4 Fast and Easy Ways to Say Yes to Life

When we are energized, feeling good, hydrated, smiling and breathing in the poetry of life, we are less likely to gravitate towards food as a form of self-medication and more likely to open up to living la vida feliz ... The Happy Life.

Here follows four sure-fire ways to get your energy on the rise and get you to living life happy.

1. BREATHE. Ever see a baby breathe? You will see that their stomach rises and falls with each breath. They are filling their lungs with oxygen and oxygenating their body. You cannot receive sufficient oxygen with shallow breaths; you must breathe deeply. Breathe like a baby!

2. DRINK WATER. We are mostly water. Between 60% and 70% of our body weight is water; our brains are 75% water. Imagine how dried up your thinking is without water? Your skin? Wrinkle city!!! Your intestinal track? Can anything glide through it??? A deficiency of water can alter the concentration of electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and chloride. Water has a profound effect on brain function and energy levels!

Drink at least half your body weight in ounces of fresh water daily! I know that you think you'll have to stop at every bathroom from here to Timbuktu, but not true. Your body will adjust rather quickly and happily!

3. CLEAR YOUR CLUTTER. There seems to be a correlation between physical clutter, mental clutter and body clutter. Your messy, disorganized space is a mirror of your mind and it will drain your energy. It will either consciously or unconsciously frazzle you!

Often we say we are going to clean up all in one day and we don't, because it is overwhelming! Try dedicating 15 minutes per day to clearing your space. Set a timer and get going!

4. TAKE IN THE SUN RAYS. According to a Harvard University study, taking in sunlight first thing will have a positive impact on the retina that leads to better focus and energy production in the brain. If you live in an area that is not producing bright sunlight every morning, it might be a good idea to invest in a bright indoor light.
Or ... make sure you sit near a window for 20 minutes during the day.

Feeling great? Woo Hoo!

Links for YOU:
Looking for even more energy and happiness? Profound Paths to Health, Healing and Happiness
10 Tips: Happiness Centered Weight Loss

Spread the word ... NOT the icing,
Janice

Blood Orange Recipes ... Recession Proof and Delicious!  Read on . . .

Kelly Clarkson's Weight Gain:  Weigh-in???? Read on . . .

How to Make Friends: 1,001 and counting!  Read on . . .

Dear OLofWL ~ (Regarding last week's KICK) Barbie is one of the reasons so many girls became fixated on unachievable bodies.  The 6 ft. tall extremely lean model in heels didn't become popular until Barbie became a doll. ~ Dawn L. 

Dear Dawn ~ I did a bit of research after I received your email, and yes ... "if Barbie were alive, she would be a woman standing 7 feet tall with a waistline of 18 inches and a bust line of 38-40. In fact, she would need to walk on all fours just to support her peculiar proportions." (source: empowered parents.com)   While this may be true, I don't remember feeling bad about myself in relation to Barbie.  I had plenty of other real people to compare myself to and then there were those who made a point of letting me know just how chubby I was.  BUT I am now curious ... Tushkateers!  Write me: Barbie good or bad??? ~ OLofWL

* * *

Dear OLofWL ~ I have one comment about your answer to "Ang." in the KITT Club e-letter. I understand why you keep to 1200-1400 calories a day, but some of us big-boned gals might need about 1800 calories a day, even while "dieting". Granted, we're a minority of women, but I'm aiming for 1800-2000 a day. Thanks! ~ Amy

Dear Amy ~ Thank you for writing and pointing that out.  Yes, the bigger the bones, the more you can eat.  As you permanently let go of the excess weight, you'll need to reduce the amount of calories so that you keep on losing.  ~ OLofWL

Dear Janice and OLoWL ~ With regard to your question: what could Our Lady's Tuskateers wear (instead of ears a la the Mouseketeers) ... I'd like to suggest a belt with a real buckle and a real adjustment - NOT elastic!

Wearing what amounts to scrubs with elastic waist bands and stretchy material over the last 4 years made it VERY easy to gain 60+ pounds. The pants just keep stretching and the wake-up call hits you in a family photo or a dress up event where suddenly your closet is the enemy.

Having a belt is a non-scale victory that keeps you honest.  You've kept me company as 40 pounds have gone away, and when the scale is just not nice, that belt tells me it's okay, I'm shrinking.

Respectfully submitted, Darlene (with a name like that, OF COURSE I know Mouseketeers :)!

Dear Darlene ~ Your body may be shrinking, but your happiness glow is ever expanding!!! Reaching out ... BRAVA!!!! AND Brilliant - I love the idea of the buckles and having non-scale victories.  Thank you for sharing your ride with us.  You rock! ~ OLofWL

Check out her column "Now Your Cooking!" and her recipes!  Thanks Jane! 

Sweet Potato Salad

Ingredients:  4 medium size peeled sweet potatoes, cut in small dice  * 1 green apple, washed, unpeeled and cut in small dice * 1/2 cup coarsely chopped red cabbage  * 1/2 cup peeled pistachio nuts  *2 scallions, peeled and cut in 1 inch cylinders

Dressing:  1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice * 1/2 cup low fat yogurt  *1/2 Tab freshly squeezed lime juice

Instructions:  * In a medium size sauce pan add sweet potatoes, cover with water, bring to a boil, turn down and cook about l5 minutes until crisp yet tender, drain and cool. * In a medium size bowl combine sweet potatoes with vegetables.  * In a small bowl, whisk yogurt and juices, and mix well into salad. * Refrigerate until ready to serve.

PROFOUND PATHS to Health, Healing and Happiness ... a Teleseminar Series kicks off on March 3.  Janice Taylor a.k.a. Our Lady of Weight Loss "speaks" on March 31.  

A multitude of bite-sized video clips of Janice on empowHER.com!