouragement, Godly perspective and insight that can help you become free of the chains that have bound you for too long. Visit her website at www.deannaadler.com to read her personal weight loss story and more information about coaching/speaking.

By Mellisa McJunkin

It’s no secret we all need energy and I think it would be safe to say, we could all use more of it. Many things can leave us seriously energy deficient; lack of sleep, lack of proper nutrients, sickness, disease, not to mention the treatments for many diseases. That aside, here are five secrets to having an abundance of energy all day long.

I like to use acronyms to learn and remember things, so for learning these secrets let’s use the acronym S.H.A.P.E.

Secret #1 – Sleep – Deep, Deep Sleep
We all know we need about 7 or 8 hours of good, quality sleep. But there is an element to sleep this is often overlooked. It is not necessarily the number of hours we sleep but the time frame in which we sleep. Our bodies secrete a natural sleep hormone called melatonin which causes you to sleep in such a way that not only let’s your mind rest, but also helps your body heal, repair and rejuvenate. This hormone begins to kick in at about 10:00pm and tapers off at 2:00am. Which means the secret you get your best sleep from 10:00pm to 6:00am.

Secret #2 – Hydration
No, I am not taking about hydrating with a pot of coffee. The first thing you should do when you wake up in the morning is drink a tall (12-16 oz.) glass of water. I often add a spoonful of stevia and lemon juice as well. Since you have been a sleep for several hours, your body wakes up in a state of dehydration. Water will not only refresh your mind and body, it will also help expel viruses and toxins. So it’s important to drink plenty of water through out the day as well.

Secret #3 – Air
Breathing is good, I do it all the time you say. But most of us don’t take in enough deep, cleansing breaths. Deep breaths through the nose and out through the mouth not only infuses you with life giving oxygen, you are also expelling build ups of harmful carbon dioxide. Also, many diseases proliferate in an oxygen deficient environment, so an abundance of oxygen will not only give you more energy, but it will also keep disease from running rampant.

Secret #4 – Protein
Sugar and caffeine may give you a high for awhile. But you now what they say, “What goes up, must come down.” Protein on the other hand gives your body what it needs for sustainable energy. It burns slow and steady giving you an even boost in energy. The fastest and most convenient form of protein I have found is in protein powder. You can add it to water, milk, or even oatmeal or plain yogurt. Eating almonds or cottage cheese are also fast and easy too. Ideally you should consume a small amount of protein at every meal and snack time for your energy to last.

Secret #5 – Exercise
Most people resist the exercise routine for a number of reasons. Some say it’s too hard or they don’t enough time. But you don’t have make it complicated to make it work for the objective at hand; More energy. Walking or even bouncing on a rebounder for 15 – 20 minutes in the morning and again in the afternoon can increase your blood flood and oxygen levels enough to boost your energy all the way until bed time. Sweating a bit is also beneficial too because it helps release toxins as well.

Most of us know all this stuff, so I guess you could say these really aren’t secrets. The real secret is in consistency. Follow these steps and it won’t be long before you will find yourself waking up before your alarm, with an abundance of energy and mental clarity that will last all day.

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Mellisa McJunkin has been a health and fitness lifestyle coach for more than a decade. She has a passion for researching and writing about many different health and wellness issues. Visit with her at her blog for more tips and free gifts at http://extremehealth.digi-info-broker.com/blog.

By Deanna Adler

If the current trend continues, by the year 2015, 75% of Americans will be morbidly obese. That means that in the very near future, there will be significantly more people extremely overweight than those who are not. Obesity and obesity-related medical conditions are on the rise and have reached epidemic proportions. What has happened? Why do we have such a problem?

Today, there are so many diet plans, diet pills and other quick fixes that a solution seems daunting and complicated. Yet even with all these “solutions,” obesity is still a problem that plagues so many of us. Why do so many of us struggle with it? Why has “losing weight” been on our goal list year after year after year? Why can’t we get a handle on this issue?

When it comes right down to it, most of us know what it takes to lose weight. The basics are easy: Eat less and move more. It sounds simple enough; so why isn’t it working? What are we missing? Why aren’t we getting this?

The problem is that we are missing an absolutely essential part of the equation. The missing piece is the emotional attachment we have created with food. This is often the most difficult part to deal with because the connection between our emotions and food may not be immediately clear. Some of us may not even feel that we have emotional issues to look for, but the simple truth is, food comforts us, tastes good and makes us feel too good. THAT is the real problem. If food didn’t fill a genuine need, we would be able to “eat less and move more” and be free of our weight problems.

Food is serving a great purpose for us. That’s why it’s so hard to permanently limit our intake and follow healthy guidelines. But here’s the good news, the news that brings freedom, the news that is the key to untangling the mess we’re in: Food by itself is not powerful; the power comes from the emotion we connect to it. This is essentially why we’re only successful on a new diet program for a few weeks or months. We can give up food for a temporary period, but we can’t do it for a long period of time until we take the power away from it and separate it from our emotions.

The key to tackling a weight problem once and for all is figuring out the relationship you have created between food and feelings. Why do you eat too much or too often? How does food make you feel? Why is it so satisfying? When you answer these questions you can determine what purpose food is serving and begin to break that dependency.

It sounds simpler than it is. It takes ambition and trust to start asking the questions and searching for the answer. You may even be surprised where that path takes you. In my own experience, I was amazed at the connections that were revealed when I simply asked the questions and pushed through my typical “I don’t know” answers. When I began realizing what was really going on, I could take the steps to handle the emotions in healthier ways.

What is going on with you? Are you willing to start asking the questions and dealing with the answers? Are you ready to take the power away from food and start developing healthy habits that will allow you to achieve your weight loss goals? Check out my website at www.deannaadler.com for my whole story and extra encouragement. Believe me, if this is something I can do, you can do it, too. The only limit to what is possible is what you choose to believe.

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Deanna Adler is a weight loss coach and motivational speaker who works with women all across the country to battle the weight issues that so many of us face. With a wonderful husband, three great kids and a personal 125 pound weight loss story, she has one hand clutching God and the other wading through the trials of life. Deanna can offer you encouragement, Godly perspective and insight that can help you become free of the chains that have bound you for too long. Visit her website at www.deannaadler.com to read her personal weight loss story and more information about coaching/speaking.

By Michelle Armstrong

In February of 2005, my son came down with a mysterious illness that caused him to have fistulas exiting his body. For three years we moved from state to state in search of a diagnosis, which finally came in 2008. The causes of his problems were Crohn’s and Perianal Diseases. Over the course of 33 years, my family has been deeply involved in the alternative medicine movement. My son was raised on both soy and organic milk and I processed his baby food myself. I rarely battled anything other than an occasional virus but he struggled with mysterious fevers that had no other symptoms. Sometimes, as the saying goes, “life comes at you fast” and you have to roll with the punches and when the fistula’s appeared, I knew I needed to act quickly.

Never a family to give up, my mother and I worked on finding some natural solutions while we were seeing specialists in Indiana. It took a little over a year, but we found the winning combination (which I will go over later). After we left Tennessee and moved to Seattle, we met Micah’s new Gastroenterologist who was very impressed with his care. After more tests and an exploratory surgery, he concluded that the only sign of Crohn’s Disease in my son’s body was the Perianal Disease (chronic fistulas which form from the intestinal tract and exit the body). Through much prayer to God for guidance, He opened door after door to show us the right supplements for Micah’s healing.

Micah had testing at Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tennessee which revealed infection in his intestines. Prior to and during this time, he had Crohn’s episodes (cramping and diarrhea) that put him in isolation for hours at a time. The episodes finally stopped a little over a year ago. So, while we continue to work on what he needs in order to solve the slow healing process he is going through with the chronic fistulas, we will continue with the combination he currently takes to keep the Crohn’s away.

We are firm believers that the body heals from the inside-out. Micah’s Seattle Children’s doctors are in agreement with us on this ideology. When there are issues that cause complications in other areas of the body, we must look at what the body is lacking. Crohn’s (IBD, or Irritable Bowel Disease) is an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack the intestines. As a result, a lot of important nutrients are lost due to inflammation. Protein is one nutrient that is important to increase in the diet of a Crohn’s patient. Also, I would like to add that we have been on vegan diets as well as vegetarian and still managed to get more than enough protein in our bodies. So, it is not at all impossible to live either lifestyle and still have healing take place in your body if either are preferred.

Another important nutrient that is extremely important to add is Omega 3 (this was per his Gastroenterologist at Seattle Children’s Hospital). Micah currently takes 1000mg of this daily. This supplement also includes EPA and DHA. Now, one thing with taking supplements is we always need to know what is okay to take and what isn’t. Just because it is natural does not mean it is without side effects. Fish oil (Omega 3) lowers blood pressure. So, if you are already on medication to lower blood pressure, you’ll want to discuss this with your physician before adding this to your daily diet regime.

Micah also takes Daily Essential Enzymes (Source Naturals is my favorite and an award-winning supplement). I am a HUGE fan of adding enzymes to a person’s diet for regulating the digestive system. These healed my gall bladder within a year’s time and I still have my gall bladder today. We take two each, daily. Micah also takes two Kyo-Dophilus brand probiotic supplements per day (we prefer this brand because it is high in probiotic cells, the more the merrier — 1.5 billion in this brand). These also aid in regulation of the digestive system as well as fight infection, which is a key aid to healing Crohn’s.

A good multi-vitamin is also a very good thing to find. We struggle with this because most over-the-counter vitamins are not as nutritional as they look. Sugar, dyes and other preservatives are used in the manufacturing and preservation of vitamins. So, I just recommend something that avoids sugar and preservatives that are not natural. This may come at a higher cost but is easier on the stomach. Micah has always had issues in this area and we continue to test different brands of vitamins in an effort to find one that is not expensive yet tolerable.

And last but not least, Green Magma (Barley Grass). Now, we had to remove these from Micah’s diet because they affected his seasonal allergies in Washington. We are waiting for his body to adapt to the allergens that are natural to this area. Once he adapts, he should be able to return to these. We have noticed no difference so far. He has been off of these for two weeks. Green Magma is Barley Grass Juice Powder in a tablet form. Six per day is a good amount to take. Barley grass is full of high levels of vitamin B1, calcium, iron, carotene and vitamin B12. It is an excellent source of enzymes. Because Micah already takes Essential Enzymes, I believe he will be okay without this.

One last thing before I wrap this up is this: “Where do I find supplements that won’t break my purse straps?” Well, I have three places I highly suggest: Swanson Vitamins, Puritan, and Vitamin Shoppe. I placed these in order from best bargains to good bargains to, “Hey, I’m out and where is the cheapest place to find these in my neighborhood now?” Make certain you fill out the forms for each place so you will receive emails with discounts as well as “Like” them on Facebook (always a great way to find “hidden” bargains only announced on their pages).

I hope this information has been helpful to you and encourage you to do extensive research before modifying the intake of supplements, herbs or medications in your daily diet. As I mentioned before, it has taken us several years to find the right combination. And although it is “spot on” for Micah, it may take variations for you or your loved one (we are all “uniquely and wonderfully” made). Exercise caution, use wisdom and ask questions. Thanks, and here’s to good health!
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Michelle Armstrong is a freelance writer and single mother who resides in Seattle, Washington. She holds a B.A. in Liberal Studies and History from the University of Indianapolis. She has had experience with health supplements and nutrition for 33 years. She welcomes any questions and strives to help others who are seeking alternative methods of healing. You may contact her at perettirocks@yahoo.com.

With three teenagers on Facebook (and a four-year-old who won’t be there for a while, thankfully), I drank up every word of this article by the Krafskys. It’s full of wisdom for those of us who, while we may be social media-savvy ourselves, may not know just how firmly to hold the Facebook reigns when it comes to our kids. Even if your kids are younger, this is great info to read and remember when the time comes. Enjoy! -Ed.

by K. Jason and Kelli Krafsky

We knew the day was coming. “Mom and Dad, can I have a Facebook?”

Silence. The two of us looked at each other waiting for the other one to speak first. More silence gave into that weird moment when no one has said anything for an uncomfortably long period of time.

Rushing through our minds were a hundred stories we’ve heard and another thousand we’ve witnessed with teens and parents on Facebook. We’ve heard (and seen) it all!

A single status update bringing shame to the family name before hundreds, if not thousands of people. A simple online comment causing real-time embarrassment and tension between family members. One quick, thoughtless Wall post erecting huge emotional walls in the parent-child relationship.

When we were writing Facebook and Your Marriage, parents of Facebooking teens were practically begging us to write a book on this topic. And now we know why.

Our dilemma isn’t that we have just one teenager to deal with…but two teenagers (and two more pre-teens in the bay) – which adds a whole other set of scenarios for us to think/stress/worry about.

With whole families now participating in the same online social community, too much is at stake to just throw the kids on Facebook and hope for the best. Good parenting is part trust, part rule maker, and part rule enforcer. As parents, not only do we need to figure out what rules need to be made between the child and parent, but between the siblings as well. And then figure out what the potential consequences are.

After what seemed like an eternity, silence was broken. We looked into those hope-filled eyes and said, “We need to talk about it.” While this was no more than pushing pause on the conversation, we had bought ourselves enough time to discuss all the possible scenarios of having the mom, dad, daughter/sister, and son/brother on Facebook.

What happens on Facebook can and will find itself being a major story plot in the family drama at home. And if that isn’t bad enough, your kid’s Facebook can and will likely be checked by prospective colleges and employers too. This is why it is imperative for parents and kids to talk about some common ground rules while participating in the new favorite American (online) pastime called Facebook.

So we came up with some ground rules for our kids. But ground rules for Facebooking families are not just a one-way street. We discovered there was a need for parents to agree to some ground rules too.

And what happens if the kids break any of the ground rules? Let’s just say their Facebook Friends won’t be seeing their little green dot for awhile.

To save ourselves a lot of headaches and to avoid Facebook-related conversations that include excuses like, “I didn’t know,” “I forgot,” and “You never said that,” we put the ground rules in writing.

Having the parents and kids sign a Facebook Rules Agreement spells out the expectations, and the ground rules everyone will follow.

So here’s seven ground rules we came up with for our kids, and seven ground rules for us as parents, as well as a copy of a Facebook Rules for Our Family Agreement you can easily adapt and customize.

* 7 Facebook Ground Rules for the Kids >>
* 7 Facebook Ground Rules for the Parents >>
* Facebook Rules for Our Family Agreement >>

If your teenager is on (or wanting to get on) Facebook, these ground rules will set in place some clear boundaries, establish some common courtesies, and protect everyone in the family.

DISCUSS THIS ARTICLE ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE >>

READ OTHER ARTICLES BY THE KRAFSKYS >>

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K. Jason and Kelli Krafsky are nationally-recognized specialists in social media and relationships. As “The Facebooking Couple,” they write and speak to bring common sense and healthy boundaries into marriages, families and relationships in this social media age. They are the authors of Facebook and Your Marriage (2010) and have co-written several articles on the topic. Find their articles, tools and tips at FBMarriage.com. The Krafskys live in the foothills of Washington’s Cascade Mountains with their four children. Contact them at FacebookAndYourMarriage.com, on Twitter or through Facebook.

Copyright © 2010 K. Jason and Kelli Krafsky – Permission granted to use and reproduce with proper source citation.

By Susanne Myers

How many times have you said to yourself that you just don’t have the time to exercise? Don’t feel bad; it’s my favorite excuse as well. We all have busy lives and not much time for anything in our schedule. That’s why I wanted to share some of my favorite ways to sneak some exercise into everyday activities with you.

Get Up Earlier. Did you know that you are much more likely to stick with any type of exercise program, if you do it in the morning? Makes sense, doesn’t it. The day is new, and you haven’t had a chance yet to get burned out from long meetings at the office or running around town all day. It’s hard to get motivated to work out after a long day, so why not get it out of the way first thing in the morning?

Set your alarm to go off 20 – 30 minutes earlier than usual and ride your exercise bike, go for a brisk walk through the neighborhood, or get an exercise tape and work out with it in the morning. Exercise is a great way to start your day and you’ll feel energized throughout the rest of your day.

Walk During Commercial Breaks. You just settled down on the couch to watch your favorite TV show, and it goes to commercial. That’s the perfect time to get in a little exercise. Just get up and march in place right in front of the TV until the commercial break is over. Doing this even just once or twice a day will start making a big difference. You can even wear a pedometer to get an idea for how much walking you get done during your favorite TV shows.

Once you get used to your commercial workout, step it up a notch by marching through the entire show. Now that’s a workout! Plus you don’t have to feel guilty about watching Desperate Housewives anymore instead of doing the dishes – you’re exercising.

Work On Your Abs While You Wait In Line. One of my least favorite things to do is to stand in line. Whether it’s at the grocery store, the pharmacy or the DMV, it just seems like such a waist of time to just stand there and wait. That is unless you are working out at the same time. You can get a great abs workout standing in line and best of all, no one has to notice. Here’s how you do it:

Stand up straight and suck in your stomach as hard as you can. Hold and count to ten before you release. Repeat. Each of these counts as one sit-up and is just as effective. Just imagine how many sit-ups you can do just while waiting in line each week.

Go For A Family Hike Or Bike Ride. Instead of just hanging out on the weekends, take the family for a hike or go on a bike ride. You get to spend some quality time with your family and get some great exercise at the same time.

If your life is as busy as mine, give a few of these exercise tips a try and see if you can’t start to find time to work out a few times a week.

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Susanne Meyers is the owner of HillbillyHousewife.com. Check out her fun and helpful ebooks by clicking here.

For more tips on how to squeeze some exercise in your busy day visit Home Based Workouts. Get healthy and low calorie meal ideas delivered right in your inbox. Sign up for a free trial at Healthy Menu Mailer.

Article printed from LadyPens.

By Guest Blogger Aurelia Williams, author of Balancing Work and Family


The trend of moms working from home to be near their children has grown in the last couple of years. Now that they have found jobs or businesses to run, they’re starting to realize that working from home is not as easy as they thought it would be. The work they do is hard to separate form their personal lives, which makes it hard to schedule time for work responsibilities and home duties.

The workspace these moms use to do their jobs at ends up being a part of their household, so that makes dividing work and home life even more difficult to do — and one of the motivating reasons for creating my Balancing Work and Family guide. Imagine that your office is a part of the dining room, which also happens to be the room where you eat your meals as a family. How easy is it going to be for you to leave your work life to be with your family when the office is 5 feet away from the dinner table?

The realities of dividing work and personal life can get smudged for work at home moms. When that happens, one’s stress level is sure to rise, which could jeopardize one’s sanity. To prevent your sanity from leaving, you should find ways to ensure that separation takes place between your job/business and your family life.

Assess the current situation. Try to find an area, within your home, to have your office so that it won’t interfere with your family life. The home office needs a room with a door where you can be apart from the rest of the house. A den or a garage can be converted into office space that is exclusive to your business. Some people have resorted to placing their office in the laundry room, just because it has a door! When that is not an option, set up shop in your bedroom to keep it away from the family areas.

Organization is the next step. A messy desk can be a huge distraction when trying to work. Everything needs to have its place. If you worked in an office, your boss would not stand for a messy work space. There’s no difference when you’re office is at home and not at the worksite.

Use inexpensive organizing items, such as baskets with separate compartments to help organize the odds and ends on your desk. You can keep rubber stamps, letters, invoices, pens, pencils, and the like in here. Organization makes finding things much easier, which results in a more relaxed work day.

Keep your business phone separate from the family phone line. When using the same line, you run the risk of your children answering business calls or picking up the phone during a conference call. This causes your professionalism to fly right out the window and takes your customers or employers along with it.

The same goes for the computer. It’s best to keep your business computer separate from what the other family members use, but budgets don’t always allow for this. In that case, make sure that the business/job files and documents can’t be easily accessed by anyone but you. This will help prevent some of the stress that could be brought on by family members stumbling on a client’s important document and accidentally deleting them.

Be sure to use calendars or planners as they are very helpful when trying to keep track of business appointments or deadlines and family appointments. This will lessen the stress of setting up family appointments when you’ve forgotten about business deadlines you have.

Consider hiring a sitter on days you have a lot of work to do. Being a work at home mom gives you the benefit of controlling your own schedule. Having a sitter keeps the kids away from your office and gives you quiet time to focus on your work and gives your kids a chance to have fun without you feeling too guilty.

Mixing business with family in the home setting can be a major source of stress. Keeping the business side of your life organized and separate is crucial to success in keeping your stress levels down and your sanity intact.

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Working at home can be extremely rewarding, but it’s challenging. Get the help you need with Real Life Guidance to Balancing Work and Family. It’s your practical guide to tracking your time, setting priorities, learning to say no and achieving that balance you strive for.