CLASSES & JOBS

Losing weight can be a difficult struggle. But it’s also worth it in the end. The important thing is to lose weight in a healthy way, and to lose it gradually over time so it stays off in the end, and so you develop healthy eating and exercising habits. Quick, unhealthy diets are bad for your body and won’t help you keep the weight off in the long run.

I had a friend in school who was very athletic and strong when I met her. She was not at all overweight but for some reason became addicted to quick-fix diets. Seeing her deal with this addiction was one of the scariest experiences of my life. It was terrifying to see a close friend not herself. Her skin was pale, her hair was dead, and you could see every bone in her body. She’s doing very well now, but for a while it was scary. It’s so incredibly important to stay healthy while you’re losing weight!

Whole foods are natural and organic and can be purchased at Whole Foods (the store). It is a very nice idea to purchase things without any chemicals or additives, but economically it is not too pleasing. However, there are things you can do if you want to eat healthy, whole foods but live on a tight budget. One is visiting your local farmer’s market. You can buy plenty of whole food fruits and vegetables for pennies on the dollar. It’s never been so inexpensive. The other thing you can do is shop at organic markets like Whole Foods but keep your shopping list down to a minimum. Buy grains in bulk from the bins, buy fruit and veggies that are on sale, and stay away from all the expensive specialty items.

It is not that I do not support the cause, nor is it that I do not know about the cause. But at certain ages, you have to pick your battles a little bit more carefully. I would rather save money on food and spend it on a book or entertainment. Hopefully at some point I will make enough money to be able to purchase both. I think that whole foods is a growing trend and I think more people would support it if it did not cost as much, but until the prices go down, it’s difficult for all of us to afford to eat as healthy as we would like to.

Being a woman who is active and athletic, I sometimes feel like most exercise or fitness articles are targeted toward men. However, if we search hard enough, there are plenty that are directed toward us women as well. Women can do just as many things as men can, and they can do it equally well or even better. But we do need equipment that is shaped for women because we are often shorter than men.

I don’t really care for women-only gyms, but they are good for some women. I think that the competitiveness of men encourages me to work harder. However, many women don’t like to have men around when they are working out, so women-only gyms are great for them. I have however, found that I really enjoy taking athletic classes targeted toward women. Pilates is an amazing activity. I’m not sure why more men don’t do it, but I haven’t ever seen a man in a Pilates class. Doing Pilates is a great way to get in wonderful shape! It’s a great workout that strengthens and tones your entire body.

So what do you like to do in your spare time? It is amazing how many things we can choose from during any down time we may have. If you have the cash and the inclination, there are activities ranging from learning how to play the bagpipes, to tae kwan do, to stamp collecting, scrap booking, spelunking, zoology, and it seems the list never ends. You can find hobby stores carrying supplies for various models, puzzles, games, kite-making and hobbies galore. It is easy to locate websites designed to instruct or build communities around, say, bird watching or amateur photography. Unsure what to choose from the motley mix? There are even websites geared to help you pick a hobby, and any hobby retailer would be happy to provide suggestions.

You never know where your hobbies will take you. I knew someone in school who was engaged to a guy who was into entomology - or bug collecting. He absolutely insisted that he be allowed to display his collection of specimens at their wedding reception. She must have really loved him, because she went through with it. Can you just see it? I’d like you to meet the bride, and her parents, and the groom and his parents; oh, and please enjoy a tour of bugville while you drink your punch….

Some people even become famous for their hobbies. Television shows feature people and their hobbies – maybe you have seen shows about the strangest restaurants, weird and unusual homes, or what you can make with pipe cleaners. There’s an Al Yankovic song called “The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota,” and it is about just that – a huge ball of twine – wound up just because a Minnesotan had the time and interest to do it. I know a girl who found her husband simply because she decided to take up square dancing. There is the Guinness World Records angle too – if you become a good enough juggler – and can juggle more items longer or faster than anyone else you can get yourself into the famous world record anthology. Pick a hobby – make it uniquely you. You never know what will come of it!

The world of antioxidants…Nutritious drinks popping up everywhere, new companies trying to make a profit any way they can. There has been a lot in the news lately about health drinks with antioxidants. So apparently they are popular. I looked up ‘antioxidant’ in Wikipedia and found that “Antioxidants can cancel out the cell-damaging effects of free radicals. Furthermore, people who eat fruits and vegetables, which are good sources of antioxidants, have a lower risk of heart disease and some neurological diseases, and there is evidence that some types of vegetables, and fruits in general, probably protect against a number of cancers” (from Wiki: Antioxidants). So minus all the biology and chemistry talk about these precious health-savers, I’m thinking they are very valuable for all of us humans to partake.

Then maybe these nutritious drinks are effective afterall. Hmm, I hadn’t thought of them that way. I have to admit - I immediately thought of multi-level marketing or some kind of scam. Which these companies may very well be MLMs, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re bad or evil in any way. They are part of the business world, trying out a new idea to make a profit, just like every other entrepreneur.

Living in Utah, I see dozens of health drink companies arising all over. It’s astounding - the frequency of new companies forming these days. Everyone makes it look so easy to start your own company. It like makes me even want to dive into my own creativity to form some sort of business -about what, I have no idea. LOL!

Oh, so I tried one of these fruit drinks once when I was home with my parents in California. And I must say, without mentioning exactly which company makes it, the taste of the drink was not pleasant. I get the fact that they have all these nutrients and antioxidants in them to help your body get stronger in defense of disease, yada yada yada. But could they please improve the taste a bit? Please? It’s pretty bad when you imagine yourself plugging your nose while swallowing this nutritious drink just to get it in your system without tasting it. I’d just rather take it in pill form. So maybe that’s the new way to go, start creating capsules of your antioxidant supplement drink so people like me can enjoy the benefits without complaining. Yeah I think that’s the best solution so far. Well, the best I can come up with. Any suggestions?

So what is the value of an education? It would be easy to be sidetracked by stopping here to define just what the concept of education means, but I’ll save that for another time. Let us simply classify it as the means of obtaining a degree or certificate from an accredited facility. And again, I pose the question, what good is it really?

I have my bachelor’s degree, and I am proud of that accomplishment. I do not use it in the field I studied, but having a degree has been of use to me in diverse ways in my life. It sets me apart from those who have not graduated from college, and that is helpful when on the job hunt. It helped me learn to be a more divergent thinker. It broadened my horizons and gave me a glimpse into fields of study I would not have encountered any other way. And, truthfully, it is a feather in one’s cap to have a diploma which you earned by your own efforts.

Having the degree is important, but it is the process of getting it that really helps us become better people. It takes plenty of determination to stick with schooling. College and University life can be exciting and rewarding, but it takes a lot of time and money to make it through and accomplish your goals. Personally, I don’t think it matters one bit where your degree comes from-it is the discipline you learn along the way to getting that piece of paper which makes you a more valuable employee, spouse, boss and human being. Having a degree is like passing that difficult math class when mathematics is not even your major. You may never use the math again, but it gives you excellent character to persevere and finish what you started.

I admit it. Try as I might to be healthy and save money, I am a total sucker for fast food. I rarely have the time or the skills to cook anything more complicated than Spaghettios or Ramen Noodles, and even those don’t turn out too pretty at times. I would rather pay more money for something fast, and save myself the time and frustration of making a big meal that is only for me. Call me lazy.

So imagine my surprise when I pulled up to the pay window at one of my favorite Mexican fast food restaurants, and instead of them telling me the price I hear this, “Today is customer appreciation day, so every twentieth customer gets free food! We’ll have that out to you in a second, free of cost”. Wow! In all my life I have never had that happen, unless there was a mistake on the order and I wound up with someone elses’ food. But absolutely free, no strings attached? That just upped my loyalty to that food place!