Motivational sayings and/or affirmations.

A birthday is a new beginning -
A birthday is the first day of another lovely year,
A year of new tomorrows that is shining, bright and clear,
A year of possibilities as endless as the sky, and a chance to meet the challenges in everything you try.
Author Unknown
It's my birthday today & is my new beginning........
 
"Tracking food leads to losing pounds"
Tracking food leads to losing pounds: Those who tracked food and weight lost pounds in new study
"Without following a particular diet, overweight people who tracked daily food consumption using a free smartphone app lost a significant amount of weight in a new study. The results were achieved using automated, free tools, rather than expensive in-person interventions, suggesting a possible low-cost route to effective weight loss."
Without following a particular diet, overweight people who tracked daily food consumption using a free smartphone app lost a significant amount of weight in a new Duke University study.
The results were achieved using automated, free tools, rather than expensive in-person interventions, suggesting a possible low-cost route to effective weight loss.

"Free and low-cost weight loss apps have changed the ways that Americans manage their weight," said Gary Bennett, a Duke psychology professor and co-author of the paper. "However, we knew little about whether these tools worked very well on their own. We've shown that commercial smartphone apps can be a helpful way to get started with weight loss."
The new paper appears online in the open-access journal JMIR mHealth and uHealth.
The results surprised Michele Lanpher Patel, who conducted the research along with Bennett while completing her doctorate in psychology at Duke. Patel is now a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University.
"We wanted to study a lower-intensity treatment for weight loss whereby people could join from the comfort of their home," Patel said. "But we were not sure how much weight people would lose with this type of remote treatment. Merging behavioral science principles with technology turned out to be successful.
"Not everyone wants or has time for a high-intensity weight-loss treatment," Patel said. "So it's important to create alternative strategies that can accommodate these people. Digital health approaches have potential to fill this need."
The researchers used a free app where dieters can record their food intake and weight. They then divided the 105 study participants, who were between 21 and 65 years old, into three groups in a randomized controlled trial.
Participants were not instructed to follow a particular diet, but instead were given broad advice on healthy eating, and were asked to simply monitor what they ate.
The first group tracked what they ate every day for three months. A second group tracked their weight for a month, then began logging food intake as well. That group also received emails with tailored feedback, weekly lessons on nutrition and behavior change, and action plans describing how to implement the weekly lesson.
The third group recorded both their weight and food intake for all three months, using the same app as the first two groups. They also received weekly lessons, action plans and feedback. For instance, weekly nutrition lessons included tips on topics such as reducing sugary foods and portion control.
Three months after the study began, participants in all three groups had lost clinically significant amounts of weight. Those who only tracked what they ate lost about 5 pounds on average. People in the second group lost about 6 pounds on average.
The final group -- those who recorded their weight and their food intake for all 12 weeks, and received weekly lessons, action plans and feedback -- fared only slightly better at 3 months, losing just over 6 pounds on average.
However, participants in that group kept the weight off longer. At six months, people in the third group had lost nearly 7 pounds on average.
Compliance was key. Successful participants didn't just say they would keep a food log; they actually did it. And in all three groups, those who were most diligent in tracking each day lost the most weight. By contrast, past research has shown that people often start with a goal of recording their food intake, but fail to continue over time.
Researchers suspect two factors helped participants follow through on their weight-loss goals. First, researchers helped participants set specific goals, including tailored calorie targets, and losing 5 percent of their initial body weight. Second, the dieters received automatic in-app reminders to log their meals each day.
"We have very strong evidence that consistent tracking -- particularly of diet, but also one's weight -- is an essential element of successful weight loss," Bennett said. "Consumers should look for apps that make it easy for them to track on a consistent basis."
The study made use of a free, commercially available app called MyFitnessPal. However, similar results presumably could be achieved using another diet tracker, the researchers said.
The key is compliance. In all three groups, those who were most diligent in tracking -- those who stepped on the scale or recorded what they ate on more days -- lost the most weight.
The research was supported by grants from the American Psychological Association and the Duke Interdisciplinary Behavioral Research Center, and by the Aleane Webb Dissertation Research Award from the Graduate School at Duke University.

Story Source:
Materials provided by Duke University. Original written by Alison Jones. Note: Content may be edited for style and length."
 
"It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you don’t stop"
~ Confucius

Don’t let a stumble in the road be the end of your journey
Never give up

 
"If we try to see something positive in everything we do, life won't necessarily become easier but it becomes more valuable." ~Author unknown
 
~"Gratitude is as important for feeding your soul as eating is important for feeding your body." ~J.L.W. Brooks
"I humbly thank the gods benign,

For all the blessings that are mine...
The morning drips her dew for me,
Noon spreads an opal canopy.
Home-bound, the drifting cloud-crafts rest
Where sunset ambers all the west;
Soft o'er the poppy-fields of sleep,
The drowsy winds of dreamland creep.
What idle things are wealth and fame
Beside the treasures one could name!"

~Robert Loveman (1864–1923)
 

Article copied & pasted from- https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-...e-to-make-lasting-health-changes/art-20390090

"Accentuate the positive to make lasting health changes​

Try these tips to stay positive, which will help keep you motivated and make lasting health behavior changes.
By Mayo Clinic Staff

Why is reaching a health goal sometimes so difficult? Is your willpower really that weak?

According to the latest research, your self-discipline may not be the problem. Instead, the key to maintaining your motivation is in your approach.

Willpower shmill-power​


Most people have been there — wanting to make healthier choices or start an exercise program, maybe needing to lose a little weight.

You start out with good intentions, finding the willpower to exercise more and eat less. But after a while, old habits return and a goal is missed. Maybe you even put on more weight. Sound familiar? You're not the only one.


To succeed, change your focus​


Most people concentrate on the end goal and believe this will supply them with the discipline and willpower to achieve that goal. But daily life and stresses constantly interfere, blurring your ultimate goal and your resolve along with it.

Try these techniques to stay motivated.


Set clear goals​


Match your daily actions to support your goal. If you want to be more active, park farther from the door. If you want to eat healthier, replace the candy bowl at work with a fruit bowl.

Start small. Want to lose 25 pounds? Don't make that your initial goal. Make small changes you can accomplish: Bring your lunch to work or take a walk several nights per week.


Set new goals based on your reality. If you only packed a healthy lunch one day last week, don't beat yourself up. Think about how you achieved your goal once. Now aim for two days next week.

Do what you love. Like rollerblading? Do more of that. Like apples but not broccoli? Eat more apples. Selecting the right activities is the most proven way to feel good about living healthier.

Positive thinking​


Listen to how you talk to yourself. Periodically, stop and assess what you're thinking. If your thoughts are mainly negative, this will directly affect how you feel and your motivation.

Practice positive self-talk. Treat yourself like you would a friend. Be gentle and encouraging. Look closer at negative thoughts and respond with affirmations about what you're doing right.


Focus on what you can have vs. what you can't. If you are trying to lose weight, look at foods you can eat vs. all the foods you can't. It's hard to stay motivated when you feel deprived.

Believe. If you don't think you can lose 25 pounds, you won't. Start with what you truly believe you can accomplish. Initial success will give you the confidence to set larger goals later.

Enjoy the process​


Review your feelings. Did you genuinely like an activity? Is there something you'd like to do more? When you reflect, you'll be more likely to leave behind what doesn't work.

Be mindful. Focus on a conversation with your exercise partner. Notice the beauty of nature, or the movement of your body. Being in the present will increase your enjoyment of the activity.


Let go of negative thoughts. This doesn't mean ignoring them. Rather, reevaluate your response to focus on positive feelings and accomplishments.

Adopt a growth mindset​


Understand the process of mastery. A "growth" mindset means you know you can develop your abilities and keep adapting. Think of a time you didn't know how to do something, then practiced it, got better and eventually mastered it.

This can help you bounce back from setbacks and mistakes. Keep in mind that you are practicing how to live a healthier lifestyle and learning more about yourself each day.


Try a "saying is believing" exercise. Imagine writing a letter to someone else struggling with the same issue you are. What advice would you give? Think about how another person could respond and put those same responses into action for yourself.

Celebrate your wins!​


Success bolsters more success. As you achieve each goal, take a moment to recognize your accomplishment. Celebrating these wins will give you momentum to go after your next goal and give you a sense of purpose and pride."
 
Self care.jpg
 
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