But I’m not looking for a simple answer like “My New Year’s resolution is to lose 10 pounds.” I want you to dig deeper and tell me something you intend to do or change and why? And you’ll increase your chance to win if you tell me how you plan to make the change.

For example, my New Year’s resolution is to be more patient and less critical of myself and my loved ones. How? By listening to spiritual teachers like Eckhart Tolle who focus on staying in the present moment; developing a regular spiritual practice like meditation or going to church; and believe it not, by taking dance classes. Why? Because doing so will make me happier and make life more enjoyable.

Maybe we want to be toned and gorgeous, but don’t we all want a nice little bag, too? Email tracy.hopkins@b5media.com and tell her your plans by January 6th (Tuesday), and you can win a bag from Handbag Heaven!

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Contest Over At Hot Mama Daily

leave a comment telling Breaking The Mirror who you would give the earrings to and why you’d give them to that person.

You have until July 17th to enter the contest so I won’t keep you waiting. Good Luck!

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Win A Pair Of Earrings From Breaking The Mirror

I take the “scenic route.” Instead of taking a direct path to the restroom, I get up and walk all the way around the house first. It’s just an extra “lap,” but I make sure that I do it whenever I get up from my desk.

I use a regular chair. When I use a roller chair, I simply “glide” from one place to another. With a heavy wooden chair, I’m more likely to lift it to pull it in and not rely on it to scoot halfway across the room. If you are concerned about ergonomics, boost this seat with lumbar supports in memory foam.

I don’t keep everything stockpiled at my desk. Honestly, I had a desk filled to bursting with all of my supplies, but now I only keep the essentials nearby. If I need to grab file folders, I have to get them upstairs.

I use an adjustable desk. I stay a bit more active by cranking it up and down throughout the day.

And one last trick… only slightly exercise-related: I keep all my cellulite-busting creams near my work station and use them in moments of boredom. This one might only work if you spend lots of time at home, but if you work in an office, buy the best anti-age hand cream and apply it often.
I hope you try some of these new techniques. You’ll really feel a difference, and I believe that your day will go by faster, too!

Photo (c) Photogen

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Super-Sneaky Work Exercise Tricks

I’ve been pretty good so far this year about the gym, and you know what? It definitely has something to do with what I choose to wear each time I go. While I’m not the type to primp myself to the hilt, if I choose something a little more comfortable and longer, I don’t feel so bad when I’m stretching or bending. I’ve grown very attached to this Wide Sleeve Tee with Graphic Leaf Print because it’s super long, soft, and stretchy, and I can throw it on over my black Spandex capris and bootcut pants.

Here’s to a week of exercise! This week I’d like to concentrate on my weight routine. Hopefully I’ve collected enough confidence to actually go through with it in public, but if not, there’s always my Tae-Bo, just like Dexie. As for my diet, it could have been better over the past week, but at least the whole portion control thing is somewhat under control. That’s a start. . . baby steps are better than nothing!

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Are Clothes My Ticket to Gym Happiness?

Hi, I’m Deb and I’m a foodaholic. I love to eat. I’m especially fond of carbs- breads, chips, pasta, cookies, anything with the dreaded white flour or sugar is high up on my good things to eat list.

My battle with weight began when I was in my late 20’s. Before that I’d been rather thin – about 115 pounds. When I did put on weight it was to a size 7. I’d step up my exercise regime and whittle myself back to a size 5. I know, I know, size 7 isn’t fat, but I didn’t want to have to buy new clothes. I’d love to be a size 7 now.

Throughout my 30’s I was a size 10. I wasn’t pleased with my figure, but I didn’t do much to correct the situation. I spent more hours working my desk jobs and less hours working out.

I think the reason I started eating more was to alleviate some of my daily boredom and to give my day a little pleasure. You see, up until the time I left work to become a work at home mom, I hated my jobs. I spent 20 years in Manhattan working as an Administrative Assistant in publishing or retain and hated every minute of it. A chocolate bar or brownie made office life a little more bearable.

I began losing weight for my wedding and lost about 15 pouds. After I was married in 1999 I really got back into shape. My husband and I did a lot of walking together plus he was cooking all the meals. He made my dinner and packed my lunch. Since we were saving for a house in another state and "trying" to have a baby, I stopped bringing money to work. When that happened, I stopped buying high calorie lunches and snacks.

We moved when our son was 5 weeks old in 2002. Getting my old shape back wasn’t too difficult because I took my son for lots of walks in his stroller. It wasn’t until he got too big for daily walks that my weight ballooned out of control. When I lived in Queens I walked everywhere. Now, in suburban America, I had to learn to drive. I drove to the supermarket, to school, to the library and playdates. I also began to do all the food shopping. Pretty dangerous stuff for a foodaholic. Add to that how I was working full time as a freelance writer and blogger. That’s a lot of sitting down.

I made excuses for my weight.

• "There’s nothing to do, so I eat".
• "I can’t go on power walks because there’s no sidewalks."
• "I can’t do the aerobics on TV because it’s too hard."
• "But we have all this junk in the house from the holidays, I can’t let it go to waste."
• "How can I work out when I need to work before my son gets home from school?"
• " I don’t have time."

All that ends now.

When I heard Burning the Scale was looking for a new writer or writers, I jumped at the opportunity. Maybe now if I document my struggle, I’ll hold myself more accountable.

No more excuses.

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I’m Good at Excuses

And my goals? Feel better! The more I exercise, the better I feel, but my biggest problem is that I’m really, really intimidated by my gym. I hate the free weight area, I hate exercise classes (torture!), and I almost feel too uncomfortable to walk around in the downstairs section. I think I’m the ideal candidate for Curves! Anyway, I’ll try to get over it since I do have a three-year contract, but I don’t want to make that mistake again.

Oh, and I’ll be wearing the Retro Aztec Shoes from Scarlett Johansson. They’re my absolute pick-me-up during gym time.

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Meieli: Getting Healthy, Plus Version

I think I gain weight when I am satisfied with life, I eat when I’m happy, sad, stressed, whatever.  I just love food.  Now, if I need to do some man catching, I can whittle right down to, well, man catching weight.   Why is it so hard when life is good?  I was watching an old episode of Bravo’s Work Out today, and they were talking about reasons for overeating.  Some of those poor people just really beat themselves up inside – I really don’t think I do that.  I think I pretty much have a joie d’vivre, and enjoy everything to its fullest, especially yummy food.  *Sigh*

So my plan, first, is to basically follow good rules of eating.  Portion control, minimum bad carbs, maximum fresh foods.  And I must take my vitamins, and my Chantix (for smoking, my other guilty pleasure), and Metformin (I am diabetic – go figure).  And I have to exercise.  This is the hardest part for me.  Smoking + exercise = a really ugly catch-22 situation.  Must. quit. smoking.  I would love nothing more than to get that adrenaline kick from exercising, and crave exercise instead of chocolate.   Sweets are my downfall.

I have a good 50 pounds I need to lose, and probably 70 if I really wanted to get skinny.  While I am tall, at 5′9, no one can carry that much excess weight well.  I wish I were 7′9.  LOL  So hang with me, on Thursdays I will be posting my results of the week, my thoughts and failures and successes, and any helpful tips I have found as the days go by. 

I avoid pictures these days like the damn plague, and you can see why.  This is me and the fam in August, in Galveston, on my daughters 13th birthday.  Note the big fat Louis Vuitton bag covering half my hips.  This is a good excuse to buy more bags.  Honey.

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Public confessions

Best wishes to you Claire – we will miss you!

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Goodbye to Claire