Motivational Musings
It's a Laugh-In - sock it to me!
Laughing 100 times is the equivalent to a 10 minute workout on the rowing machine
or 15 minutes on an exercise bike!
Laughter is made up of a series of short vowel-like sounds repeated every 210 milliseconds (one thousandth of a second). Laughter almost always occurs during a pause at the end of a phrase or at the end of the sentence. You can either laugh in the "ho-ho-ho" style or the "ha-ha-ha" style but you can't mix the two. Humor and laughter are two different things and up to 80% of laughter is not in response to a joke! Women laugh 126% more often than men (Are you surprised?). And there is evidence that laughter is medically beneficial.
Suffering from a collagen disease, Norman Cousins checked into a hotel room and watched one funny movie after another. He laughed! Mr. Cousins found that ten minutes of really big laughs gave him two pain-free hours of sleep. And he also found that laughter, in time, cured his disease. How amazing is that? (Very!)
Laughter makes us feel good both physiologically and psychologically.
Is it believed that LAUGHTER ~
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Reduces levels of certain stress hormones.
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Boosts the immune system by stimulating the thymus gland.
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May lead to hiccupping but will dislodge mucus plugs from the respiratory tract! (How attractive!)
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Gives you a full body workout (works the diaphragm and abdominal, respiratory, facial and back muscles).
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Ever feel exhausted after the giggles? You just had an aerobic workout. (My kind of exercise!)
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Gets those positive endorphins pumping! Laughter invokes feelings of happiness and joy!
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Promotes creative thoughts.
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Stimulates both sides of the brain.
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Creates bonding with your fellow human. Robert Provine, a neuroscientist at the University of Maryland, has studied laughter for more than a decade. Provine found that we laugh 30 times more often in social situations than when hanging solo. Nothing better than a shared laugh!
Laughter is contagious. Spread it wide and far!
LINKS:
Laughing Cat (dumb but funny- a guaranteed laugh)
Why can't I tickle myself?
Prevention.com is loaded with good info.
Here's a Test for Laughs!
And Funny Heart Protection. Laughing is good for your heart!
Righteous Recipe ~ Open Tortilla Pie
I made these en masse for last night's Academy Award dinner. They won the Oscar!
Ingredients:
4 (8 inch) fat-free flour tortillas
cooking spray
1 (15.5 oz) can corn, drained
1/2 can black beans
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1.5 cups diced roasted chicken
3 garlic cloves, minced
juice from 1 fresh lime
1/4 cup jalapeno peppers, chopped
1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese, low-fat if you can find it!
4 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
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Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Place flour tortillas on it and bake for approx. 7 mins or until edges are light brown. Remove from oven, stack, press down to flatten and set aside.
In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, coat pan with cooking spray. Add corn to pan and cook for about 2 minutes. Add cumin seeds and curry powder
- cook for about 5 mins. Add chicken, black beans, jalapeno and garlic, cook 2 -3 minutes (until thoroughly heated). Stir in lime juice.
Place tortillas on baking sheet. Spoon the bean mixture evenly (on all four tortillas), top with cheese. Bake at 350 for about 2 minutes (until cheese melts). Garnish with cilantro.
Each tortilla is approximately 350 calories. Serve with mammoth green salad, and you're set!
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Want to whip up another dish?
Send Our Lady your favorite recipe! Keep them easy, low-cal and FUN.
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Fruitful Contest -
This one is so hard, it's going to make your brain sweat!
What is the physiological study of laughter called?
The first to enlighten Our Lady wins an Our Lady of Weight Loss prize! (Sometimes people send in their answers within minutes - even seconds - of each other. Our Lady declares them all winners!)
Write Our Lady.
Last week's Fruitful query: Salt is one of only four tastes that the human tongue can distinguish. Name the other three tastes.
Answer: The others are bitter, sweet and sour.
Congratulations to: Beth from Escondido, California - Melissa from Manchester, Connecticut - Debby from Milford, Ohio - Connie from Pheonix, AZ
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Chewing the Fat - How you doin'? Write Our Lady.
I tried to be GOOD. I swear. (Is it okay to swear?)
I purchased prepackaged, portion control ice cream on a stick. Six to the box. Low-Cal, Low-Fat - the GOOD ones.
When unpacking the groceries, I treated myself to one bar, then two. You guessed it. Before all the groceries were unpacked and put away, the ice cream was gone - vanished - disappeared - into me.
I guess it could have been worse.
At least they were low fat!
All is Forgiven * Move On.
Send your confession to info@ourladyofweightloss.com.
No Names - Strictly Anonymous |
Dear OLofWL, I am soooo proud of myself. I started swimming 3 weeks ago and could do 10 lengths. Now, I do 1/2 mile + 12 lengths. My goal is a mile by my 50th birthday, March 7th! I've also lost 13 pounds. I can see Our Lady of the Indoor Pool! She floats on an inner tube, and she is wearing a black "nun-like" ruffled swimsuit with rubber duckies along the ruffle. A rubber duckie floats along side the inner tube. Food floats out from around her. She grins like she is lovin' life!!
~ Lu from Virginia - (PS: I am lovin' weight loss right now!)
Dear Lu, That's fanastic! Not only are you exercising and losing weight, but you're having fun - which is the point. Weight loss can be fun! It's up to you!!! And how wonderfully creative and enchanting of you to envision in such detail an Our Lady to swim with!! People sometimes think that they are not creative, because they don't draw, or write! Thoughts are a form of creativity! You sure proved that point! Thanks. Let us know how it goes and happy 50th birthday! ~ OLofWL
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Dear OLofWL, I just (literally, like 5 minutes ago) read an article about you in Family Circle. I am encouraged by your weight loss and intrigued by your art. I put on a lot of weight in 3 months a couple of years ago, and it has been kinda downhill ever since. It may have been only a pound or so each month, but that was enough to make me unhappy with the way I look. I have decided that instead of sitting around and moping about it or bashing myself for it, I am going to do something proactive. Every time I find myself getting depressed about my weight, I am going to write in a journal or write a haiku. I am going to focus on something specific to create when I get the urge to eat (like you did with your collages). Also, I am going to research healthy eating habits and nutrition. This way I can make lifestyle changes that can help me to reach my goal. ~ On My Way to Change, Sandi, Milton, PA.
Dear Sandi on her way to change, You've got it, girl! No more moping or bashing. You've put an end to the downward spiral! Lifestyle changes are so important. Embrace the process. Make it a meaningful journey. Writing in your journal, writing haikus, researching healthy eating are all creative acts of weight loss. Thank you for writing and inspiring us all - and feel free to send in your haiku(s) for publication! ~ OLofWL
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Dear OLofWL, Please tell me more about dues, regional meetings, etc. I may want to sign up all of our girls (including sons' wives) to be members of the KICK in the TUSH Club! Thanks! ~ Kay
Dear Kay, There are no dues! Membership to the KICK in the TUSH Club is free. (Yahoo!) Just click on the boot on the bottom of this page and sign yourself up and your girls, too! If you'd like to form a group in your neighborhood, I'd be happy to help. What fun! You can use each KICK as the theme for the week, and I'll supply a couple of thoughts/questions you can toss about amongst yourselves. Only one thing you must promise me - that you keep me in the loop. I want to be a part of your group too! Support is so important - for all of us! ~ OLofWL
Note to All: If you would like to form a KICK in the TUSH Club group in your area, please let me know. I'd love to help!!!
It could be so much fun!!!
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 The Art of Weight Loss Workshop - There are a variety of ways to participate in the Art of Weight Loss!
Six Week Workshop : TWO spaces left - Starts Saturday, March 5, in NYC.
Gain insight into your inner Weight Loss Artist ™while steadily shedding pounds.
When it comes to permanent fat removal, thinking outside of the donut box is key!
Six Weeks of Inspirational Weight Loss via USPS Mail ~
Revolutionary Concept!!! Very cool, inspirational, art-filled stuff! Motivational, inspirational and fun!
 Become a certified Weight Loss Artist™ - at home program. From prayer pillows to weight loss trading cards - you're gonna' have a blast!
For more info... click here or
contact: info@ourladyofweightloss.com
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The KICK in the TUSH Club provides a weekly reminder in the form of an Art-KICK for those who wish to anchor themselves to their weight loss and/or health goals (or for those who need to satisfy their craving for a quirky kick). It's fun, fab and fat-free. Sign-up now (there's no charge). Click here! Our Lady. (Or send an email to: info@OurLadyofWeightLoss.com) and say, "YES! I need a KICK in the TUSH.
Volume II, KICK #9™©
Janice Taylor
www.OurLadyofWeightLoss.com™®
a Division of Oy-Caramba, Ltd!
Interested in reprinting the KICK in the TUSH or licensing the art?
Contact: info@ourladyofweightloss.com
Our Lady of Weight Loss has been recommended by:
The New York Daily News,
The Arizona Republic Newspaper,
SKIRT! Magazine,
Energy Express, Tribune Media Co., Herbs for Health,
Good Housekeeping, First for Women,
Family Circle and
more...
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Disclaimer: This column is for information only and no part of its contents should be construed as medical advice, diagnosis, recommendation or endorsement by Our Lady of Weight Loss, Oy-Caramba, Ltd! or Ms. Taylor.
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