The Carnival for July 5th

Alcoholism Disease - Is there a Biological and Physiological Basis to Alcoholism? posted at Addiction Recovery Blog

Hi, I’m Fat posted at Mercurial Scribe

5 Tibetan Rites - Easy Yoga for Busy People posted at Tupelo Kenyon

Losing Weight By Re-Focusing posted at The MRG

Kapalabhati Pranayam posted at Beauty & Personality Grooming

Healthy Snack Alternatives from Denise Austin

Healthy Snack Attacks!

Is midday or late-night munching sabotaging your Eat Right! plan? Snacking itself isn't bad — people often comment that I'm constantly nibbling! It's all about smart snacking choices. See how these common snacks stack up to their healthier alternatives:

• Instead of one scoop of ice cream, have 15 frozen grapes or one small frozen banana. You'll save 150 calories and 11 grams of fat while satisfying your craving for something sweet!
• Instead of a handful of potato chips, reach for one cup of peeled baby carrots or celery sticks. You'll satisfy your urge to crunch and save 125 calories and 19 fat grams!
• Instead of butter-lovers' microwave popcorn, have 3.5 cups of air-popped popcorn. You'll save 125 calories and 14 grams of fat!
• Instead of a candy bar, have a chocolate frozen yogurt bar. You'll save 150 calories and 11 grams of fat!

One month blog aniversary.

This week marks my one month and going mark here. How have I done on meeting my 30 day goals well let's take a look shall we.

I have found a layout I like really well.

I went through all of my posts over at yahoo 360 and transfered them here so I could build up my content here.

I have a pretty good sidebar going and I am comfortable with the positioning and such as it doesn't look clunky or awkward.

I can't do anything with compiling a list of my resources here at home until I can get a book shelf and get all the stuff out of boxes so that is on my to do list for the 6 month goals.

I still need to put all of my diet related pictures and images in one folder for quick reference.

So I am very pleased with how this blog is coming along. The Blog Carnival is a great idea and I will continue to do that. Now I just need to market this blog more. I can add that to my 6 month goals.

So my 6 month goals look like this.

1. Spread the word
2. Continue to look for relevant content to blog on
3. Get more local people to notice my blog and encourage them to make comments
4. Look for health related widgets and modules to add(this is ongoing and will change as is needed)
5. Survey consistent readers to find out how useful and informative they feel this blog is.
6. I also want to add to this list writing at least one article by me and setting aside one afternoon a week to research and post the article.

First day of Summer Blog Carnival

Be 40 But Look and Feel Like You?re 20 posted at Raw Food Diet, Bodyweight Fitness and Peak Performance Living

The General Motors (GM) Diet posted at Random Expressions

For the Love of Food | Old Bat News posted at Old Bat News

Weight Loss Without Cravings And No Diet posted at Addiction Recovery Blog

I didn't know that this health search engine existed until I opened my email from Media Post.

Meredith Gets Well with Healia, Latest Digital Asset

by Tameka Kee, Tuesday, Jun 19, 2007 6:00 AM ET

MEREDITH CORP.'S NEWEST FORAY INTO the digital space comes with the acquisition of Healia, a consumer health search engine. Although the financial details of the deal were undisclosed, analysts said the company stands to gain significantly from the contextual targeting and marketing opportunities that come with owning a health care search portal. Healia's value in the space is that its proprietary technology allows users to create a highly relevant set of results by personalizing their health search based on factors such as gender, age, and ethnic group, as well as by focusing on categories such as prevention or drug side effects. As with Microsoft's acquisition of search software developer Medstory in February, the move was seen as a way to capitalize on the reported 8 million Americans who search online for health info daily. While Healia will continue to exist as a stand-alone Web site, look for Meredith to incorporate elements of the search technology onto the health sections of existing sites like BetterHomesandGardens.com. In addition, Healia will roll out features like the ability for customers to search PubMed--a government database of abstracts published from medical journals dating back to the 1950s. "We're looking at how to expand the notion of search for health info, and building the tools that allow people to find health info in a new way," said Dr. Tom Eng, CEO and founder, Healia. "Working with Meredith's scale, consumer reach and marketing expertise gives us a straight shot to the kind of growth we need to achieve our goals." This is Meredith's fourth acquisition in the last year, following its purchase of online marketing firms O'Grady Meyers, Genex and New Media Strategies. Tameka Kee can be reached at tameka@mediapost.com I found this article last week and thought it would be useful for those wanting a health specific search engine.They have the option to place it on your website so I think I am going to put it on my main site and my message board.

Sherry Backman working hard for Loose Lips

I decided to do some shameful product promotion for a fellow Mom Packer her name is Sherry Backman. I say shameful because her products are shamefully exotic and wonderful.

First I have to share with you what happened with the first samples she sent me. I was upset at first but then I hoped and prayed I could get more. My son the wonderful child he is, yeah right, >insert wink here< Now let me tell you about her products. The chamomile mask was cool, refreshing and easy to apply and wash off. It was light as well. Great for a quick refreshing facial.

She sent me two different colors of shimmer; tan and buff, I used both together and they looked amazing. One thing I can't stress enough ladies get rid of those nasty sponge tip applicators. Get you a good quality shadow brush why not email Sherry and tell her you want one. Her email address is sherry@looselipsny.com. A brush tipped applicator certainly applies shadow more evenly with a lot less effort and gets into the creases and fold of your lid better.

Sherry and Loose Lips New York are a first class act. You can't go wrong with Sherry for quick,effortless, reliable service.

She has a returning customer with me and I hope that you email her and let her show you what she can do for you.

June 7th's Blog Carnival Edition

The Danger of Scale Obsession posted at The Fit Shack

Drink water for better weight loss posted at Med Journal Watch

I Can?t Sleep! - 4 Common Causes of Insomnia posted at FitBuff.com's Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog

How to Literally Turn Back Time - The REAL Fountain of Youth posted at FitBuff.com's Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog

So Sioux Me: Self-Loathing Sin Bank posted at So Sioux Me

30 Days of the Slow Carb Diet: Results and Conclusions posted at Pick the Brain

Consumer Reports Diet Ratings posted at Weight Master

Chicken recall

New York Firm Recalls Chicken Products For Possible Listeria Contamination

Recall Release CLASS I RECALL FSIS-RC-026-2007 HEALTH RISK: HIGH Congressional and Public Affairs (202) 720-9113 Amanda Eamich WASHINGTON, June 5, 2007 - The Really Cool Food Company, a Syosset, N.Y., firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 140 pounds of chicken products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today. The following products are subject to recall: [View Labels, PDF Only] Recommendations For People At Risk For Listeriosis Wash hands with warm, soapy water before and after handling raw meat and poultry for at least 20 seconds. Wash cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot, soapy water. Immediately clean spills. Keep raw meat, fish and poultry away from other food that will not be cooked. Use separate cutting boards for raw meat, poultry and egg products and cooked foods. Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon meats, bologna or other deli meats unless reheated until steaming hot. Do not eat refrigerated pâté, meat spreads from a meat counter or smoked seafood found in the refrigerated section of the store. Foods that don't need refrigeration, like canned tuna and canned salmon, are safe to eat. Refrigerate after opening. Do not drink raw (unpasteurized) milk and do not eat foods that have unpasteurized milk in them. Do not eat salads made in the store such as ham salad, chicken salad, egg salad, tuna salad or seafood salad. Do not eat soft cheeses such as Feta, queso blanco, queso fresco, Brie, Camembert cheeses, blue-veined cheeses and Panela unless it is labeled as made with pasteurized milk. Use precooked or ready-to-eat food as soon as you can. Listeria can grow in the refrigerator. The refrigerator should be 40 °F or lower and the freezer 0 °F or lower. Use an appliance thermometer to check the temperature of your refrigerator. 12-ounce trays of "STOP & SHOP All Natural Grilled Balsamic Flavored Chicken Breast, ALL-NATURAL CHEF PREPARED READY-TO-HEAT MEALS." Each label bears the establishment number "P-33912" inside the USDA mark of inspection and a "Sell-by" date of "6/12/07." The chicken products were produced on May 24, 2007 and were distributed to retail establishments in New Jersey and New York. The problem was discovered through routine FSIS microbiological testing. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products. Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal disease. Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis. However, listeriosis can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. Listeriosis can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths, as well as serious and sometimes fatal infections in those with weakened immune systems, such as infants, the elderly and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy. Consumers and media with questions about the recall should contact company representative Cortney McCraw with Freud Communications at (212) 582-0375. Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

The latest on the FTC,junk food Ad's and childhood obesity.

Less Bloat: FTC Says Kids See Fewer TV Food Ads Than 30 Years Ago

by Wayne Friedman, Monday, Jun 4, 2007 7:45 AM ET

CONTRADICTING EARLIER STUDIES, A NEW government report suggests that we may not be able to blame TV for kids' obesity. That's because there are fewer TV food ads now than 30 years ago. According to the Federal Trade Commission, children ages 2-11 were exposed to fewer paid TV food advertising minutes, at about 9% fewer ads--5,538 commercials in 2004 versus 6,100 food ads in 1977. "Our data does not support the view that children are exposed to more TV food ads today," the FTC said in its report, which was released Friday. Of the food TV spots airing currently, almost 95% are pitching fast foods and restaurants, high-sugared cereal, desserts, sweets, snacks and sweetened drinks. But the FTC says this data doesn't say much--especially as it relates to the growing obesity issue. "While the foods advertised on children's programming in 2004 do not constitute a balanced diet, this was the case as well in 1977, before the rise in obesity," the FTC notes in its report. The FTC also said children viewed 7% fewer non-food paid commercials in 2004 than in 1977--12,786 versus 13,629. As for kid-targeted promos and public service announcements, the FTC says that number more than doubled to 7,305 from 2,190. The report didn't break down which of these messages were food- and non-food-related. Concerning messaging overall, the FTC said that in 2004 there were 25,600 messages--of all types--directed at kids, versus 21,900 in 1977. The FTC 2004 study is at odds with others that put recent food ad figures at a much higher level. The Kaiser Family Foundation, for example, concluded in its 2005 study, which was released in March, that kids are seeing more junk food ads today than ever before--some 12,000 advertisements for kids 2-12, or more than double the FTC's figure. The FTC reports adds that, not surprisingly, a large majority of kids' TV viewing of commercials comes from cable networks such as Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. Sixty-one percent percent of children's total ad exposure and 72% of their food ad exposure was from cable programming. Other kids' TV viewing data said commercials viewed by kids average 25 seconds in length; that kids view two-and-a-quarter hours of ad-supported television a day, or 16 hours per week; and that over 50% of the ads were seen between 4 p.m. and midnight. Less than 5% of the ads were watched on Saturday morning between 8 a.m. and noon.

For Diabetics on Avandia this is a MUST Read.

Glaxo, Top Ad Spender, Didn't Publicize Diabetes Drug's Risks

By Andrea Gerlin

June 1 (Bloomberg) -- GlaxoSmithKline Plc was the drug industry's top advertiser last year, promoting its asthma and diabetes treatments to patients and doctors. Information the company didn't make well known is now drawing more attention.

London-based Glaxo knew its Avandia diabetes pill posed a risk for heart and circulatory complications as early as 1999, when the medicine won U.S. approval. The cardiovascular concern wasn't widely disseminated until May 21 when a Cleveland Clinic Foundation analysis reported that Avandia may cause a 43 percent higher risk of heart attacks than other drugs.

A similar review, begun in 2005 by Glaxo, found that Avandia raised the risk of reduced blood flow to the heart, including heart attacks, by 31 percent. The company gave the review to U.S. regulators and put it on its Web site last year amid more than 2,000 studies. Glaxo says the heart-risk studies, including its own, are flawed and it isn't obligated, or legally required, to highlight every study done on its drugs.

``Why would you publicize it?,'' Glaxo Chief Executive Officer Jean-Pierre Garnier told reporters at the company's annual meeting May 23 in London. ``We don't publicize every submission we make to the Food and Drug Administration.''

Glaxo, the world's second-largest drugmaker after New York- based Pfizer Inc., spent $849 million on consumer advertising last year, the most of any pharmaceutical company, according to Nielsen Monitor Plus, a unit of New York-based Nielsen Media Research Inc.

Shares Decline

The Cleveland Clinic report released in the New England Journal of Medicine has caused Glaxo shares to decline 11.5 percent since then, cutting 8.91 billion pounds ($17.6 billion) from the company's market value. Glaxo shares fell 18 pence, 1.5 percent, to 1310 pence in London yesterday.

Avandia generated $3 billion for Glaxo last year, or 7 percent of total sales, and at least $12 billion since 1999. Analysts had estimated sales of $4 billion in 2007. The medicine helps the body better use insulin to lower high blood sugar, which in excessive amounts can cause complications such as heart disease, and kidney and eye damage.

By 2005, the drugmaker had spent almost $200 million on advertisements advising U.S. consumers to ask their doctors about Avandia, its second best-selling product. Advertising included warnings contained in prescribing information, such as ``Avandia may cause fluid retention or swelling, which can make some heart problems worse or lead to heart failure,'' from a 2005 television commercial.

``It's fair to say that from early on there have always been a few events of cardiovascular nature,'' Glaxo Chief Medical Officer Ron Krall said May 21.

Call for Research

As far back as April 1999, executives of SmithKline Beecham Plc, which a year later merged with GlaxoWellcome Plc to become GlaxoSmithKline Plc, told the FDA that Avandia caused ``minimal'' cardiovascular side effects and ``mild to moderate'' fluid buildup. Fluid in the lungs or bloodstream can increase the heart's workload.

The agency cleared the drug for sale the next month. Some advisory committee members called for more research on potential complications.

In February 2001, after the drug was on the market, Glaxo agreed to an FDA request to change the drug's prescribing label to warn doctors that Avandia, like other drugs in its class, can cause fluid retention.

Company sales representatives who knew the risks ``denied their existence'' three months later in oral presentations at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists' meeting in San Antonio, Texas, FDA officials noted in a July 2001 letter to Glaxo.

FDA Criticism

The FDA told Glaxo in that letter that its marketers should stop denying or minimizing the increased risk of ``heart failure or other cardiovascular adverse events'' in patients taking the drug with insulin, according to the FDA's Web site. The agency criticized Glaxo for continuing to ``engage in false or misleading promotion of Avandia.''

Analysts at Citigroup Inc. and Morgan Stanley had noted possible cardiovascular side effects in notes to investors last year.

``The key issue in addition to at least equivalent efficacy of Avandia to metformin and glyburide is cardiovascular safety,'' Citigroup analysts wrote in a Nov. 23 report.

The next month, as results of a large-scale, company-funded trial were published, Glaxo executives said the overall risk of death, heart attack and stroke with Avandia was similar to other diabetes medicines.

Diabetes researcher Rury Holman of Oxford University in the U.K., an investigator in the $100 million company study, known as ADOPT, said in a Dec. 3 interview that the results would cause concern.

`We Can't Deny'

``These people are early diagnosis, they haven't got complications,'' Holman said. ``The fact that we're seeing these cardiovascular effects in them, we can't deny that. The concern when these data come out is you've got relatively healthy patients and still there's a little bit of a signal.''

Earlier this year, cardiologist Steven Nissen and co- researcher Kathy Wolski of the Cleveland Clinic found Glaxo's own analysis of Avandia studies while scouring the company's Web site. The two uncovered the analysis after failing to gain the company's cooperation for their review, Nissen said in an interview May 23.

``I just built this piece by piece until I had enough,'' Nissen said. ``Then I stumble upon the company's own meta analysis deeply buried on their Web site, and it shows the same thing. It was a eureka moment for sure.''

The company's failure to place as much emphasis on Avandia's risks as it placed on the drug's benefits may hurt it because of possible legal liability, Morgan Stanley analysts led by Andrew Baum said May 21 in a note. Avandia is facing competition from newer treatments, and reports of a heart risk may hurt sales by as much as 50 percent, analysts estimate.

GlaxoSmithKline's ``robust defense of Avandia safety and their conduct comes with a high risk if evidence of poor disclosure subsequently emerges,'' Baum wrote.

To contact the reporters on this story: Andrea Gerlin in London at agerlin@bloomberg.net Michelle Fay Cortez in Minneapolis at mcortez@bloomberg.net

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I would like to hear from you on this as to what your thoughts are. Do drug companies have a responsibility to fully disclose all of the risks involved with their medications? Should they face legal ramifications for not disclosing all of the potential risks and side effects?Do you think Glaxo really did give full disclosure or that it was according to them adequate?

I did a bit of research for a class last semester on drug companies and pricing and I found some interesting things about Glaxo's competitor Pfizer as well. That is a whole other blog though.

Find a YMCA Family Fitness Challenge near you.

For those who are local to Kansas City Kansas and Kansas City Missouri and have a YMCA membership there are plenty of branches to hook up with to participate in this.

Read the following article from KMBC 9 news to find out what it is about and where you can go to participate.

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. -- Getting fit while having fun is the primary goal of the YMCA's Family Fitness Challenge. But some families are noticing even more benefits.In addition to quality time and nutrition tips, YMCA leaders said they like to provide what they call "nutrition of the soul.""Caring. If we can get our kids to be more caring, they won't run over each other in line and will care about their fellow man. Honesty. We all realize the world would be a better place if everyone was honest. Responsibility. We're all responsible for our actions as individuals. In the Family Fitness Challenge, everyone is responsible to make our lives better," YMCA chaplain Artrell Harris said.

KMBC's Kelly Eckerman reported that members of the Erickson family recognize the influence of Family Fitness classes and the increase in family time."I sense leadership in them that I didn't see before. It's a by-product of all this and it's a wonderful thing to see," said Melanie Erickson."Time is love and it's a core value. When you put time into a situation, you will only find fruits of that effort," Harris said.To find a Family Fitness Challenge class for your family

8th Street Family YMCA (Kansas City, Kan.)
Wednesdays from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Blue Springs Family YMCA
Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 11:20 a.m.

Bonner Springs Family YMCA
Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Clay-Platte Family YMCA
Mondays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Cleaver Family YMCA
Mondays from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Independence Family YMCA
Mondays from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Lee's Summit Family YMCA
Mondays from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Linwood YMCA
Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Olathe Family YMCA
Saturdays from 1:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.

Paul Henson Family YMCA (Prairie Village, Kan.)
Sundays from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

Platte County Community Center North operated by the YMCA (Platte City)
Tuesdays from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Platte County Community Center South operated by the YMCA (Parkville)
Tuesdays from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Providence YMCA/Ball Family YMCA (Kansas City, Kan.)
Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Red Bridge Family YMCA
Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Richard C. Green Sr. Family YMCA (Raytown)
Mondays from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


When I copied and pasted this over I got a bunch of code interspersed in with it due to freakin advertisements within the article so I had to piece it together the best I could. You get the gist of it though.

30 day goal update.

My 30 day goals have been met by roughly %40. Here is what I have done.
I have found a layout and design that I really like , yeah it is from bloggers very limited free templates but I really do like it.

I have gone through my yahoo 360 blog and found all of my health related posts and have them saved and archived here for future times when I want to put something that is still relevant and timely on my blog but don't have the time to put together a lengthy post.

What I still need to get done is:

Build my link list.

Go through all of my pictures and put my diet and health related pictures/designs in one folder so I have easy access to them for my blog.

I also need to gather all of my resources here at home and put them in one easy to get to place so I don't have to go rummaging through all of my boxes. Unfortunately that will have to wait until I can get this bookshelf I have my eye on down at the budget furniture place.

My 6 month goals are also progressing to some extent.

I am continuing to spread the word that I have a business blog on the net.

I am always on the lookout for relevant content to blog on.

My big goal is for those who are local to me to read my blog and comment on it. That will come in time. I am thankful that it is taking shape though and through my efforts to build strong friendships on the net anything is possible.

I do plan on doing three surveys one to start being put together and emailed out next week. A second one to be conducted the week that August 25th falls on and another During the week that November 25th falls in. Oh yup I hear it now so why are you going to send out a survey over the week Thanksgiving falls on. Well my answer is this. It will allow me to figure out what information and how to present it for those who plan to over eat so they can do their annual " I fell off the diet wagon now I need help" thing and hope I can snag a few new message board members that way.

Teen Diets Can Cause Lasting Damage

Teenagers and dieting are not a good pair, according to a recent study that followed the eating habits of more than 2,500 teens over a period of several years. Researchers from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis found not only that teens who dieted were more likely to try unhealthy tactics to drop pounds quickly, but also that they were far more likely to be heavier five years later than those who didn't diet! What's worse, their risk of developing a lifelong eating disorder like bulimia or anorexia was six times higher than that of the kids who didn't diet!

Health professionals have long said that putting a child or a teen on a diet is a bad idea. So how can you help your child deal with a weight issue? Start with a trip to your doctor, they say. Together you can develop a healthy — and long-term — plan of attack. As this study clearly shows, unhealthy eating habits can start young, and can haunt your child for years to come. So keep your teen off the fad-diet roller coaster, and teach him or her how to eat smart for life!

May 25th's Blog Carnival

Lack Of Or No Energy? Always Feel Tired? It Might Be Your Diet posted at Tall Muscle Actor Blog

Kitchen Essentials posted at Frugal Aussie

I Want to Lose Weight, But… posted at New Hampshire Fitness Personal Trainer NH

Benefits of intramural sports in college posted at CampusGrotto College Blog

Funny things to do at the gym posted at Weight Master

From Chubby to Studdly Part 1 posted at Arun is bringing you...Your Daily Remedy

Statistical Analysis Of Diet posted at Weight Loss Dude

Pilates & Reiki In Paradise Blog: Pilates After Menopause posted at Pilates & Reiki In Paradise Blog

Top 10 tips to keeping fit posted at about islam about life about me about you

Fish Oil. Huh? Fish?Oil?? posted at FitBuff.com's Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog

Lose Weight in 10 Easy Steps with Traditional Chinese Medicine posted at The Authentic Bartender Blog

Towards a Better Life Articles » Archive » Lose Weight through Self-Affirmation posted at Personal Development Articles

How To Design A Workout posted at 60 IN 3

Quick workout tips from Denise Austin

Strapped for Time?

Having trouble squeezing in your workout? Try these tips from other busy Fit Forever! members:

• Set your alarm to go off a half-hour earlier than everyone else's, and get your workout out of the way first thing!
• If a mad morning rush leaves you with no time, try getting everything ready the night before (including lunches packed and clothing set out).
• Don't be afraid to delegate some household tasks to other family members and make time for exercise! You shouldn't try to do everything all by yourself.
• Cut down on kitchen time by making double recipes and freezing half for a quick heat-and-eat meal another day!
• Take your kids to a school or park and walk laps while they play or go on a bike ride together.
• If you can't fit in one 30-minute walk, break it into three 10-minute jaunts throughout your day.
• Tone up with fidgetsizes! Do butt squeezes in the elevator, leg lifts at your desk, leg squats while blow-drying your hair, tummy tucks while watching the news, etc. Do what you can, when you can.
• Think small! Even if it isn't a full workout, five or 10 minutes of movement is better than nothing!

House: Hearings On Food Marketing To Kids

House: Hearings On Food Marketing To Kids

by Wayne Friedman, Tuesday, May 22, 2007 7:45 AM ET

AS IF TV NETWORKS DON'T have enough to worry about when it comes to food advertisers. Now word comes that the House Telecommunications & Internet Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), will probably hold hearings on the media's food marketing to kids--possibly this summer. The only question is whether to hold them before or after a government-industry task force on childhood obesity and food marketing makes its recommendations to Congress. That task force could recommend limiting--or even eliminating--food ads for children's television programs. Markey doesn't want to wait, which could raise concerns for nervous kids' TV advertisers--especially those that buy TV time in the high-demand fourth-quarter holiday sales. In a separate but related matter, the FCC yesterday gave WKBW-TV in Buffalo, N.Y. an official reprimand for failing to maintain its files on children's programming.

Java at the Gym?

If you think having a cup of coffee will help you get through your workout, think again! In fact, a recent study found that drinking the equivalent of two cups of coffee before exercise actually hindered blood flow to the heart during a workout! Less blood flow means less oxygen-rich blood fueling your energy fire. The researchers who conducted the study say that while caffeine does have the ability to make you feel more alert mentally, it won't increase your athletic performance.

So what's the right way to jumpstart your workout? The researchers suggest skipping that cup of joe and opting for water instead. Eating well throughout the day and getting enough sleep at night will help too, they say. This study confirms what I've said many times before: Don't look to an outside solution — like caffeine — for a boost. If you want more energy, give your body the nutrition, rest, and movement it needs!

A Fat Tax? A story I found last month yet is still relevant.

If junk food cost more, would it discourage you from buying it? That's the question prompting the idea of a "fat tax," proposed by Yale University psychology professor Kelly D. Brownell. He suggests slapping a 7 to 10 percent tax on unhealthy foods like chips and soda, hoping to "offset" the higher cost of healthier foods like fresh fruits and vegetables. The money could go toward programs to educate the public on the basics of eating right, and higher prices for empty- calorie foods would lead people to reach for healthier options, he says.

But critics aren't yet convinced — they argue that similar "sin taxes" on products like alcohol and cigarettes have not had the desired effect. Others say such a tax would penalizes those with the least amount of income by making food more expensive.

It's a novel idea, but why wait for the government to take action? Start boycotting these foods now! Paying a little more for fruits and veggies buys you and your family good health — and that's something you can't put a price on!

Ok if we boycott unhealthy junk food instead of putting a tax on it, then it would make more sense. Say for example one store sold 12 cases on avg of snack cakes with each case containing 12 boxes of snack cakes and sold them for 1.75 a box.that is 21.00 per case. If no one bought that case full of snacks that would mean the rest of the cases would potentially not sell and if there was a pallet of 36 cases of the snack cakes then the snack cake company would take roughly a 756 dollar hit in rejected merchandise just for one store. Now imagine a chain of stores in one town that had four chains that would be about $3024 worth of rejected sales. I would think instead of punishing the consumer by initiating a tax and still rewarding the snack cake company via the trickle down effect, that the company should be penalized. Yes it would mean a loss of wages eventually for the company employees and more importantly may shut the company down if they choose not make a healthier line, however, it would certainly make the corporate junk food companies stand up and take notice if one of their competitors took that drastic of a beating by the consumer.

Can You Boost Your Mood With Food?

The vast majority of us reach for comfort foods when we're feeling low. And while you've heard me preach time and again that that's not a good idea, new research shows that there is something you should snack on when you need a pick-me-up — omega-3 fatty acids! Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh recently discovered that omega-3s not only protect your heart and cut your risk of serious diseases, they can also give you a mood boost! Talk about a win-win situation!

So where can you find these feel-good nutrients? Fattier fish like mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon are all high in omega-3s. Not a seafood fan? You can also find omega-3s in tofu and soybeans, as well as in canola, walnut, and flaxseed oils. Finally, fish oil supplements also contain omega-3s, but be careful not to take more than 3 grams a day — overdoing it on omega-3s can have harmful side effects, such as increased bleeding and a higher risk of stroke.

The next time you're having a bad day, opt for omega-3s instead of ice cream and do your body — and your mood — good!

Fast, Not Fattening!

In a hurry? Fast-food restaurants are a convenient and quick option.

And the good news is that in a pinch, you can head to the drive-thru without derailing your weight loss efforts! Here's how:

• Stay on the healthy side: Many fast-food restaurants now offer side salads, grilled chicken sandwiches, fruit parfaits, and low-fat toppings. Make sure you take advantage of these options!
• Grilled, not fried: There's a big difference in fat and calories between a deep-fried chicken sandwich and one made with a skinless grilled chicken breast. Go grilled!
• Get it on the side: Ask for sandwiches without such condiments as mayo and secret sauce. Instead, ask for a packet of mustard, low-fat mayo, or ketchup and add it yourself.
• Skip the extra cheese: An ounce of cheese can add 10 grams of fat. You don't need it!
• Watch out for salads: Some salads aren't so good for you — especially when they're topped with cheese, fried chicken strips, bacon, and creamy dressings! Keep it simple — stick to a green salad with low-calorie dressing.
• Practice portion control: Resist the urge to upsize for a few cents more. It's just extra calories — and that's no bargain!
• Have water or iced tea: They're free of calories — unlike soda. And they're not loaded with artificial chemicals — like diet drinks.
• Ask for a calorie guide: It's easier to make good choices when you see everything in print.

Get to the Core of It!

Want to have an attractive, firm, flat stomach? You're not alone! But did you know that there's a lot more to your abs than just good looks? Your abdominal muscles are vital to almost every activity you do — from running and playing tennis to picking up a bag of groceries and standing up tall! Think of your abs as the "core" from which all your power comes!

So why not tap into this energy source? Make sure you do some type of abdominal-building exercise at least three times a week, whether it's the ever-popular crunches or the core-building moves of Pilates. Put working out your abs on your to-do list! Not only will you be stronger, but you'll enjoy the lean, sleek physique that goes along with fit abs!

The best part is that it won't be long before you see the results of your efforts — even if you've had a baby — because this muscle group bounces back fast once you get started. So get those abs moving!

What's Your Eating Type?

Part of overcoming your struggle with weight is understanding how it began. Need some help getting started? See if you can recognize your overeating type. Keep in mind that you may be a combination of these:

The Indulger: For indulgers, eating is used to nurture and reward. While you should be good to yourself, that doesn't have to come with calories attached. Think of some nonfood rewards instead. How about a bubble bath, pedicure, or some new flowers from your garden, for example?

The Critic: Critics are always telling themselves that they're never going to be good enough — so why bother? "You can't, you won't, you aren't…" And on and on it goes. Remember, being fit isn't about being perfect. It's about doing your best and getting back on track when you derail.

The Rebel: Rebels eat "bad" foods to feel good. But remember, unhealthy eating doesn't "get back" at anyone. In fact, the only one you're hurting is yourself. So dye your hair, listen to alternative music, or wear red when everyone else is wearing gray, but skip the chocolate cake!

The Victim: The voice inside the victim's head says, "You just can't stop yourself. You're helpless." You eat and eat, then tell yourself it wasn't your fault. There's always an excuse. But the reality is, the only one who can control your eating is you. So stop feeling powerless and start taking charge!

SO What Eating Type Are YOU?

Find the Perfect Gym!

Joining a health club is a great way to jumpstart your fitness. But how do you choose the right one? The experts at the American Council on Exercise (ACE) advise customers to consider these factors:

• Location: Choose a location that's close to either your home or work, along your regular beaten path. If it's not conveniently located, it's too easy to skip!
• Class schedules: If you want to join group classes, make sure the club has a variety of them scheduled at times that work for you.
• Staff: Personal trainers and group class leaders should be certified through a recognized certification organization such as ACE.
• Hours: Make sure the club is open at times you'll want to use it. Visit to see how crowded the classes are and how long the lines for exercise machines are during those times.
• A test drive: Try the club out before you commit to an extended club membership. Ask for a free trial!
• Payments: Get all the details about club fees. Is there a membership fee in addition to monthly fees? Are some services extra — for example, towels and child care? Are there any specials?
• Reputation: Ask around to find out how others feel about the club. Check with the Better Business Bureau to make sure there aren't any complaints on file.
• Little details: As you tour the club, take note of how clean it is, how loud the music is, and whether the machines are maintained. Is the atmosphere a good fit for you?

Choosing the right gym is key to sticking with your fitness program. Believe it or not, your health club can be somewhere you like to be! Find one that suits your style and personality, and you'll be on track for a fitter, healthier you!

The ABCD's of Skin Cancer

Did you know that skin cancer is the most common type of cancer? Did you also know that it doesn't matter whether you've spent a little or a lot of time tanning, have blond hair or brown, are 30 years old or 60 — you could be at risk for melanoma, the rarest but most dangerous type of skin cancer? The good news is that skin cancer grows slowly, so it's relatively easy to cure when you catch it in its early stages. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests you keep an eye on any moles on your body, and ask your doctor to check moles for the following:

A: Asymmetry — when one side of the mole is not shaped like the other.
B: Border irregularity — a scalloped or poorly defined border rather than a round edge.
C: Color — a mole that has more than one color (for example, a combination of tan, brown, black, red, or blue).
D: Diameter — a mole that is larger around than a pencil eraser.

While most moles pose no harm, it's a good idea to get a skin exam periodically just to be on the safe side. Don't forget, the best protection is prevention. Be sure to put on sunscreen with a SPF of 15 or higher every day — not just when you hit the beach! Sure, a beach-bronzed body may look good now, but the risk of skin cancer — not to mention premature aging — isn't worth it! If you're not blessed with natural color and just can't live without a tan, reach for sunless tanning products or simply learn to love that porcelain complexion. Remember, healthy is beautiful!

Dig In! (Denise Austin)

Want an excuse to play in the dirt? Here's one — gardening is good for you! It's true! Raking leaves, digging holes, mowing the lawn, and pushing wheelbarrows can burn tons of calories while keeping your heart, lungs, and circulatory systems in top shape! All that lifting and tugging will also lead to stronger muscles and bones!

Just look at the calories you can burn by exercising that green thumb:

Activity (30 minutes)	Calories burned
Turning compost	250
Mowing lawn	200
Planting trees	182
Pruning shrubs	182
Digging	173
Raking	162
Pulling weeds	145
Bagging leaves	144

Ok this will not solve anything we need education not regulation.

This was from a blog post from my 360 page a few months ago I wanted to repost it here as I thought it is still something worth keeping on the front burner.


Kids' Advertisers Bolster Defenses at ANA Conference

Lawyers Warn Marketers to Prepare for a Litigious 2007

By Stephanie Thompson and Lisa Sanders

Published: January 17, 2007

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Lawyers are rolling up their sleeves for the bounty of work in the children's advertising arena this year surrounding obesity and, likely, a whole lot more.

Despite intimating that no peace is in sight for an industry trying to protecting itself against potential litigants, John Feldman was adamant that food marketers not be constrained by critics and regulations.

"2007 will be a year of focus on kids' advertising," said John Feldman, partner at law firm Reed Smith, at the Association of National Advertisers' Advertising Law & Business Affairs Conference that began today. At the conference, Mr. Feldman announced the creation of KidAdLaw.com, a website offering news and updates on regulatory activities pertaining to marketing to children.

Right now, he said, the scrutiny is on food marketers' advertising to children, but a number of other self-regulated categories could be next on the docket. "Politically," he said, "what gets traction better than kids?"

'Children's Advertising in the Crosshairs'
Mr. Feldman and C. Lee Peeler, president-CEO of the National Advertising Review Council, appeared in a panel dubbed "Overweight and Overwrought: Children's Advertising in the Crosshairs."

At issue were what Mr. Feldman calls the "rules of the sandbox" for marketers of children's products or services amid newly revised guidelines for the Children's Advertising Review Unit and the creation of a Children's Food & Beverage Advertising Initiative led by the top 10 marketers in the kids' package-goods space.

Despite intimating that no peace is in sight for an industry trying to protecting itself against potential litigants, Mr. Feldman was adamant that food marketers not be constrained by critics and regulations. "If you're in the business of selling candy, sell candy; if you're in the business of selling burgers, sell burgers," he said. Where marketers need to tread carefully in this high-stakes game of "gotcha" is in dressing up products as healthy when they're not.

"If you make something that is a treat, full of fat and calories, any implication that it's healthy is dangerous," he said.

'The No. 1 commercial pariah'
Indeed, if food marketers aren't careful, said Guy M. Blynn, VP-deputy general counsel, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., they could end up like his employer, which he called "the No. 1 commercial pariah in America."

Mr. Blynn, along with Geoffrey K. Beach, a partner at law firm Jones Day, spoke on a panel called "Where There's Smoke, There's Fire." They shared lessons learned and advice going forward for attendees, such as those from Big Food, who may find themselves in similar situations.

For example, Mr. Beach suggested several approaches to writing and keeping documents that may help marketers in the case of a lawsuit. When even a memo outlining a brainstorming session can come back to bite a company in court, "context is key," he said. One little explanatory paragraph at the start of a document could be enough to show the true weight of a printed statement. It is also important to remember that documents will be around for a long, long time, so "mean what you say, and say what you mean."

The ultimate key to staying out of the courts, however, may lie in permission-based direct marketing, they said. It's all about making it hard to opt in and easy to opt out. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco's age-verification process is multitiered and backed up by either face-to-face proof or third-party verification -- but that's a lot to go through to buy a box of Oreos.

We need education in society to make healthy food choices it is sad when we have left common sense so far at the end of the universe that we now have to have regulatory measures to keep us from buying junk food not only for us but our children. Furthermore what the hell is up with letting children control the junk food that comes into the house and the marketing anyway. Just say no to your kids they will get over it. They dont need moon pies, candy bars, snack cakes, and all that other crap. I say no to my kid at least a thousand times if not more when it comes to junk food and the purchase of it in the store or wherever we may be. We have at minimum ice cream on a regular basis around here. I did buy him Yogos the other day but I rationed them out to him. I don't let him have all the candy he gets at Halloween, and Valentines day. I go through it pick out the junk and then let him have what I consider the healthier of the lot. Then I trash the rest of it. He is better for it and he has demonstrated at school to his teachers that he can make healthy food choices at breakfast and lunch.

It starts in the home parents need to get the kids out from in front of the TV anyway if they arent in front of the TV 24/7 then they arent exposed to the ads pure and simple. I let my son watch maybe two hrs a night tops of tv. On the weekends it is negotiable depending on what there is on TV that I want to watch. Moderation is also key if you really feel that it is going to be detrimental to your relationship with your child to never let him or her have junk food then learn how to ration it out to them so they dont make gluttons of themselves.

I am on a limited income but just because I am on a limited income doesnt mean I have to eat junk. I can still eat healthy. Instead of macaroni and cheese and hot dogs with white bread have a lean hamburger with low fat sliced cheese and a vegetable it really does cost about the same maybe just a little more but it is worth it to spend more on healthy foods than junk foods.

I want to hear your thoughts fire away and hold nothing back. Just try and be respectful and no name calling at the very least.

Joe

Keep Kids' Sports Safe from Denise Austin

One of the best things you can do to help your child avoid lifelong weight problems is to encourage him or her to get involved in sports or other physical activities at a young age — but don't forget to talk to them about safety. Experts at the Children's Health and Research Center in Oakland say sharing the following advice with your kids can cut childhood sports-related injuries by 80 percent!

• Always warm up beforehand
• Do a variety of activities rather than the same movements over and over
• Learn to recognize when it's time to take a break
• Don't try to lift weights until after puberty, and then only with a doctor's okay and lots of supervision
• Focus on fitness, not just performance
• Stop at the first sign of pain rather than trying to push through it

Teach your kids to play it smart when it comes to staying active, and they'll grow up healthy and strong!

Foods That Fight Cancer from Denise Austin

Need another reason to stick with your commitment to eat right? The same foods that help you manage your weight also significantly reduce your risk of getting cancer, say the health experts at the American Institute for Cancer Research. How? Nutrient-rich foods are packed with compounds that protect your cells from the type of damage that can lead to cancerous mutations. While all fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains are beneficial, the following foods are especially recommended for their cancer-fighting properties:

Fruits: Red and purple grapes and grape juice, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries.
Vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, kale, spinach, romaine lettuce, leaf lettuce, mustard greens, collard greens, chicory, Swiss chard, tomatoes, and garlic.
Beans: Lentils, soybeans, and peas.
Whole grains: Brown rice, whole wheat, oatmeal, air-popped popcorn, wild rice, kasha, and tabbouleh.

So go ahead — load up your plate with "super foods!" You'll combat your cancer risk and slim down at the same time — it's a win-win situation!

Todays TGIF Carnival

10 Steps to Better Efficiency in Your Day to Day Life posted at BurstCreativity

Todays Carnival

Cinch Weight Loss and Management posted at A Healthy Earth

The Powerful Benefits of Walking posted at ZenChill.com Power Tools Blog

Two part Sotry of "junk" food ads and Marky's continued involvments.

Part One

Markey Wants to Put Kids TV On Ad Diet

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Max Robins on The Howie Carr Show

Part Four of Four

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By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/16/2007 5:56:00 PM

If one powerful legislator has his way, some educational children's programming would not count toward a TV station's three-hour minimum of such programming per week, and fast food and snack food ads would be banned from kids shows by the FCC.

That was one of the suggestions from House Telecommunications Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey (D-Mass.) to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and commissioners Deborah Tate and Michael Copps.

The three were instrumental in the creation of the Task Force on Media and Childhood Obesity, a government/private industry partnership on ways to combat childhood obesity through changes in the media's marketing of snack and fast foods.

Markey wants to make sure that the task force. While Markey praised "purely voluntary steps, he said that he didn't think "sprinkling public service announcements for exercise and good nutrition into an avalanche of television advertising for unhealthy foods will be adequate.

Actually, the media effort goes beyond that to include exercise initiative and pledges by major advertisers to reduce the number of snack and fast food ads in kids shows, as well as employing iconic characters such as SpongeBob to do some host selling of spinach and other veggies.

Markey said the FCC has the authority and the "affirmative obligation" to "examine whether placing limitations on certain food advertising to children would further the public interest," which Markey clearly thinks it is.

He suggests that unless there is a "dramatic and swift elimination of advertisements for "junk food" during kids shows, the FCC should reduce the number of commercial minutes allowed--currently capped at 10.5 minutes per hour on weekends and 12 on weekends, and discount educational shows from counting toward a station's FCC-friendly kids quotas.

"If a "core" educational program tells kids to eat healthy foods and exercise, but the advertisements aired during the program encourage them to eat Twinkies and Fruit Loops, the ads have the potential to undercut the educational and informative value," he argues.

Markey cites his Children's Television Act as giving the FCC the power to restrict the ads.

Markey gave the three until May 4 to tell him 1) whether they had examined other countries' efforts to combat childhood obesity, 2) whether they think the commission should limit or eliminate food ads on TV watched by kids, 3) whether they supported disqualifying educational shows with "junk food" ads from the FCC-friendly moniker, 4) and what other ideas they have for flexing the FCC's muscle to ensure station licensees aren't making the obesity and poor nutrition problems worse.

Part 2

Martin: FCC May Need To Regulate Food Ads

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Max Robins On The Howie Carr Show

Part one of two-May 7th, 2007

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By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/14/2007 1:22:00 PM

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin--with Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate concurring--says the FCC may have to take steps to put additional restrictions on TV food advertising to kids. These restrictions could include limiting or eliminating the advertisements if the government/industry task force does not come up with sufficient self-regulation.

They also said that any such regulation should target cable, where they argue the marketing of snack foods that "exacerbates the problems of childhood obesity and poor nutrition." They added that any proposed solution that does not include cable regulations "would be inappropriate and ineffective."

The comments came in a letter to House Telecommunications And Internet Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey in response to Markey's questions about the FCC's implementation of the Children's TV Act, which Markey spearheaded.

Martin and Tate also said that the FCC would consider Markey's proposal to disqualify shows that air "junk food" ads from meeting the FCC's three-hour weekly educational programming minimum if the task force-- of which Martin and Tate are members-- did not come up with sufficient self-regulation.

Markey also asked the FCC to open an inquiry on food marketing, which Martin and Tate said they would consider after the task force had produced its recommendations. Recommendations are expected this summer.

Markey, in response to their letter, suggested the commission shouldn’t wait until then.

“While the recently-formed Task Force on Media and Childhood Obesity may in the future provide insightful recommendations for the television industry and the FCC to consider in confronting this issue, any proposals it makes will ultimately be non-binding," Markey said in a response statement.

"Further, the ongoing work of the Task Force does not relieve the Commission of its own statutory role and obligation to safeguard children and the public interest. I continue to believe that the Commission should begin the process of developing a public record on problematic food advertising to children. By starting such a proceeding now, the Commission can assure the public that it is developing an adequate, and timely, policy response to an important health issue.”

Markey has also written Democratic Commissioner Michael Copps, who is a member of the Task Force on Media and Childhood Obesity, for his thoughts on the subject. Copps said he supported a rulemaking limiting children's food advertising as well as considering disqualifying shows with "junk food" ads from the FCC's educational/informational category.

Dan Jaffe, executive VP of the Association of National Advertisers, by contrast praised the commissioners for focusing on the task force before turning to regulation.

"I am pleased that in both letters, the commissioners have stated that they want to allow the obesity task force to have a chance to complete its work."

He said he was "a little disappointed" in both letters for the fact that there was "virtually no recognition of the enormous effort that the advertising and media community have taken to help combat obesity problems in the U.S.," making it seem, he said, as though "we are starting from ground zero when in fact the ad community has been the leading responder to the obesity crisis in the U.S.

Markey and the commissioners were in agreement that the U.S. government could look at international efforts, but Jaffe says that if they do that, they will find that the data "strongly argues that ad restrictions don't work. "A recent study from Sweden has shown explosive growth of obesity in that country while they have a total ban on children's advertising," he said.

Jaffe called the FCC signal that cable was due for restrictions "the most intriguing but concerning aspect" of the letters.

The latest blog carnival.

Core Abdominal Power Yoga Exercises posted at Mastery of Meditation, Enlightenment & Kundalini Yoga


How I Lost 25 Pounds in One Month posted at Debra Moorhead.com

Ok I am officially pissed at runboard

This isn't a screen shot of my message board but it is still what I felt like doing to the page when my avatar image and my rotating signature design vanished.



It looks as though I am going to end up scraping my message board over at runboard.com. Either they are having problems or they are the problem. I tried to change my avatar and it won't take. I also lost my rotating signature too. I went to look in the change settings and re clicked change my misc settings three times. Still no dice. grrrrr there has to be a better message board forum out there.

Weight Loss Carnival Now Open

Want to lose weight? Get smaller plates. posted at Al Nye The Lawyer Guy

Measure Your Weight Loss posted at Refrigerator Raid

Amazing NEW Diet Plan! posted at The Expatriate's Kitchen

Warming up for workouts

From: Real Muscle Online


I read this tonight and I got to thinking how well do I warm up before I do anything strenuous. At the Student Recreation and Wellness Center SRWC for short they have stretching machines from Precore fitness equipment. They take you through 7 stretches to target the key areas that are normally worked during a workout. When I am not in pain or groggy from my meds I do make it to the gym, I mean it is included in my tuition under activity fee so I pay to workout anyway.

Ok getting back on track. I do the stretching machines paying special attention and time to really stretch my shoulders and upper body as that is where a majority of my muscle tightness is due to my complicated musculoskelatel issues from a chronic problem stemming from an injury over four years ago. Then I hit the treadmill and finish warming up my lower body by doing an intense 20 to 30 minute cardio routine. After both upper body and lower body are warmed up then I start on my weight routine. That takes about 45 min to go through cause I work out slow especially for my upper body workouts.

For me it is critical to be thoroughly warmed up so I don't further injure what is already injured and injure what isn't.

I do not do much working out at the moment but plan on trying to get back on the workout wagon as soon as the new medicine I am on starts showing some results and relief. It is important for me to practice what I preach and to walk my talk.

Blogging eCourse assignment 1

Here are five goals for this blog to accomplish over the next 30 day's.

1. Work on layout
2. Transfer health related posts from 360 to this blog
3. Build my link list
   
4. Find all of my diet pics and sprinkle them in with transfered health posts
5. Compile a list of my resources here at home and add them to my blog for a reference list

My 6 month goals are:

1. Actively spread the word
   
2. Continue to look for local and national relevant material to blog on
3. Get people who are local to notice and comment on my blog.
4. Look for health related widgets or modules to add
5. Survey consistent readers as to usefulness, their perceptions of how informative I am and so forth at a 3 month period and at the 6 month mark to evaluate any needed changes.

This sounds cliche' but I want my blog to represent trustworthy information. I want people to feel they have a true friend in their weight loss wellness battles. I also feel that through my blog people will see that i am a human being behind the screen instead of some faceless entity that puts together the sites that they visit. I am also hoping that people who are in my profession come and offer their help in the way of doing guest interviews or posts, offering their resources in whatever form they have at their disposal. I am not great at public speaking but I would love to participate in conferences and other events related to my blogs target audience and even some general web or internet conferences.

Ultimately it is all about reaching customers and getting out there and walking the talk for me. In terms of long term success I would like to still be blogging three years or even ten years from now, even amid whatever changes there are on the horizon for the internet,social marketing, and web 2.0 as we know it today.

Greetings to everyone.

I decided to start a business blog again to have a place to jot down my ideas and other relevant things I need to share or put out there in order to make some clear cut decisions about how to best run my business.

I recently visited a site called eMoms and they had the following questions in a post. I am going to try to answer them and maybe it will help me with figuring out if I am on the right path or need to make modifications to the way I am currently operating things.

What would be a fun way to attract 10 new visitors to my sites?
On a chance I went to my latest Search Engine Marketing newsletter and found this incredible site called MyBlogLog. I had to sign up for this. It was a must. Since then my traffic has increased from 1 to 2 hits per week to 1- 6 hits per day. I have also joined a work from home mom networking site that has helped my exposure as well. I am participating in the banner pool exchange from mompack too. I also need to attract more people to my Cafepress shop but for right now I am thankful that I am getting more hits on my main site.

Why am I so grateful to have this opportunity to pursue my dreams?
On this one I just want to say that through a set of circumstances beyond my control I have been able to be a single parent and still stay at home. I am thankful that I have been able to be on assistance so I can still live and go to school and run my sites without having to work outside the home on top of it. I am also thankful that I am in great health in the areas that matter most so that I can get up every day and get on the pc and motivate others to be the best they can be as well.

What resources DO I have NOW that could lead to future growth?
I think the first question addresses this I have mompack now and MyBlogLog and the banner exchange pool at mompack and also their filler list and their contest and promo lists. I also have gained a huge amount of info from going to school that I can use as well. I have the small business development center at the local chamber of commerce and i have various things at school that I can utilize when I need to.

How will this add value to the publics lives?
This is a no brainer actually by me promoting health and wellness and weight loss it will help people to see they are worth what it takes to make themselves healthy from the inside out.

What is my ultimate outcome?
I would say I want to be like Dr. Phil or Bill Phillips but right now I think my outcome is just to be a positive enabler for people. I think if they can see all the struggles I have been through and have managed to stay positive and healthy and sane then I'm hoping that they can learn to find that inner strength to do it for themselves as well.

What do I want my business to look like?
Well we all want the brick and morter store front which I will admit I want however for the moment I think the more practical thing is to build myself on the internet and then when I get to build my store I will have my internet success on my portfolio to help give my loan request a boost. So I guess I can say I want it to look like a successful internet business at the moment.

What values have I upheld to get to this point?
Hard work, diligence, perseverance, determination, trustworthiness,dependability

What are the beliefs I have had to adopt along the way to get me this far?
Oh man this is a big one. I would have to say keeping an open mind and learning that I still have so much to learn that I have to keep at this everyday to make myself look credible. I have also had to develop a thick skin and realize not everyone is going to jump on my bandwagon.

What have I had to let go of in order to succeed?
I have let go of procrastination. I have found that in the world of the internet if you dilly dally around you will get left in the dust quickly and no one will bother to take a second look at you. I have had to let go of anger and resentments of my past and turn them into positives so that I can use that to focus on my business instead. I have had to let go of all the meaningless things like partying,drinking, and sleeping all day so that I can be productive. Well I am a parent anyway so that is out of the question all together, I have had to sacrifice some sleep in order to get things done late at night when I haven't had time to get on the pc.


What are my daily must do's?
These are a few, things change on a daily basis

• Have to check my email to see if I have anything relevant from my newsletter providers that I can use on my sites
• I have to answer any emails that need to be answered
• Check all of my sites to see what new activity is going on and if there are any issues that need to be addressed
• Look for new graphics that I can use and any other elements to make graphics for my site.
• Look for relevant content that I can use on my sites

What are my daily must nots?
I tend to get off track sometimes but it is necessary to break things up a bit as I spend alot of time on the pc. I think I am going to have to really evaluate this one cause I do alot of things on the net that require networking and keeping people interested in what I am doing.