We have all done it. We loose 10 pounds only to gain it, and perhaps even more with it, back. We have outgrown our favorite clothing, we have become too embarrassed to go riding with some folks.

So here are some ways to keep on track. Ways to keep loosing and or keep that weight OFF your body. Ways to continue to get and stay healthy. Little tricks to keep going, it is of course a life long journey.

1. How overweight are you? 40 pounds or more you want to loose? Pick up a feed bag full of food and carry it around for a few minutes. Come to the conclusion that this is what you are doing everyday, to your body, each and every day you remain too heavy. It is hard on your entire body. Think of you poor feet and the bones therein.

2. Weigh in everyday. Make it a daily journey. Think of it every morning, keep this idea to loose weight and get healthy in the front of your mind.

3. So, you say you would do ANYTHING for your equine....then do it. Loose that extra weight you are asking them to carry every time you mount.

4. When you go shopping, try on clothing. Many times a person that is dieting and working out looses more inches than weight, the old "muscle weighs more than fat", and it is really fun and encouraging to find that you are another size down.

5. Listen when people tell you that you are looking good. Many times we shrug it off. Listen, take it to heart. Continue to work to feel good, be healthy and LOOK GOOD!

6. Drink more water. I know you know this, but do you do this?

7. Carry juice and or water with you when you go to visit friends. That way when everyone else is drinking soda, you have a more healthy and diet friendly drink with you.

8. Buy yourself something new when you loose weight goal. When you loose, say 10 pounds reward yourself with clothes or shoes or a new purse or something rather than rewarding yourself with food.

9. Set low goals. Not your total goals, but monthly, weekly or even daily goals. Tell yourself that you need to loose, say, 10 pound between this day and the next Holiday. Holiday? Yes, even like St. Pat's Day, Valentine's Day, Your Birthday, May Day. There is a Holiday, if you look close enough, every month. Use them for your goal days.

10. Encourage others around you that are in the same boat you are. Do you know someone at Church or Work or a Friend that is also loosing weight? Encourage them. Talk to them about it. This will take you both forward with your losses and help each of you become more healthy.

11. Use a good Face Cream to keep the wrinkles at bay. You might also notice other, been around for a while, wrinkles disappear.

12. Go riding. Notice that you can get up on your horse much more easily.

13. Work out. Excersize. Even if it means lifting your legs from a sitting position while watching TV at night.

14. As you loose weight, add more excersize into your daily life.

15. Walk. Take a walk everyday. Walking is the BEST excersize there is.

16. Smile. Be happy. Seriously, you will see a change in yourself when you choose to be happy.

17. Get off your butt and do things. The couch will be there when you get back. Choose to do rather than to watch.

18. Before riding, give your horse a reallllllly goooood grooming. Bend over, reach up, really use your arms to groom your horse. This is not just good for you. It will be good for your horse's circulation, your horse will enjoy this and will want to be with you more, and your horse might just be the best looking on the trail.

19. GET OUT OF THOSE SLOUCHY CLOTHES! Dress nice. You are worth it. You will look nicer and feel better.

20. Buy and wear good supportive shoes. Use them when walking and excersizing.

21. Eat more fruits.

22. Find a few new recipes on line for some great tasting, low calorie foods.

23. Wean yourself off sugar.

24. Wanna be healthy? Do not use fake sugars. Use honey, and not too much of it.

25. Lower your salt intake.

26. Spend about 1/2 hour grooming your horse after a ride. Really groom it. Reach and bend and enjoy the time with your horse as you loose those calories and stretch yourself out.

27. Park in the back of the parking lot and walk further to get into stores, and other places. The fresh air, no matter what the weather, is good for you.

28. Get up and move to the music. That is right. Act like you are 17 y/o again and dance to that music you have on.

29. Put some make up on. Feel good about yourself. Have self respect again.

30. Stay out of the snake isle at the Grocery Store. Just don't buy it.

31. Learn to reach for veggies rather than chips. Put dip on veggies rather than chips..... if you use the dip at all.

32. Take your dog for a walk. How long has it been since you got out with your dog just for a nice brisk walk?

33. THINK OF YOURSELF AS A THIN PERSON. I know. The first time I heard that I did not understand it either. It took me awhile. But we do have this image of ourselves in our heads. Most overweight people are thinking of themselves and treating themselves as fat. Try this. Think of yourself as a thin person.

34. Say yes. Say yes when you are invited to go places. Say yes when you are asked to go for walks. Say yes when you want to say no because you do not think you have anything to wear. GO!

35. Measure your weight loss progress by the size of your saddle. Try to be thinner each time you get into it.

36. Remember, you have to loose 16 oz before you loose a pound. Don't be too hard on yourself.

37. Notice how good you feel, how much better you can breathe, how you can bend and stretch better....keep it in mind when you reach for another piece of cake.

38. It is really up to you. Only you. No matter what people say, it is all up to you to decide what will pass your lips. You do not have to each those sweets just because someone made them. That person will surely understand if you tell them you are loosing weight and getting healthy. They will understand you no longer want to put all that extra weight on your equines. It is all up to you.

39. Work out. No Excuses. I have a very small home. I still find ways to work out. I do my floor work on my bed each morning after I make it. I do my floor/standing Work Out in less that 10' x 3', yes really.

40. Fix your hair. Feel good about yourself.

41. Feeling old and fat and fuddy? Stop. Move around, put on some music, think thin and stop thinking about your age. Start thinking about how young that number really is compared to what it can be one day if you get healthy.

42. What is your favorite color? Loose a bit of weight and buy yourself something to celebrate in the color....perhaps new "unmentionables" because yours have become too large for you.

43. Take the steps. Ok, so if there are too many floors of course you will not want to do this. So, go to the floor under where you are going and just walk up the last flight.

44. Notice that your legs are stronger.

45. If you just have to have a treat, no problem with that. But only have a little bit. Then STOP! The next bite will not give you any more satisfaction than the last. And remind yourself that after the next bite you will just want more. Take a bite or two and STOP!

46. Don't eat too much while you cook. Test and stop.

47. Have someone else do some of the testing of foods as you cook.

48. Get up and get it yourself. Stop sending others for your fetching. Get up and move to get it yourself.

49. 48 says, in case you did not get it, DO NOT BE LAZY.

50. Take the long way home when you are out for a walk.

51. Smile more at other people. Yes. I am serious. The happier you are the more likely you will stay with your weight loss program. If you are angry or upset or depressed, you will want to eat.

52. Catch your reflection in shopping center windows, notice what you have lost, how much better you look, rather than how much more you need to loose.

53. Lift your own saddle upon your horse. If it takes a bit longer, as long as it does not hurt your equine, so what. Lift your own saddle, build your arm muscles.

54. Step up onto your bed as if you are stepping into your saddle. Build your leg muscles so that you do not have to use a step ladder any longer to mount your equine.

55. When you are at the store, walk around a time or two, just walk it, try to walk faster than you normally do. You are inside and they keep it at a great temperature all the time. Lean on a cart if you need to.

56. Eat a small Breakfast. Read the stats on this one. Everyone claims you will loose more wisely and more if you eat something for breakfast.

57. Eat smaller potions each and every meal.

58. Snack less. Drink a bottle of water when you feel like that snack.

59. I know this sounds nuts, but it works. Eat a pickle everyday. The vinegar will help you loose weight.

60. Drink milk each day. It will help to tighten your skin as you loose weight slowly.

61. Now and again have a Table Spoon full of Apple Cider Vinegar with <read as you eat, between bites that is> your meal. Try this once a week.

62. Drink your coffee without the cream and sugar. Add Cinnamon. Seriously, it is very good, and good for you too.

63. Eat low calorie soups for lunch at least twice a week. Drink water for your drink with the soups.

64. Eat crackers without all the salt. Read the labels, yes they do make them.

65. If you can, go to the spa and get treatments. You deserve it.

66. Set a goal of a "get away". You and your spouse or a friend could go on a Day Trip or Overnight, or even a Week End away.

67. Go swimming. It is a great work out and easier on your joints than working on cement.

68. Have a salad at least twice a week.

69. When eating Fast Foods, take a minute and ask yourself if the calories are worth it. Then look over their menus. Many now offer really tasty salads.

70. Buffets. Yes. We all love the Buffets. And most offer foods that are good for you. You just have to make the right choices.

71. Take care of your feet. Put lotions on them. Paint your toes. That will keep you reaching for them. You will notice how much easier it becomes. And many people mistreat their poor feet and their feet look awful. You are worth the extra effort. Treat your feet.

72. Rather than snacking, enjoy a craft. Make a Quilt or Crochet an Afkan. Any craft that is fun for you.

73. Rather than snacking go and braid your horses mane.

74. Rather than snacking start and keep a journal.

75. Take back and control you own life. Make the right choices for your own health. It really is ALL up to you. All. It really is ALL about you.

76. Get out more. Do more things.

77. Rather than eating a snack call a friend.

78. Rather than eating a snack visit a Horse Internet Site and stay and enjoy it.

79. Visit www.BibleDonkeys.com and see our Equine Crafts Page. Learn to make an old halter look new, or make your equine Fly Masks. It will save a bit of money and keep your hands busy, not putting food in your face, as well as make your equine look and feel good.

80. Sew your own Show Clothes. This way you will watch your own measurements, keep your hands busy, save money and feel the pride of loosing weight and being more healthy.

81. It always comes back to the same thing, it always will, Eating Healthy and Working Out are the way to loose weight and keep it off.

82. Invite friends to your house for healthy great tasting meals rather than going out for dinner. Many friends will pitch in and pay and or bring food and or help you cook. Just ask.

83. You might be surprised how many people in your family will join you with your Healthy Quest if they just see you doing it. Offer them the same healthy foods you are eating. It is to your benefit to have family members and friends on board with you.

84. JUST WALK PAST THE CANDY AT THE CHECK OUT LANES. Just don't look at it. Look at the magazines, or the other "pretties", just don't look or buy the candy.

85. Chew gum. It will keep your mouth in motion, and give you a little bit of something sweet once in a while. It also helps in keeping your teeth clean.

86. Many times if you want a snack a little trick is to go and brush your teeth. It gives you a bit of sweet and with clean teeth takes that desire away to eat. Up side too, cleaner teeth.

87. When you pick up heavy items think. Stop and think about how you ask your equine to carry all that extra weight as you ride. Don't stop riding, start loosing more weight.

88. Watch TV Dr shows. They give tons of weight loss hints and suggestions and many times will scare you into wanting to loose weight for what they show you we are doing to our bodies being over weight.

89. Buy a Jump Rope. So what if at first you only do three rounds. Do it everyday and try to increase the amount of rounds you can jump.

90. If you have the space and cash, buy one piece of Excersize Equipment. Just one. Use it. Set it up in front of your TV if you can at all and chose a 1/2 show to work out in front of.

91. When you wake up in the mornings, sit up and reach for your toes. After you can reach them, grab hold and stretch for a minute of two. This is really good for stretching out your bodies muscles, veins, and really good for circulation and believe it or not, balance.

92. Stand on one foot for 15 seconds, then the other foot. Work up to 2 minutes each. This will strengthen your legs, build your balance and help you to be a better equine rider.

93. Paint your fingernails. It will make you look nicer and keep your hands, at least while the nails are wet, out of bags of chips and such.

94. Carry gum and or other items in your purse or pocket with you to parties and or other gatherings. This way you can pop a piece into your mouth, have a treat and be able and reminded to say no to too much high calorie foods.

95. Work out at the same time each day. That way when the time comes around on the clock, that is what you do at that time. A schedule.

96. Stay on track. But if you jump the track DO NOT GIVE UP. Start again as soon as you can. Keep getting back on track. Soon, it is easier to stay on track that to restart.

97. Go play with or take treats out to your animals rather than sitting in a chair and eating.

98. Get some sunshine. That Vitamin D is important for your health.

99. Buy a Low Calorie Cook Book and look through it. Pick out some recipes and try them. Don't tell your family how healthy they are eating.

100. When you eat out, find a restaurant that has healthy foods. Order those rather than that high calorie plate full of fatty foods.

101. You DO NOT have to clean your plate when you eat.

102. Be honest with yourself, but do not beat yourself up.

103. Set a weekly goal day...I will say Sunday. Now choose a reasonable goal, like 2 pounds. Now say this in a chant or make up a little song. (we will use the goal of 154 pounds for the example) ONE-FIFTY-TWO-BY-SUNDAY! Keep it in mind for the full week. Think of it when you might want to reach for another serving of something you do not need. Chant or sing it (in your head) when you want to cheat, or do not feel like working out, or when you just want to sit on the couch or when.....

104.

-- The Does My Butt Look Big In The Saddle Team
Sat, 20 Apr 2013 12:02:46 -0400

Please join us in the Yahoo! groups discussion for Does My Butt Look Big In The Saddle.