Archive for ◊ June, 2010 ◊

• Sunday, June 27th, 2010

Vacation does not have to be the demise of your weight loss program. The following information will help to show you how to lose weight on vacation. When planning your trip include physical activities along with where you are staying, what you are doing when you get to your destination and items to pack.

Make it a family effort. Strive to improve the health of your entire family. You will end up not only building muscles but also relationships with your family members.

When one thinks about vacation, thoughts of spending your time lounging, eating unhealthy foods and consuming calorie laden beverages.
When shopping places to stay on your vacation, I would like to recommend staying at a vacation house. This will give you the capabilities of cooking healthy meals. You will not be sabotaging your weight loss program. Granted a lot of people do not want to spend their time cooking on vacation, but your meals do not have to be elaborate … just healthy.

In addition, you can save a LOT of money not eating out at restaurants. If you do stay at a hotel, check out the restaurants in the area for “healthy” choices. With more people being health conscious nowadays, restaurants are catering more to people desire to eat healthy.

The list below contains some suggestions of ways you can incorporate more physical activity while you are vacationing:

If you are staying at the beach, swimming in the ocean and battling the waves can burn a lot of calories. Also, long walks on the beach are always enjoyable allowing you to burn calories and build leg muscles. Get involved with the kids tossing a Frisbee, or playing volleyball.

Visit a National Park. Enjoy hiking and taking in the beauty of the trails. The fresh air and exercise will contribute to a great night’s sleep.

If you are visiting a historical locale, take a walking tour as opposed to a bus or other motorized tour. You will see a lot more walking, burn calories and get exercise!

Renting bicycles and touring the area is always a great option, and one the children will definitely enjoy. Just be sure you obey all of the traffic rules and know where you are going.

If you are traveling in the winter time, skiing, ice skating, snowboarding or sledding is a lot of fun. All of these sports will give you a definite workout and be fun for the entire family. You can still spend time socializing in front of a cozy fireplace.

Wherever you go on vacation you will most likely find a swimming pool. Do laps with the children, or by yourself.

If you are involved with an exercise program at home where you are doing yoga, muscle building, strength resistance or just walking you can take simple portable equipment, that you can pack in your suitcase, on vacation to keep you on track with your exercise regimen.

If you are a yoga enthusiast, consider packing Yoga Paws. These are mini Yoga mats for your hands and feet. These weigh two pounds and four ounces and would be absolutely convenient for traveling if you are concerned with your luggage weight. Throw in your favorite DVD and you will be prepared to stay on track. You can also find travel Yoga mats.

The SPRI Xertube Resistance Bands come with a door attachment and exercise chart and will be like a gym away from home. They come in medium, heavy and extra heavy. These bands provide you with a highly versatile way to add resistance training to your workout anytime and anywhere. Each kit includes two illustrated charts of exercises, including bicep curls, shoulder presses, and back extensions. Designed for light and speedy mobility, the strap can be rolled up to stash in a gym bag or suitcase.

Last time I checked these items were all in stock at Amazon.com and they are eligible for the Free Super Saver Shipping Program.

Personally, I do a walking program with Leslie Sansone’s “Walk Away the Pounds Express”. You will usually have a DVD player where you are staying and you will be able to walk and do this program in the air conditioning! If you are not already using this program, this is something you will enjoy doing once you get back home from your vacation! Bad weather, or hot summer heat does not have to put a stop to your walking the weight off. I would encourage you to click on the links below and read the reviews of people who have purchased these DVD’s.

I hope this information will be helpful in showing you how to lose weight on vacation.

I wish you happy, safe travels!

Judy Conway

Email: judyconwaymarketing@gmail.com
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Goodbye to Molly the World Famous Barn Owl

Author: Judy Conway

• Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

People in fifty different countries around the world bid Carlos and Donna Royal goodbye last night. They have done a most excellent job of hosting The Owl Box in San Marcos, California since February 2010. It was truly an amazing experience to watch Molly and McGee (the parent owls) mate, hatch and nurture four owlets. There were six eggs, however one egg broke and one never hatched. We were able to watch this process from day one. Molly was a very nurturing mother and McGee was a good provider. Did you know that owls can swallow a rat or rabbit whole? The owlets grew too quickly and it was not long before they were leaving the box. Now they have all left the box and can be seen residing in a nearby palm tree. Research shows that barn owls will reside within a five mile radius of where they were born. It was very difficult to say farewell.

My daughter introduced me to Molly’s adventure on the Sportsman’s Paradise website. Molly the Barn Owl became one of the top sites viewed on UStream and she even has her own “room” there. By the time it was all said and done there were over 14 million views.

Carlos and Donna have dealt with all of the technical paraphernalia in their dining room, entertaining the news media people, national television for the Morning Show and virtually taking this experience worldwide. Carlos is retired but probably worked harder than he ever has. He scheduled time via Skype for classroom discussions across the country. The children learned a great deal about barn owls. If Carlos did not know the answer the first time around, he would do his research and knew the answer the next time it was asked. In fact, we all have learned a great deal about barn owls. They are beautiful caring creatures.

Carlos has been on duty 24/7 making sure that the cameras were adjusted properly and everything was working properly. He provided viewers with night vision cameras and day time cameras. There have been times when the owls have landed on the cameras sending what we saw askew necessitating Carlos climbing a ladder in the early morning hours in his pajamas making the necessary adjustments so we could all have a “bird’s eye view”!

Most people left their Molly webpage up and throughout the day and evening you would hear Carlos’ voice as he would bring up up to date on the latest developments with the owls and activities. I will certainly miss that.

Carlos definitely went above and beyond what most people in his position would have done. When people in the chat room were concerned that the owlets might fall out of the box, he built and added on a little porch type attachment. And then he added a platform that the owlets were able to fly to close by the owl house and play.

Austin, Carlos and Donna’s grandson, was a big help with setting up the technical aspects. He is still working on putting all the videos and photos that have been taken (and believe me there are a lot) for people to purchase copies of.

Eric Blehm, a renowned author and personal friend of the Royal’s is currently finishing up writing a book, “Molly the Owl” detailing the entire experience. The book is illustrated by Christopher Adams. John Atkinson has kept us rolling in laughter by creating ecomics of Molly, McGee, the owlets, Carlos and Donna. We all grew to love these owls. You can read more about Molly the Barn Own of San Marcos, California and see photos at http://mollysbox.wordpress.com/blog/. On this site you can actually see a photo of the actual owl house which sat 15 feet above the ground.

Besides being able to purchase the book, “Molly the Owl”, ecomics, and fine illustrations, we have also been able to purchase many other items of memorabilia. A portion of all of the sales will go to barn owl habitats in the area.

Carlos and Dona put their vacation on hold to share this experience with the world. We are all hoping that there will be another episode in the future. The night before we said goodbye, Molly and McGee were seen in the owl box “bonding”! Who knows there may be new little owls in the near future. We are all hoping this will be the case. There are many people who are currently suffering owl withdrawal!

In closing, on behalf of many people, I want to thank Carlos and Dona for opening up their home to all of us for these past four months. Also, much appreciation goes out to Austin, Eric, Chris and John. Thank you all for making this all possible. I can honestly say, “Gee that was fun, and I was part of it!”

Happy, safe travels Carlos and Donna!

Judy Conway

Email: judyconwaymarketing@gmail.com
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Category: Birds, Children, family, home, Inspirational, Mother Nature | Tags: Austin, barn owls, Carlos and Donna Royal, Christopher Adams, ecomics, Eric Blehn, John Atkinson, Judy Conway, Max, Molly the World Famous Barn Owl, Pattison, Skype, UStream, Wesley | 4 Comments

Obesity in Children

Author: Judy Conway

• Monday, June 14th, 2010

The news has been laden with the fact that obesity in children is reaching overwhelming percentages. I hope the following information will be helpful to parents seeking solutions to this situation. I would like to preface this article by saying I was an obese child. At the age of 13 I was around 5 feet tall I weighed in at 160 pounds. My heart goes out to children in this category as I know it was not a happy time in my life.

As was my case, research shows that the root of the problem with our children, as with adults, is that we are suffering from emotional eating. My mother, unfortunately, was not well versed on healthy nutrition and if I was having a difficult day or feeling upset her usual solution was, “Go get a dish of ice cream.” Now truthfully, that was the last thing I needed!

Childhood and adolescence obesity increases the risk of developing high cholesterol, hypertension, respiratory ailments, orthopedic problems, depression and type 2 diabetes as a youth. One disease of particular concern is Type 2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity and has increased dramatically in children and adolescents, particularly in American Indian, African American and Hispanic/Latino populations.

Family environment can definitely add to emotional eating problems. With the divorce rate on the rise as well, a lot of children are dealing with split custody situations. Or, if the parents are choosing to stay together for the sake of the children, the increased tension in the household between the parents does not promote a healthy environment.

Lack of healthy communication and support between parents and their children creates insecurity within the child and only adds to the challenges they are facing in their lives. Quality time spent with your children is much more important than quantity of time. With a lot of parents having to work two jobs to make ends meet with our economic crisis it is difficult to spend quality time with their children. Let’s face it by the time you get home after working two jobs you barely have the energy to climb into bed let alone have a good one on one conversation with our children.

While on the issue of time this prompts another issue. Fast- food, or prepared foods you pick up at the grocery store are not going to be as healthy as meals you personally prepare taking into consideration the nutritional value of what you are eating. Remember excessive calories and lack of exercise is going to result in stored fat!

Children who come home after school and spend hours alone may not be making the healthiest food choices. Be sure that the snacks that are available are not going to sabotage a good eating program. It might take some extra planning on your part, but it will definitely be worth it. The internet is full of tips and suggestions for making right food choices.

Being overweight causes self esteem problems amongst peers causing self-induced pressure and leading to a child feeling very overwhelmed. Overweight children lack popularity with other children. It is sad to say, but it is true. They end up feeling “different” and alone.

When children are experiencing these situations they turn to something to lessen these feelings. Some children turn to “comfort food”. This is a real problem. Instead of being able to sit down and talk over what is bothering them, children turn to a dish of ice cream, a bowl of cookies and a glass of milk, or other less than nutritious food choices.

Before dealing with the food issue, it is important to recognize if there are other issues involved. Create a healthy communication and support system for your child. Once that is established it will be a lot easier to get the message about healthy nutrition and exercise across and show them the process that will benefit them, not only now in their younger years but even as an adult.

Healthy, fit bodies fill our air waves putting more stress on those of us, children and adults alike, whose bodies are not picture perfect. Vitality takes second place to physical appearance.

Living a healthy life involves much more than just your appearance. Exercise, healthy food and nutrition choices will play a big part in the quality of your child’s life now and later. It is important to get your child’s attention by sharing with them the illnesses mentioned previously in this article that can be directly related to obesity. Choose the tactics you will use with your child before you delve into your conversation. Perhaps there is a family member that suffers, or suffered from illnesses related to obesity.

There are many mixed messages out there. It is important for parents to be involved with proper education in helping their children. Too often the blame is placed on the school lunch program or someone else responsible for caring for the child.

In closing, I personally feel that a good way to approach a situation with an overweight child is to make it a family effort. Everyone in the family can do well to learn better eating habits and a healthy exercise routine. Our children have an overabundance of video games. Unlike the “days of old” when kids were out playing ball or other outdoor activities, many children sit for hours in front of video games. The Wii System can be an asset with its many programs that get children up and moving.

Yes, obesity is a hard thing to deal with. As I am finishing up this article the thought crossed my mind that this is a situation that can be challenging to deal with, but the same situations that cause emotional eating habits can also drive children into much more serious problems, like drugs.

Our children are valuable human beings. God has put them in our lives to raise and help them grow up to be individuals that will add value to this world. I hope that you will find the time and joy to develop a happy, secure lifestyle with your children. I wish you success in dealing with obesity in children.

Judy Conway

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How To Be A Proficient Camper

Author: Judy Conway

• Tuesday, June 01st, 2010

I was introduced to camping when I first got married many years ago. It was a delightful experience until one occasion when we were camping on Cape Cod and were surprised by an approaching hurricane!

We had returned to using a tent. A word of advice to people who hang their towels to dry over the frame of the tent … DO NOT do this. As the wind picked up the towels were blown on top of the tent and this negated the waterproof properties and the rain began pouring inside the tent. We had suitcases filled with wet clothing and everything else inside the tent was pretty soaked. It was a long uncomfortable drive back to Providence, RI. We looked liked pathetic drowned rats when we stopped to get breakfast (take out, of course) at McDonald’s. At this point I vowed never to go camping again!! Of course that is not true. I have since gone camping with my daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren.

Once our daughters were born we changed from “tenting” to a Cox Pop-Up Tent Trailer. Being off the ground was easier with the children.

You need to develop a system to make life easier when going camping. A system will save you a lot of time and confusion and help you get on the road without raising your blood pressure!

We had a large basket that perfectly fit between the two fold out beds (with room to spare) where we kept cookware, dishes, silverware and miscellaneous items such as salt and pepper and other items that would keep well left in the camper outdoors. This made our weekly packing a lot easier.

Strip your beds when you are folding up the camper and wash the bedding when you get home and it will be ready for your next trip. Items that needed more rigorously cleaning was removed and cleaned. The floor was swept and washed and we were basically ready for our next weekend. We actually camped almost every weekend.

I would go shopping and slide the food bags and clothing bags right in the camper. We packed an ice chest in the trunk of the car to hold items that needed to be refrigerated. My husband got home from work, changed his clothes, hooked up the camper and off we went for another exciting weekend. At the time we were living in an apartment and we really looked forward to our weekends away.

We camped in many different areas from Cape Cod, to Vermont and Canada. It was great fun. We had best friends who had three children that usually packed up their tent camper and went with us. What a great experience for the children.

There is nothing quite as wonderful as the smell of coffee brewing on the camp stove and breakfast cooking. The smell of bacon and eggs awakens any sleepy appetite.

Before we purchased our Cox Camper we had a couple occasions to camp with the girls when they were quite young. I must admit that the tent camper was a lot easier.

As you become proficient at camping you will learn many useful tips. One time in particular the temperatures were cooler than we had expected. With the girls in their flannel pajamas, and sleepers we were concerned that they might not be warm enough in their sleeping bags. An older seasoned camper gentleman told us a wise old tip. He told us to be sure the girls, or anyone for that matter, are warm to make sure they are wearing socks and eat a candy bar before going to bed. It worked like a charm every time.

Before you leave on your camping trip check out the park you are planning to go to. Nowadays, with the internet, it is easy to preselect your desired site, or at least get an idea of where you want to stay. If you have small children, it is a good idea to plan to stay nearer the bathrooms! My daughter is a real pro at choosing the “best” site.

Although I personally enjoy just getting away from the everyday rat race and just spending time with my family, you might want to take into consideration activities in the area where you will be camping. Make a list of “things to do and places to go” and in this way you will be ready to have a lot of fun.

Board games, cards, bubbles, and balls are good things to pack. If camping with older children you may want to make sure the MP3 (or whatever digital sound device you have) is well changed and packed. By all means do not forget to take sunscreen and bug spray. Take along a camera (batteries charged/charger to charge) to capture all those special moments.

It is a good idea to make a list of things you will need. The following list will grow as you continue to camp and realize items that you “miss” from home. In addition to those things mentioned above here are a couple of suggestions:

Tent/tent camper
Sleeping bags
Hammer
Towels,
First Aid Kit
Sunscreen
Bug Spray
Toiletries
Benadryl (just in case you encounter some poison ivy)
Cleaning spray
Salt and pepper
Cookies and crackers
Packages of oatmeal
Coffee
Coffee French Press (we enjoy the finerthings even when camping!)
Marshmallows
Candy bars
Graham Crackers (anyone for s’mores?)
Skewers
Cocoa
Cereal
Citronella candles
Table cover (plastic or cloth)
Plates, silverware, cups
Paper towels
Napkins
Dish detergent
Dishpan to wash dishes
Container to carry water
Charcoal
Lighter Fluid
Matches
Bathing suits
Rain Ponchos
Appropriate clothing and shoes
And whatever else you think you will need

With technology being what it is today, you will be able to take a TV, but I would suggest enjoying being away from those types of things that demand your attention at home and just enjoy spending time with your family.

I was amazed at all the new camping equipment that is on the market. Fancy coffeemakers, and really great collapsible water carriers and double dish washing basins and even portable toilets!! You can decide for yourselves how rustic you want your experience to be.

I wish you a fun filled camping trip that will supply you with memories for years to come.

Judy Conway

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Category: Camping, Children, family, Helpful Hints, Mother Nature, Uncategorized | Tags: Amazon, become a proficient camper, Camping, camping equipment, clothing, Judy Conway, Outdoors, Sleeping bag, tent camper, water | Leave a Comment