silverthorne

*Anything you do to change your life, especially when it comes to diet and exercise, is a permanent thing if you don't want to end back at square one again.

*Fresh fruit is a great substitute for just about any craving for processed sugar goods. Unless it's chocolate.

*Two small pieces of quality chocolate is more satisfying (and less likely to screw with you uncessary calorie intake) than a bar of cheaper chocolate.

*Water is your friend. And the more you drink it, the more you crave it.

*It doesn't take much to flavor food well, and usually doesn't need butter and/or salt to do so.

*Olive oil is also your friend. And goes a lot longer.

*Fresh is better than frozen. Frozen is better than canned, and everything is better than processed.

*45 minutes of steady exercise of varying types every other day is plenty. But if it feels good to keep going, keep going. Reps aren't necessarily as important as keeping your heart-rate up.

*If you're going to exercise, find something you like to do. Don't jog if you'd rather swim. Don't swim if you'd rather bike. Remember you're doing it for life. And remember to change it out every so often. Boredom and dread are the enemies.

*Same thing for food. Find stuff you can imagine eating for the rest of your life as your primary intake.

*'Diet' is a deadly word; it means you intend to stop at some predetermined goal. 'Diet' really should mean 'how I'm changing for the rest of my life'.

*Fast food and fatty food is okay occasionally. Just don't make it a staple of your intake (and don't be surprised if you gain a pound when you indulge.).

And, personally?

*My breasts make great floatation devices. This means, however, if I ever want to get some good underwater time, I'm going to have to invest in a set of divers weights. Damned positive ballast...

*Finding out your clothes are loose is wonderful. Realizing you just bought said clothes is...uh...saddening. Sewing machines are your friend.

*Eventually, the metabolism kicks back in (like it did with me the past two nights)...unfortunately, that means your body will start asking for more food. At 10pm. Gah.