“Did I read right?” you ask. Yep, cleaning your car can actually help you lose weight. But I’m not talking about the physical aspect of it, scrubbing away at those layers of grime, dirt and bird poo you accumulated on the paintwork whilst driving around.. Rather it’s about freeing up the mental space in your brain to problem solve and focus on your goals.

Did you know that your car is a reflection of you? If it’s in poor condition, unserviced and full of rubbish or junk then chances are your body is not your temple either. Now you might think that your car is only designed to get you from A to B. But when you drive and spend time in it you’r actually using all of your senses: touch, sight, sound and smell; whether you realise it or not. Whilst most of these are focused on driving (as they should be), a portion of your senses are peripherally focused. So they’re spending time (and energy) on the other things around you.

A strange kind of logic therefore has it that if you remove these ‘other’ things, things that don’t need to be there (like rubbish or a dirty windscreen) or things you shouldn’t need to worry about (like that gurgling sound coming from somewhere under the bonnet), then this frees your mind up to focus on more important things, like problem solving in order to reach your goals, including the weight loss goals you have.

If it all seems like too much of a chose then implement the 10 minute rule – agree to spend the next 10 minutes on cleaning up and out your car. Chances are once you get going you’ll continue for much more than 10 minutes. And once you start to experience a safer, cleaner and more enjoyable car, you’ll probably want to keep on going.

So clean out your car and get it running in tip top condition. You’ll not only have a more engaged driving experience, but you’ll be more safer on the road and have more ‘head space’ to focus on the things that really count.

Safety First – What You Should Have in Your Car

Just inc ase you’re wondering what’s OK to leave in your car here’s a pretty exhaustive list. And, yes, for local city driving you can skip many of these items. However if you have an older less reliable car, or if you’re doing a long road trip or traveling around the country packing these items are an absolute must. The trick is to have as much as you need without carrying so much that the extra bulk (and weight) reduces your fuel economy. So select wisely!

1. Your car owner’s manual should be in your glove compartment. It provides lots of useful information that can get you back on the road quickly, or contact numbers for roadside assistance.
2. An old cellular phone, powered off, with a fully charged battery can be useful in case of emergency as you’ll be able to dial 000.
3. A blanket can be useful in case of spontaneous picnic events or if you get stuck in your car and you have to sleep for a night or two unexpectedly.
4. A battery-powered radio (and extra batteries) if travelling in bad conditions (snow, flood, fire).
5. Bottled water but on an appropriate long term storage container that doesn’t leach harmful chemicals.
6. High energy snacks or protein bars in case your blood sugar drops or you get stuck somewhere without any ability to get a meal.
7. Road directory and maps – don’t completely rely on a GPS navigation system.
8. Jumper cables in case of a flat battery.
9. A first aid kit (and manual) is vital in case of an accident or injury.
10. Tire repair kit which makes it possible for you to patch up a flat tire to drive for a short period.
11. Tire air gauge for preventive maintenance and to improve fuel efficiency.
12. Road flares or reflective signs so that others can see you if you need to change a tire at night.
13. Flashlight and extra batteries.
14. A can of WD-40 which can help loosen any bolts that you can’t undo.
15. Car fire extinguisher can stop something from turning into a disaster.
16. Portable battery charger.
17. A change of clothes – you never know when you’re going to need them!
18. A towels for all sorts of reasons from cleaning up, drying up to being useful in all sorts of situations.
19. A roll of duct tape can be useful to temporarily repair air filters, mufflers and other items to keep you on the road.
20. A pair of sharp scissors to cut all sorts of things.
21. A carpet remnant is great for lining the bottom of the boot and doubles as a great wedge to get you out of mud, snow, or ice if you become stuck.
22. A small amount of cash in large coins and small notes can come in handy if you run out of cash without a nearby ATM.
23. If travelling through snowy or icy conditions carrying some road salt (in winter) can rescue you if you’re stuck in ice.
24. An umbrella for those rainy moments (especially if you’re in Melbourne).

Readers Digest claims that you save up to 60 hours a year by organising your bathroom to be more effective. Think about it – that’s 10 minutes every day you could be wasting hunting for make-up or toiletries that aren’t in the right place.  And that 60 hours you can put towards your weight loss goals.

Here are some tips to help you maximise your bathroom effectiveness:

Time Saving Tips

Make sure there’s a towel rail for everyone’s towels. Installing a heated towel rail is not only a wonderful indulgence that can help inspire you to get ready, it can also dry towels more quickly reducing damp, musty smells.

All medicines should be stored in a medicine cabinet or lockable first aid box to ensure small hands don’t get access. And check for expired medicines, including those ones lurking up the back, and make sure you throw out any that have exceeded their expiry date.

Keep all your cosmetics and hairstyling preparations together in the location that you do your hair and make-up. If it’s in the bedroom then keep them in wardrobe or on your dressing table. And if it’s in the bathroom then keep them there.

Keep frequently used items toward the front of shelving or storage, and less frequently used items behind them.

Got a myriad of old toiletries, fragrances, talcs, lotions, potions and bubble baths? Unopened products only have a shelf life of about two years and if they’ve been opened or exposed to light then the formula inside will oxidise and break down quicker, so throw them out.

The same applies to moisturisers, sunscreen, toothpaste and shampoo so look for evidence of decay like a rancid or unusual odour, oil separation, flaking and discolouration and if you see any signs then trash them immediately.

Cosmetics containing less water generally have a longer shelf-life. So products like eye, brow and lip pencils, eye shadows and lipsticks are an exception and can last several years. Still if you have dozens of three quarter used lippies then perhaps it’s time to rationalise and stick to fewer shades.

Over time we tend to accumulate products, but many that we buy we use only once or twice and then return to our favourite brands. So regularly clearing away the cosmetic clutter by reducing the number of each type of item you have is fairly key to keeping you space neat and today, and saving you valuable time.

Finally, have rules to keep the bathroom clean. Spending a few minutes each day to keep things tidy will prevent that awful marathon weekly cleaning session. And having the rule that if something’s finished (like a toilet roll) then that person replaces it will prevent frustrating moments.

Great Gadgets

There are a few nifty gadgets that can help you to get organised.

• Use walls to hang extra shelves, or buy wicker or mesh stack-able baskets or trays for hand towels, tissues, soap and bath essences to keep the space neater. Under-sink wheeled trolleys are a good option for tiny bathrooms. IKEA has a great range of boxes and other space saving ideas at good prices.
• Put up some tiered shelves in different levels and widths so that you can see the bottle or aerosol can behind the ones in front without having to rummage – fantastic for a dark or poky bathroom cupboard.
• A spice rack installed at eye-level inside your mirrored bathroom cupboard can be handy for storing little bottles, tubes and pump spray packs. They’re particularly good for storing nail polish jars.
• Drawer organisers or cutlery trays in your bathroom drawers or top dresser drawer can help you to make sense of the mess and provide order for all the small jars, tubes, boxes and awkwardly shaped bits and pieces, such as eyelash curlers, nail files and hair clips. And many of them are dishwasher safe making for an easy annual clean up.
• Shower caddies may seem a little old fashioned but there are some really nifty ones now (even with suction cups) that will help to organise shampoos, conditioners, loofahs, nail brushes, soaps, shower gels and razors, which otherwise clutter up the floor of the shower or can topple over and leak out.
• A magnifying shaving mirror on a retractable arm in the bathroom can be a boon for both shaving and applying makeup to perfection. And for men installing one in the best lit side of the shower recess can make shaving in the shower a time-saving bonus.
• It’s amazing how useful a simple hook on the inside of the bedroom door or back of the bathroom door can be. And with Command hooks you don’t need to worry about door damage either. Once there you’ll be amazed how often you use it for your dressing gown, shower cap or undergarments.
• Using other hooks like shower curtain rings to organise your scrunchies and hair ties is a good way to keep them contained and all together.
• If you’ve got a cupboard where everything tends to hide up the back then a lazy-Susan-style turntable can assist in rotating stock and getting those bottles up the back to be more accessible.
• Use a hanging planter or pot (or two) for your hairbrushes, combs and make-up brushes.
• A metallic knife strip or elasticised strip hidden inside a cupboard door can be great for holding onto all those hair pins.
• Head to a hardware store and look for the right sized chest of small translucent drawers for holding nuts and bolts – they’re just a perfect to label and hold all your mini bathroom goodies.
• If you are the Imelda Marcos of make-up then you may want to try an over the door organiser (like those old shoe racks) to store all your goodies in separate compartments.
• Need make-up on the go? The how about putting your travel requirements in a jewellery roll – wrapping them tight will not only prevent them from but also protect them from damage.
• If you’re a make-up aficionado and need to touch up a few times each day then instead of carrying multiple tubes you can try this trick. Cutting a quarter of an inch off the top of each lipstick bullet with a butter knife and press the colours into separate spaces in a pill case. And save a slot for each of the removable pads of cream blush, concealer and cream eye shadow too.

 

So most of us have a credit card (or two, or three), and whilst I’m not advocating getting yourself into debt on multiple cards (or even one), choosing the right card for your lifestyle can provide some tangible benefits.

I have three credit card accounts, all of which are paid off monthly, so I don’t incur any interest. But only one card is my primary card account and it’s the one with the highest rewards best suited to my lifestyle. The other two are overflow cards for my businesses (in case of insurance expenses, property renovations, etc.) and yes, I should probably cancel them and save the annual fees but having them there just in case gives me peace of mind and added security.

For me my indulgence is travel, and so naturally I choose a frequent flyer card. And in fact last year I flew FIRST CLASS to Singapore on a Qantas A380 purely on points. With a facial beforehand and a three course meal cooked to order with matching wines I hadn’t even left the first class lounge and I was already in bliss. One the plane I was greeted with 1996 Tattinger Champagne (as much as I could handle) and all my food and beverages were individually selected and prepared. And the lie flat bed pods with wide screen LCD TVs and automatic window shades … oh, it was so good.

BUT, if flying is not your thing and other things are more important to you it makes sense that you need to select a card that’s more in line with what’s important to you. So if you’ve got multiple cards (or no card at all) and are not sure what card to choose, here are some pointers.

Maximise Your Purchases

I’m not talking about spending more than you have or taking it to the limit. As I said I pay my cards off in FULL each month. So I’m talking about a change of mindset. Before you pay for ANYTHING, check if they take a credit card and if they charge a surcharge then make the decision whether it’s worth the surcharge.

Analyse Your Annual Spend

I pretty much live on my credit cards – everything I but goes on them unless the vendor doesn’t accept them. So there’s no cash coming out of my account during the month other than my mortgage payment and a little cash spending money for incidentals.

So the next step is to determine how much a month you’re likely to spend on the card and multiply it by 12 to get your average annual spend. Remember, some expenses are not monthly so you’ll need to factor them in along with the added cost of any surcharges vendors may charge.

So if you’re likely to spend $2,500 a month on the card then that’s a whopping $30,000 a year. And if the vendors charge 2% surcharge then that’s cost you extra for the points, although supermarkets, petrol stations and most retail outlets will not charge a surcharge. So let’s say half of your purchases will charge you 2% – then those points are going to cost you an extra $300.

Find the Cards with Rewards Relevant To Your Lifestyle

Find out the cards that offer the sorts of things that you’d like. There is no point in earning rewards that you won’t actually use (such as earning frequent flyer miles if you rarely travel). But pretty much every card that has frequent flyer also offers a rewards program that includes accommodation, magazine subscriptions, appliances, entertainment and services (like flowers, wine subscriptions, etc.)

Analyse the Shortlist

POINTS:

Once you find the cards that suit you then you’ll need to analyse them. Some will give you more points per dollar spent (like Platinum cards) but don’t forget to investigate the exchange rate of points into cash. For example Card A may pay you 1 point per dollar, and it takes 5,000 points to redeem a product or voucher worth $50 – so that’s a return of 1% per dollar spent. But Card B may pay 1.5 points per dollar spent, and it takes 6,000 points to redeem a product or voucher worth $50 – so that’s a return of 1.25% per dollar spent.

Check the terms and conditions of earning points. Platinum credit cards typically return the highest number of points per dollar, but some cards actually have a limit to the number of points you can earn per month. And if you’re into frequent flyer points like I am then check the transfer rates to points, miles or airpoints – they don’t all work the same way. And check the card works with your chosen airline program, and that you can use your points for upgrades as well as free flights.

Some sites calculates it would take 8.4 years, with a spend of $1142 a month, for the average Australian shopper to earn a “free” return economy flight to London, you can accelerate this to under a year by using the “earning and burning” method. The aim of this challenge is to collect as many points as you can, especially with the lowest acquisition cost and spending them in the most effective way.

ANNUAL FEES:

Many cards with low interest rates have really high fees and vice versa. But some cards with a higher annual fee offer additional services like a concierge service, free flights, travel insurance or extended purchase warranties. But many cards not only have an annual card fee, they also have a rewards program fee to participate in the program. So check all the terms and conditions and make sure you will use the added extras.

INTEREST RATES:

If you’re not going to be super diligent that you’ll pay each card off in full by the due date then you’ll also need to check the Annual Interest Rate on each card and compare it. A small change in interest rate can lead to a big change in the dollar interest amount. And interest compounds meaning that interest is charged on the interest if you don’t pay it all off. So watch out for the catches here. And a little tip – often cards with frequent flyer programs have higher interest rates.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

Check for any additional terms and conditons of the card that may impinge on your lifestyle or ability to earn points or to meet your card repayments.

Check the Card Limit Offered

If you’re going to pay your card off in full every month then you’ll need a card limit of at least twice your monthly spend. But be warned, any card that you do not pay off in full will not only have interest added to the total, it will also contribute significantly to the liabilities of any loan or mortgage application, reducing what you can borrow.

Be Wary of Introductory Interest Rates

The catch cry of many card offers is their low introductory rate for a period of time on new purchases or on transferred balances. If you check the small print what you’ll find is the rate is often more than other cards, and worse still, sometimes there can be back billing if you don’t pay off your transferred balance within a specific period of time.

Watch for Introductory Rewards Point Bonuses and Specials

Quite a few cards offer special introductory rewards rates for the first few months your account is open or for the first few thousand dollars you spend on the card. And many have bonus points when you make purchases with specific partner companies, and less on other purchases.

Minimise Your Active Accounts

It’s pretty simple, by minimising you card accounts you can minimise your annual frees and maximise the points earned (provided your credit limit is sufficient) giving you greater bang for your buck. And it’s the pooling of these points into one account that will get you rewards or flights much faster.

Spend Your Points Wisely

Online stores where airlines let you redeem points for products often have the worst value for your point – you can get better prices from retail stores. The only exception is store vouchers (like David Jones and Myer) which you can use for products on sale getting you additional valuable discounts and making your money work even harder!

Don’t use points to purchase economy flights as the points ‘exchange rate’ is terrible most because rewards flights are only sold at full points rates (i.e. not discounted) but there’s often aggressive discounting on tickets for domestic flights if you’re paying via credit card.

Instead use your points for premium, business or first class tickets on international travel. This is where you’ll get up to ten times the ‘exchange rate’ for your points giving you the best value (and comfort). And flight upgrades on the same are just as good – just make sure your economy ticket is eligible for an upgrade before you buy it. Many of the cheapest seats don’t qualify for an upgrade but the airline or your travel agent can advise accordingly.

Summary

Just like the Aussie dollar, credit card points are a form of currency so it pays to treat them the same way as you’d treat your bank balance. Getting the most out of your rewards cards involves some basic planning and performing a bit of analysis to choose the right card for your lifestyle, interests, and spending habits.

 

As a part of your planning your weight loss journey, it’s important that you address any outstanding or overdue paperwork. This includes recovering any rebates you may have forgotten about (which means extra cash in your pocket). And  particularly in this time of financial pressure and constraint we need to conserve every cent, and be more mindful of all the rebate opportunities that are available to us. So here’s a little list I’ve put together for Australia to jog your memory.

Cash Rebates

Private Health Insurance Claims – make sure you get an itemised receipt for every medical and extras services including pharmacy scripts, pharmacy only medicines, professional services and alternative services.

Medicare Rebates Claims – generally you can only claim on Professional Services (like a doctor). Check with your provider if they have HiCAPS for instant refunds so all you pay is the out of pocket component.

Pet Insurance Claims – if you have pets that are insured then make sure you take a long a claim form each time you see your vet and get them to fill it out of the spot to save time.

Home Contents Insurance Claims – whilst insurance is usually for major things like theft and fire, minor claims like glass breakage may be claimable so check your policy. It can also be more helpful to use an insurance broker for your policy rather than going direct as they’ll to policy comparisons for and sum up all that insurance jargon.

Personal Insurance Claims – if you’re covered for trauma, sickness, disability or income protection then know the terms under which you can claim on your policy, or have a good adviser who does.

15 Common Reasons Claims are Denied:

• Incorrect account or patient identifiers – make sure all of the details are correct on your claim form
• Insufficient Information – When making a claim make sure you provide all of the necessary information
• Excess is more than the claim – For small claims the excess may be more than the actual cost. Check this prior to making a claim.
• The Service was Already Rendered – check if you’ve claimed twice.
• There is an Unmet Deductible – you haven’t paid the out of pocket portion of your bill
• Conflicting Information – in the case of insurance claims make sure the information tallies up and makes sense prior to lodging
• You Waited too Long to File the Claim – file all claims as soon a possible but well within 90 days
• The Insurance Company Lost the Claim, and then the Claim Expired – lodge a complaint with the industry Ombudsman
• You Lacked Pre Authorisation / Authorisation – some claims need pre authorisation. Make sure you understand the terms and conditions of your policies.
• No Physician Referral – Check if your policy requires your GP’s referral.
• You Provided Two Services in One Day – some policies have a ‘one service per day’ clause so you’ll only get the first claim
• You Ran Out of Authorised Sessions – once you’ve hit your cap for that service no further benefits will be paid until the following annual year.
• The Patient Changed His or Her Insurance Plan – make sure you know who your current provider is and only claim through them for the period you were with them
• Patient Cover Expired – Make sure you keep your premiums up to date or your cover will expire
• The Provider isn’t Paneled with the Insurance Company – Make sure that the services or provider you are using are approved by your insurer

Taxation Rebates:

Courtesy http://www.moneybuddy.com.au/tax-and-accounting/resources-to-help-you-maximise-your-tax-rebate

Dependent spouse tax offset:

If you had a spouse during the previous year and were responsible for maintaining them, and if they were a resident, and you were also a resident at any time during this year, and if neither your spouse nor you were entitled to Family Tax Benefit (FTB) or were only entitled at the shared-care rate, you may be eligible to claim.

Private health insurance rebate:

This is a percentage of the premium paid to a registered health fund for appropriate private health insurance cover. The rebate you will receive is determined by the age of the oldest person covered by the policy. Rebate should not be affected by your level of income however.

Baby bonus rebate:

Mothers can claim a baby bonus each year until their child turns five. It can be claimed even if you don’t pay tax, and it is paid whether or not you receive any other family benefits. The ATO offer a baby bonus calculator here.

Beneficiary tax offset:

You may be eligible for beneficiary tax offset if you received one or more grants on a set list of allowances, including parenting payment (partnered), newstart allowance, youth allowance, mature age allowance, partner allowance, sickness allowance, special benefit, widow allowance, austudy payment, exceptional circumstances relief payment or farm help income support, interim income support payment, education payment if you were aged 16 years or older (ABSTUDY living allowance, payment under the Veterans’ Children Education Scheme or payment under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act Education and Training Scheme 2004),training for Employment Program allowance; New Enterprise Incentive Scheme allowance; textile, clothing and footwear special allowance; Green Corps training allowance; or other taxable Commonwealth education or training payments, and income support component from a Community Development Employment Project (CDEP). The ATO works out your tax offset from the income you show on your tax return, however you can use this calculator on the ATO website.

Senior Australians tax offset:

This applies if you are a male aged 65 years or more or a female aged 62.5 years or more, or you are a male veteran or a war widower aged 60 years or more or a female veteran or war widow aged 57.5 years or more, and you are eligible for Commonwealth age pension and similar payments, and you satisfy the necessary taxable income threshold (single with less than $38,340, separated with less than $71,406, married with less than $59,244, etc), and you are not in prison. The ATO website has a factsheet here.

Zone tax offset:

This applies if you lived or worked in a remote or isolated area of Australia, not including an offshore oil or gas rig, or you served overseas as a member of the Australian Defence Force or a United Nations armed force.

Salary sacrifice arrangement:

Also sometimes referred to as salary packaging or total remuneration packaging, this is an arrangement between your employer and yourself whereby you agree to forego part of your salary for other benefits of a similar cost (provided by your employer).

Net medical expenses tax offset:

These are medical expenses you have paid (less any refunds from Medicare or a private health fund). You are able to claim a tax offset of 20% of your net medical expenses over $1,500 and there is no upper limit.

Government Pensions and Rebates

Courtesy http://www.dva.gov.au/eligibilityandclaims/makeaclaim/Pages/claim%20types.aspx

Disability pension:

This is a tax-free benefit paid to Australian veterans who have had an illness or injury accepted by DVA as being caused by their service before 1 July 2004. The rate of disability pension payable depends on how severe the illness or injury is.

War widow’s pension:

War widow’s pension is paid to the partner of a deceased veteran who was a former prisoner-of-war, who was in receipt of the Special Rate (TPI pension), the Extreme Disablement Adjustment, disability pension at the Intermediate Rate, disability pension at the Temporary Special Rate, or disability pension at an increased rate due to being a double amputee or blinded, or whose death has been accepted as service-related. A pension can also be paid to the dependent children of a deceased veteran.

Permanent impairment payment:

This is a compensation payment for permanent impairment suffered as a result of service with the ADF. It is provided under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA) for service on or after 1 July 2004, and under the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1986 (SRCA) for service prior to 1 July 2004. To claim for a permanent impairment payment you first must have had a claim for liability accepted under the SRCA or MRCA. See Lodging my claim for more information on how to submit a claim for liability under the SRCA and MRCA.

Incapacity Payments:

Incapacity payments are compensation for economic loss due to inability to work because of injury or disease which has been accepted as service-related. It is provided under the MRCA for service on or after 1 July 2004, and under the SRCA for service prior to 1 July 2004. To claim for incapacity payments you first must have had a claim for liability accepted under the SRCA or MRCA. See Lodging my claim for more information on how to submit a claim for liability under the SRCA and MRCA.

Service Pension:

Service pension is an income support payment that provides a regular income for people with limited means. A service pension can be paid to veterans with qualifying service on the grounds of age or invalidity and also to eligible partners, widows and widowers. It is subject to the income and assets tests.

Income Support Supplement:

The Income Support Supplement (ISS) is paid to war widows/widowers and wholly dependent partners under the MRCA who have limited means. It is subject to the income and assets tests. It enables war widows/widowers to receive all of their payments through DVA.

Age Pension:

An age pension may be paid to a person with limited means who has reached pension age. It is subject to the income and assets test. The majority of age pensioners are paid by Centrelink. However, eligible veterans, who have an accepted disability or receive a disability pension from DVA but do not have qualifying service, may be paid their age pension by DVA. Their partner may also receive their age or wife pension from DVA, if eligible.

Defence Force Income Support Allowance (DFISA) is an income support payment paid by DVA to those whose social security income support payment has been reduced or is not payable due to a DVA disability pension. There is no need to claim DFISA, it will be automatically assessed and paid. If Centrelink pays your income support payment, Centrelink calculates the amount of DFISA payable. If DVA pays your age pension or wife pension, DVA calculates the amount of DFISA payable.

Quick Extra Cash Ideas

• Sell your unwanted goods on ebay or Gumtree
• Make stuff and sell it on etsy or MadeIt
• Join MyOpinions and answer surveys for cash
• Offer child minding or pet minding or walking services to freinds, family and neighbours in need

After the past few weeks of eating and drinking my way through to the New Year it’s unfortunate that I’ve become re-addicted to sugar, carbs and fat – I’ve become a food addict again. It’s quite a common addiction but one I was able to overcome, which is what led me to the losing half my weight in the first place.

Most people think that because I managed to shed over 70kg that I no longer needed to be worried about any weight creeping back on. But the truth is that there’s no ‘magic switch’ when it comes to staying slim, and I need to be just as vigilant as the next girl does, perhaps more so.

Lately I find myself craving all sorts of unhealthy food at all times of the day. These cravings used to only be after dinner for a short while and were able to be controlled, but not now. I’m like a woman gone mad and the extra few kilos are starting to show: my clothes are a little tighter; my tummy bulges just a little; and my ass has become a smidgen wider. Not happy Jan. So it’s time to kick this addiction again and lose the extra Festive love.

Having done it before I know I can do it again (even though I’m a little older this time, I’m also a lot wiser) and it got me thinking that some of you out there may be interested to join me on this journey too. So let’s get going (and sharing and caring) together.

Step 1: Clean Out

That’s the cupboards, pantry and fridge of anything that’s full of sugar, carbs and fat. You know, all those foods that you binge on when you get the urge. There’s actually not much of this in my fridge or pantry at all – any I had I’ve managed to eat over the past few days and now I commit not to buying any more.

My issue is my husband’s hidden stash of chocolate and lollies – I found it the other day. And whilst my preference is for him not to have it in the house it’s unfair that my inability to control my own issues should impact on him. So now I have to ask him to hide it in a better place or put it under lock and key. It may sound juvenile, but those who are food, or more accurately carbohydrate addicts just like me know the insatiable feeling that those cravings have over you, when you are powerless to do anything but give in and fill them. And when it hits it’s simply easier if there’s nothing ‘bad’ around to shove in your gob.

Step 2: Fess Up

Admitting the truth is often the first step in overcoming the battle. It’s easy to hide our sins, and most of us have become pretty good at it. So find someone that you can trust, who won’t judge you and who can support you in your cause to get healthier this year. I’ll do this one face to face when I see my husband in Sydney tonight *please hold*.

Step 4: Plan to Eat

Making sure you have the right foods ready to eat when you’re hungry is pretty pivotal to making this whole thing work. How many times has the hunger gotten the better of you and you’ve just snapped … lashed out and grabbed the first thing that’s ready to eat, which is usually highly processed foods that aren’t good for you?  Odds on that if you’d had some healthy prepared food ready to eat in the fridge that you and I would both have made a better choice.

As a writer I tend to get caught up in the moment and process of writing and forget to eat until I get so hungry and my blood sugar drops so low that I become, well, a bit ferrell around food. So I earlier this week I hard boiled some eggs, chopped up some fresh fruit into a salad, and have a tub or two of low fat no sugar yoghurt at the ready. It would be better still if I planned each one of my meals at the start of the day – and I will get to that once I’m back from travelling. You know it only takes about an extra 30 minutes in the morning to prepare everything and have it in check so you stay on track. And I actually find it’s easier not to snack if I split my 3 main meals into 6 and eat every 3 hours. It keeps the blood sugar constant so you don’t actually want to snack – in fact you often won’t even feel like eating but it’s important you do BEFORE the hunger hits again.

Today I’m off to Sydney so it’s been a little tricky: healthy fruit and vegetable smoothies in the morning but there’s airplane food for lunch on my midday flight, so I might have to rely on salad at the Qantas Club beforehand. I normally order diabetic meals on flights not because I’m diabetic but because the food is healthier, but they’re not available this flight. My afternoon snack is probably going to be a banana, but as I can’t take fruit across state borders I’m going to have to see if there’s a supermarket near the hotel.

Then the next hardest meal will be dinner. As part of my trip to Sydney my dear husband has organised a dinner out each night at very nice restaurants. Dining out was our big thing when we started dating over 15 years ago, and it’s still an important ritual in our relationship, so I would never ask to cancel these and ‘stay in’. But I’m going to have to really analyse the menus and make the right choices, skipping the bread and dessert and restricting myself to only one glass of wine (after two my carb craving kick in and my inhibitions drop leading to definite dessert time).

And so I now recommit to planning my day’s meals in advance every morning and sticking to the plan. No impulse moments or binge eating to be had. And I’ll need to get my husband’s support on this especially over the next 2 or 3 weeks as my body detoxes naturally.

Step 5: Reprogram Your Subconscious

So the easiest way to do this is by negative association. I’m a little over the audio programs I have (although they’re good) and I need something quick and portable for my travels. Voila the ten cent solution is … a simple rubber band.

Believe it or not a rubber band placed around the wrist can be a very effective food deterrent if you have the courage (and remember) to flick it hard each time you think of unhealthy food during the day. Sure, it can hurt and that’s exactly the point. Each time it does it’s a negative deterrent against thinking about that food.

I now commit to wearing the rubber band AND to flicking it each time I think about unhealthy foods that I wish to eliminate from my diet.

Step 6: Get Active

Over recent months I’ve started feeling each one of my 42 years, and then some. 4 mornings out of 7 I will wake with lower back or hip pain. It’s partially the residual issues from my severe hip bursitis that occurred in late 2011 and which took me around six months to regain my mobility, and partially getting older, but mostly it’s due to a lack of stretching each day.

So my commitment is to do Hatha yoga each and every morning, and perform my Stretching Routine every evening.

As I won’t have the dogs to ‘force’ me to go for a walk I’ll also need to ensure I meander the streets of Sydney to get my step count up. And on that, I must remember to pack my pedometer too.

Lastly, the quickest weight loss occurs when high intensity cardio is combined with resistance training 3 days per week, and so I’ll also take to opportunity to hit the hotel’s gym for a quick 45 min session of cardio circuit hopefully twice. Getting your heart rate up (safely) is key to fitness and fighting fat.

Step 7: Time Out

And after all that good work is complete it’s also critical to give your body a rest. So this week I plan on getting 8 hours of restful sleep each night, as well as soaking in a hot bath and perhaps even indulging in a massage or reading a good book.

Bonus 8th Step – Know Where You’re At, and Where You’re Going

You know I love my bonuses (which is why I give so many away with my book) so here’s the 8th very important key. Knowing where you’re at currently is important in order to track your progress. Writing it down is even more powerful (it’s kind of like Step 2). So remember to record your weight, body fat, and measurements: hips, waist, bust, upper arm and upper thigh.

It’s also important to know where you’re headed. It may be an actually weight goal that you wish to achieve, or it may be a number of kilograms. Either way it doesn’t matter as long as you write it in the affirmative. So don’t say I want to lose 5 kilograms – it may find you again! Say I’d like to gain 5kg of slimness. Now I can’t go into all the reasons why working, thinking and writing in the affirmative is important (if you want to know all this then it’s in my book) but just take it for granted that it works.

For me I’m on a mission to gain 5kg of slimness over the next 5 weeks. So stay tuned for the next instalment of my journey and if you want to join along then like my page on Facebook and join in the conversation.

Creating a monthly budget is only one part of the finance equation. It’s also important that you stick to it, remove temptation to overspend, and then bal;ance it at the end of the month to score your results.

If you’ve never created a monthly budget then here’s how to do one in six easy steps:

1. Decide what sort of monthly budget you are going to create
   • Personal – you only
   • Family – includes your children and spouse
2. Create broad categories for your expenses, and under them include sub categories like:
   • Housing – rent or mortgage repayments, body corporate (if any), rates, property taxes and household repairs and maintenance
   • Utilities – electricity, water, gas, heating, Internet, telephone, cable or satellite TV
   • Food – all edible groceries, herbal or vitamin supplements and any pet food
   • Household – household groceries, detergents, cleaning supplies, tools and furniture and appliance replacement / repair
   • Clothing – clothes and shoes
   • Personal – toiletries, cosmetics, hair cuts, beauty services, subscriptions, baby sitting, child support, child allowances or pocket money
   • Transport – public transport tickets, taxis
   • Vehicle – motor vehicle costs including registration, fuel, servicing, tyres, and parking fees
   • Health – Gym memberships, classes and associated expenses
   • Insurance – motor vehicle, home and contents, income protection, disability, trauma, life and travel insurance
   • Medical – dental, doctor, physio, chiro, massage or other related costs as well as heath cover fees and regular medications
   • Education – coaching, pre-school, primary, secondary or tertiary school fees, school supplies, books, conferences
   • Holiday – travel related expenses for annual leave
   • Savings – emergency fund, regular savings
   • Debt Reduction – payments to student loan, personal loan, credit card or additional mortgage repayments above the minimum
   • Retirement – financial planning, investments, additional self-funded superannuation contributions
   • Giving – include tithing, donations, charities and gifts to others like birthday, anniversary, Christmas and other special occasions
   • Fun Money – entertainment, movies, going out, restaurants, take away, and all that other non-essential stuff
3. From your list of expenses, create two columns for each item, one for essentials and the other for extras. Within each general budget category, some items are essential (the mortgage or rent payment, electric bill, and groceries); others are extra (new furniture, gifts, and pizza delivery).
4. For each expense item work out how much you spend and whether it’s essential or extra. It can be helpful to review the prior year’s spending to get these figures. Do not estimate your actual costs as you will under estimate them. Try to use real information.
5. Where costs are only paid annually, include this amount as 1/12 of the total in your monthly budget. If items are less frequent, like furniture, then estimate the monthly proportion by dividing the replacement cost over the life span of the item.
6. Look through these lists to find flexible budget expenses where you can cut back. Put a star next to these flexible items so you can identify them.
7. Add up your budget essentials list and the extras list separately. By keeping the lists separate, you can make cuts more easily, if you need to.
8. Subtract the essentials total from your monthly income and,
   • if you have money left over, subtract the extras total from that amount.
   • If you still have money left over, great! Look into a savings or investing plan (talk to your bank or a certified financial planner for help setting up a plan).
   • If your extras list takes you into negative numbers, start looking for places to cut back.
9. Once you’ve done your budget work out if it’s serving you – that is, it’s helping you achieve your goals or not. If not then you can consider changes to it like trimming more from the extras list to put more money toward debt repayment, retirement or whatever is a higher priority in your financial picture.
10. Once your budget is complete remember to track it each month to make sure you’re on track. Where items listed aren’t expenses for that month but the extra money into a budgeting account so that it’s there when you need it!

If you need tighter controls or more guidance, break your monthly budget into a fortnightly or weekly one (depending on how often you get paid). This will help you make sure you set money aside for each item and you never run short.

And if it’s all too hard to create your own then use my Simple Monthly Budget whihc can be downloaded below:

HTWIW Simple Monthly Budget

 

” All accomplishment comes from daring to begin”

Why do we not start things? Or if we do, why do we fail so often?

Failing to start is almost always a result of fear: fear of failure, fear of success, take your pick, they are both powerful preventers to obtaining your goals and dreams. The fear convinces you that it’s better to stay as you are, leave the status quo, rather than rock the boat, leave the port and risk journeying into uncharted, rough waters.

But by setting your Wellness Mission Statement, establishing a Wellness Plan and following these seven steps to overcoming your fears.

Step 1 – Lost Opportunities

Consider what you’re going to miss out on if you don’t do this. Write a list of all the wonderful and positive things that will happen if you reach your goals – this is what you’re going to miss out on if you don’t start.

Step 2 – Research the alternatives

Is this plan the only solution to achieving your wellness goals. Other alternatives like surgery are probably not an option. When your back’s against the wall and this is the only way out then that provides you with added motivation to surge ahead.

Step 3 – Identify the worst case scenario

Often times the fear of failure is a fear of the unknown. By identifying the worst case scenario that can happen, it’s put into perspective – chances are it’s not as bad as you’d first imagined. Plus, if it does (and it usually doesn’t), whilst you still may not like it you will have already considered it and your next options via step 4.

Step 4 – Contingency Plan

My number one thing for almost everything I do ~ what if’s. What if I go to yoga and I’m terrible at it? Well perhaps you can do pilates instead. For each of the worst case scenarios in Step 3, come up with a contingency plan. This will save you lots of time, thought and angst should something not go right first time around.

Step 5 – Understand failing is learning

Thomas Edison failed 1000 times to make the incandescent light bulb. When asked about this he replied “We now know a thousand ways not to build a light bulb”. Learning what doesn’t work is just as important as learning what does work. Without making a mistake (or failing in some small way) a lesson can not be learned fully, and the truth can not be moved closer to. Embrace your mistakes as learnings, take the lessons from them you can and move on.

Step 6 – Ensure your success

Remove all temptations and barriers that will prevent you from working your plan – throw out all that highly processed food form your fridge and pantry, eliminate or reduce the number of meals out, etc. And replace these with things that will help you achieve success – ensure you have plenty of lean meats, and fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge, when eating out go for better restaurants rather than fast  food and order the chicken salad with the dressing on the side rather than the burger and fries.

Step 7 – Get into action

Action is everything – without it decay starts. By getting into action you are working your plan and getting closer to your goals, you’re learning and expanding your knowledge, which makes you feel better and builds confidence. Inaction is the killer of all plans, the destroyer of all dreams. Get into action now, and track and monitor your progress to ensure you keep moving them forward!

 

 

“Your Wellness Plan

is as individual as you”

There’s no one rule fits all when it comes to creating a Wellness Plan. A plan must consider your personal needs,goals as well as your current situation. Start by identifying your Wellness Goals which should revolve around both your physical mental and spiritual health.

You should aim to have at least two goals for each of the following areas:

• physical goals (e.g. weight, fitness, reduced stress level, general good health, etc.)
• mental health goals (resolving issues currently preventing you from achieving wellness)
• spiritual goals (metaphysics and not necessarily religion)

For each goal, list 5 different actions that if you implemented you help you towards achieving each goal, these are your key actions. Use this list of 30 key actions to develop your wellness plan which should be broken into 5 sections:

1. Daily Wellness Plan: what are you going to do each day to work the plan? Include food, exercise, rest and relaxation e.g. my plan includes eating well balanced meals, using vitamin and herbal supplements, walking at least 60 minutes a day, meditating each morning and ensuring I get enough sleep.
2. Weekly Wellness Plan: the things you do only once or twice a week (not daily) e.g. resistance training sessions, yoga , a weekly chat/debriefing session or indulging in your favourite hobby.
3. Monthly Wellness Plan: natural therapies, treatments, anything to reduce stress and improve vitality e.g. my plan includes a fortnightly massage, monthly acupuncture, a day spa treatment, and supporting a charity.
4. Quarterly Wellness Plan: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter all have their seasonal differences. In summer it may be OK to exercise outside, but during the rainy winter months you’ll need to consider indoor activities. If you’re eating fresh and organic then you’ll also need to consider what fruit and vegetables are available at different times of the year.
5. Annual Wellness Plan: annual check ups and tests are a good way to track your progress.

Personalize your plan and ensure you have left room for creativity and flexibility. There’s nothing worse than creating something so ideal that you’ll never stick to it!

Begin your plan immediately. Review your plan daily for the first 2 weeks, then weekly for the next 6 weeks before then moving to monthly. Build your reviews into your plan. This repetition will ensure you plan is actioned and becomes a habit which will lead to discovery and to success.

Finally, don’t forget to track your progress – a health journal is a great tool for tracking and measuring your results.

 Why not get started on your plan now and check out Get Your Body Right or Get Your Mind Right now.