My Mother Taught Me

1. My Mother taught me about ANTICIPATION... "Just wait until your
father gets home."

2. My Mother taught me about RECEIVING.... "You are going to get it
when we get home!"

3. My Mother taught me to MEET A CHALLENGE... "What were you thinking?
Answer me when I talk to you! Don't talk back to me!"

4. My Mother taught me LOGIC... "If you fall out off that swing and
break your neck, your not going to the store with me."

5. My Mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE... "If you don't stop crossing
your eyes, they are going to freeze that way."

6. My Mother taught me to THINK AHEAD... "If you don't pass your
spelling test, you'll never get a good job."

7. My Mother taught me ESP... "Put your sweater on; don't you think I
know when you're cold?"

8. My Mother taught me HUMOR... "When that lawn mower cuts off your
toes, don't come running to me."

9. My Mother taught me how to BECOME AN ADULT... "If you don't eat
your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

10.My Mother taught me about SEX.... "How do you think you got here?"

11.My Mother taught me about GENETICS... "You're just like your
father."

12.My Mother taught me about my ROOTS... "Do you think you were born
in a barn?"

13.My Mother taught me about WISDOM OF AGE... "When you get to be my
age, you will understand."

14.And my all time favorite... JUSTICE... "One day you'll have kids,
and I hope they turn out just like you....Then you'll see what it's
like."

Heed these six warning signs to discern if your job is making you fat

1. You work at a cubicle, tied to a desk, under florescent lights

"Desk Potato" is the label slapped on today's office workers and othersedentary employees. Fewer people are exerting any real physicalenergy during their workday (no, moving the mouse doesn't count). The equation is depressingly simple: when incoming calories exceed energyoutput, the end result is extra pounds.

If you work under artificial lights all day, you're probably sufferingfrom lower levels of serotonin, the brain's mood-calmingneurotransmitter. This can lead to seasonal affective disorder (SAD),depression, insomnia, frequent headaches and may result in addictivebehaviors such as overeating.

2. Your job subjects you to the two worst kinds of stress:

Relentless: The stress never lets up and you never get a break.There's always twice as much work at the end of the day than when youstarted. This kind of pressure causes a build up in the stress-relatedhormone cortisol, which promotes abdominal fat. You crave salt, sugarand fatty foods to counteract the tension.

Lack of control: You name it, you don't have control over it: yourschedule, deadlines, who you work with, the type of projects you takeon, etc. As you try to calm yourself, you might be reachingfrequently for 'comfort carbs,' since carbohydrates stimulate theproduction of serotonin, your mood-calming neurotransmitter.

3. Under-employed

If your job is too small for your spirit, and your talents andcreativity are not tapped, you turn to food to fill the void.

4. Work leaves you exhausted

Eating a big meal then falling asleep on the couch is not what weneed, yet millions of us do this because we come home too tired tosee friends, too tired to work out, even too exhausted to walk the dog.

5. You sleep less than 8 hours on a regular basis

You stay late, go in early, work split shifts or miss sleep because you are worrying about work. Cumulative sleep deprivation can resultin weight gain because your tendency is to turn to sweets andcaffeine the next day for a quick energy fix. Experts now agree thatsleep might be just as important to weight loss and maintenance asdiet and exercise.

6. Consistently lunching at your desk or skipping lunch

Almost a third of American workers are scarfing down food while toilingaway at their desks. We feel deprived, so we nibble mindlessly therest of the day and into the evening.

So how do I find a job that doesn't pack on the pounds?

Face reality. Make a list of all the harmful side affects of yourjob. If the list is long and/or serious, consider switching jobs orcareers. The average American will have had 8-10 different careers bythe time they retire. It's OK to switch.

Visualize your dream job. Be specific. If you can dream it, you can live it.

Get support from friends. Networking is still the name of the game.Tell your friends specifically how they can help. Expand your careerhorizon by trying one new experience each week.

Take a class. Volunteer. Interview people or job shadow those who workat jobs you nd intriguing, then…

Honor your energy. If it feels good, is energizing and you love it,it's a yes! If it feels bad, is draining and you hate it, it's a no!

Listen to your intuition. Trust that the small, still voice of wisdomwithin. You do have the answers.

Seriously consider self-employment.

Tired of the glass ceiling and not afraid of hard work? Then releaseyour entrepreneurial spirit and start your own company.

Meanwhile…

• Drink more water (8-10 glasses a day)

• Add steps. Park further away and walk. Take the stairs instead ofthe elevator.

• Get a walking or exercise buddy.

• Brush your teeth at work after lunch to help resist afternoon snack attacks.

• Limit snacks to healthy veggies you bring from home.

• Chew sugar free gum or suck on sugar free candy.

• Join a club and find something you enjoy. Pack your workout bag andgo before or right after work.

• Design a new reward system that doesn't involve food.

• Don't skip lunch. Resist the temptation to eat at your desk.

CULTURAL DIFFERENCE or CHINESE WISDOM ?

An American, a Japanese and a Chinese went for a hike one day.

It wasvery hot.

They were sweating and exhausted.

When they came upon a small lake, they took off all their clothes and jumped into the water, since it was fairly secluded.

Feeling refreshed, the trio decided to pick a few berries whileenjoying their freedom.

As they were crossing an open area, suddenly a group of ladies fromtown appeared.

Unable to get to their clothes in time, the American and the Japanese quickly used their hands to cover their privates.

But the Chinese covered his face while they ran for cover.

After the ladies had left and the men got their clothes back on.

The American and the Japanese asked the Chinese why he covered his face rather than his private part.

The Chinese replied, I don't know about you, but in my country, it's the face that people recognize.