New Years Resolutions

New Years Resolutions

So here is comes again, those New Year’s Resolutions that you are so excited to make and even more hopeful to keep, and in the end you find that some of them were just too hard to do every day. It is the Pass/Fail mentality that makes New Year’s Resolutions so doomed that some of us never even make them. Let’s look at changes that can be made throughout the year using Timer®Tips!

TimerORGANIZER™

Wouldn’t it be nice if this was the year that you had everything organized; your time, your projects, your belongings, and most importantly your life! It is possible, if you know what is important to you! What are your values? What do want to accomplish: today, tomorrow, this week, this month, this year, in the next few years, in your lifetime? Is what you are spending your time on right now consistent with what you want to accomplish? If it is then relax and realize that sometimes steps in the right direction are better than lots of action in the wrong direction. If it is not, STOP, step back and decide what is truly important and make adjustments. Remember it is a journey, one that is meant to be looked back on and remembered with joy, even though not every moment may be joyful.

TimerSAVINGS™

The New Year is a good time to define what financial goals you want to achieve during the New Year. Again, this is not a pass/fail situation. It is a life style thing. How do you want your life to look? Is where you are currently working or the business you run bringing in the amount of money that you envisioned during this time in your journey? If not, decide what you can do to get your vision and your reality on the same track. While I don’t think that adhering to a strict budget is the best way to live life, I do believe that you need to know what your basic expenses are that you have to expend each month no matter what and then decide how much you have left over and then divide it up between discretionary spending, savings, and giving. Most people have the goal of spending what they get, and just as the universe would be expected to behave, they spend what they get. You must change your plan or you will have the same as you have in the past and for some that may mean financial struggles.

TimerDIET®

What would New Year’s Resolutions be without looking at our overall health and how we feel about our bodies? It is so important to feel good about how you look and feel and it is even more important to take care of your body so you have the best chance for good health. How do you want your body to look like (really…not society)? Do you have any goals that you can look forward to that can help you get to the weight that you want to get to? It may seem like a good idea to have a buddy or accountability partner but it is not. The reason and motivation to lose weight needs to be yours and not someone else pushing you. If you aren’t sure about my philosophy on Why Diets Do NOT Work, go to my website and request Chapter 2 and have it sent to you free to understand all the problems that “dieting” can create when you really thought you were doing everything right.  

Sherri Sue Fisher author of TimerDIET, TimerORGANIZER, and to be released in Spring 2015 TimerSAVINGS

 

Holidays

Timer® Tips

The Holidays

The holidays can be a fun, magical, eventful, happy time of year…they can also be stressful, guilt ridden, and a financially difficult time of year as well. So here are some great idea’s to get you through the holidays this year.

TimerDIET

Know ahead of time which foods are “not in your best interest” decide ahead of time whether you are going to have one of this or none of this, or maybe two. Just decide ahead of time so you are not caught having to make a decision on the spot. Remember to always eat well-balanced meals throughout the day. So when you do decide to have something that is a little sugary it does not send you off into a tailspin of the Sugar High, which will eventually become the sugar crash.

Remember your drinks during this time of year can also be a source of unnecessary calories and sugar.  Treat sugary drinks just like you would dessert. Make sure you have eaten a well-balanced meal before, during, or right after having a sugary drink. And if you don’t know my stance on sugar substitutes, they are a NO-NO-NO! If you want something that is sweet, regular sugar is the best.

Don’t forget daily exercise and if you are doing a lot of shopping, then you are in luck, all the walking and carrying bags counts!! Just remember to get 30 minutes in everyday!!

TimerORGANIZER

The holidays are a great time to organize your past and get ready for your future. The Christmas decorations are the perfect place to sort through what to keep and what to throw out (or keep in a special place for sentimental reasons). Making room for the upcoming presents by giving away what you and your family no longer use, is also a great holiday tradition to get started with this year. We have many things that we do not use or need, there are others who would make better use of what we do not. So take this time during the holidays to see what you really need and give away what you do not.

Organizing your time is crucial during the holidays. Along with your daily life now you need to add in parties, shopping, and so much more. Take your calendar right now and make sure that everything you can possibly think of is properly written down in your calendar with the exact times and addresses. If the addresses are new to you get directions and save them so that you can easily retrieve them when it is time to go. (I like to email them to myself) Don’t forget to schedule time for you, and/or the family and friends. The holidays are so chaotic that taking in something like a movie or dinner with friends can be just what is needed to get some balance back. Schedule your days the way you want and understand they might not turn out exactly how you had planned, but they have a better chance if you are really specific with your intentions.

TimerSAVINGS

Budget, budget, budget. I cannot stress this enough. Know how much you really want and need to spend on the holidays and don’t forget the little things like the extra tipping, office holiday gifts, additional meals out, a pretty dress for that special party, cooking dinner, decorations. There are a lot of costs that go into the holidays. Having a budget will help you in deciding what is really necessary and what is not. Some families pick names and then buy that one person a really nice set of gifts. Others put a limit on the adult’s gifts and then others try for a more personal touch and make their gifts. (A coupon book of things you will do for another is a great idea for a free gift idea—some have gotten pretty creative with this, like “Giving in on an argument”, “saying I’m sorry when I don’t feel like it”, drawing a bubble bath, and then of course the traditional, “back rub” is always nice. Whatever the gift the thought and sentiment should be what is given and received.

Happy Holidays!!

Sherri Sue Fisher, author of:

TimerDIET 2^nd Edition #7 on Amazon E-books in Health, Fitness & Dieting/Personal Health/Women’s Health—November 10^th 2014

TimerORGANIZER #5 on Amazon E-books in Business & Money/Business Life/Time Management—October 25^th 2014

TimerSAVINGS due out Spring of 2015

Dreams

Timer® Tips Dreams

Today we are talking about dreams, those that we think we should have, those that we want, and those we don’t dare to dream.

TimerDIET

If you have ever dreamt of being a little smaller, a little more fit, or get to the point where food is no longer an issue: I know what it is like to feel like those kind of dreams are just not possible, until one day almost six years ago, I said enough is enough and made a plan to “make it happen” I wasn’t going to take NO for an answer. I knew I could make lasting changes that in the end would get me to my weight loss goals. Now my goals are more of fitness and body muscle. I am in my 50’s and I want to make sure I take care of my body as best I can. I exercise daily and strive to include weight bearing exercises into my routine. I could say that I am too old, it’s not possible, or I could say…every day is another day to make a goal and keep it!! You will feel so much better once you are at your comfort weight!!

TimerORGANIZER

Time is something we all value. Time is money, you have more than likely heard that saying before. In some ways it is more valuable than money. You can always earn more money, but you cannot earn more time. You must be vigilant with your time and be sure not to squander it. Your dreams depend on you accounting for your time in a way that moves you toward your dreams. Do we go through the days dealing with crisis and not tending to the things that could make our dreams come true and minimize the occurrence of crisis? Even if you promised yourself to spend 15 minutes a day working on your dream, do you realize that would be over 90 hours in a year? Try it—schedule 15 minutes each day this week to work on your dream. Figure out what it will take to make it happen!

TimerSAVINGS

This section is dedicated to my step-father who passed away this last week. My mom and he met and married after me and my sisters had all grown up and we had moved out of the house. But, even though he entered our lives much later in life he was very much a part of our family vacations and holidays over the last 30 years. I remember this one vacation/holiday during Christmas in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida when my step-father told my oldest grandson: “Dream big and believe, focus on the yacht and someday it will be yours” My grandson had just mentioned how he would love a yacht someday. It would have been easy to say, ‘oh that will never happen’ or ‘you don’t want a yacht do you?’ But, instead my step-father made my grandson feel his dream had validity and if he really wanted it, it could happen.

When it comes to money be sure to: 1) Spend it on what you need and sometimes on what you want, 2) Save some for peace of mind and the dreams of your future, and 3) Give some to those less fortunate. All of these things need to be done with your money—today! Not tomorrow, not when things get better, not….whatever you are thinking. Do them now and you will feel so much better.

So dream big, make a plan, and make it happen!!

Sherri Sue Fisher, author of:

TimerDIET 2^nd Edition #7 on Amazon E-books in Health, Fitness & Dieting/Personal Health/Women’s Health—November 10^th 2014

TimerORGANIZER #5 on Amazon E-books in Business & Money/Business Life/Time Management—October 25^th 2014

TimerSAVINGS due out Spring of 2015

Stress

Stress

Stress affects most of us to some extent at one time or another in our lives. But, what is STRESS really?

TimerOrganizer

Stress is when your expectations are not Inlign with your reality. It may seem easy to just change your expectations, but that could lead down a path that is not in your best interest. What are your expectations? Are they realistic? If they truly are not realistic then write down what would be a more realistic expectation and see how close to your reality the new expectation is. However, if your expectation is realistic then you need to create a plan on how to make it a reality so that your expectations and your reality are in sync.

Many times we decide it is just easier to reduce our expectations, this can have the effect of not living our full potential and doing what is necessary to live a life that we truly intended to lead. Before you decide that your hopes and dreams are not possible, see what you can do to make them possible with a solid plan with benchmarks along the way.

TimerDiet

When you are working to get down to your ideal weight, stress can wreak havoc with those plans! Daily exercise is a great way to deal with day to day stress that most everyone feels. Make your weight loss goals weekly so you know how you are doing and write down what it is that you eat everyday including what time you ate and how you felt. If you are experiencing a significant amount of stress be sure to write it down and see if you are eating a well-balanced diet each and every time that you eat. Eating a well-balanced diet of dietary fat, protein, and carbohydrates will help reduce stress. Breathe deeply, eat well-balanced meals, daily exercise and you will be doing your best to keep stress from your weight loss goals.

TimerSavings

When it comes to money problems, lack of money is probably the number one stressor in our lives. Relationship problems are only a second because many relationship issues are money related. When finances are in check and the amount of money you have is the amount of money you need, there is rarely cause for stress related to finances. There are various ways to make sure you have enough money to keep the money stressors at bay.  It may seem like spending less money is the primary way of saving money, but so is making more money. Your standard of living is probably the easiest way to keep the money stressors at bay. Most people will find that their ability to increase their ability to make more money comes with an increase in desires to spend more money. If you can balance your desire to spend money with the need to save money you will help stave off the money stressors that affect so many. If you find that you are already too far into the money stressors, do not despair, there are a lot of options and you need to address all of them. 1) Drastically reducing unnecessary spending for everything. 2) Debt restructuring and lastly 3) Insolvency options (various degrees of bankruptcy)

Getting your finances under control is the best way to take control of your life again!

Sherri Sue Fisher, author of TimerDiet and TimerOrganizer and to be released TimerSavings

Grocery Shopping

This is our first blog with the new format! We will discuss a topic and how each of my books would address each. Today’s Topic is Grocery Shopping:

TimerDiet—TimerOrganizer—TimerSavings

Make Menus

When grocery shopping you want to make sure that you know what you are going to do with each item that you buy. How will each purchase be consumed? Do you have a purpose for each purpose that is well-balanced? Can you combine your purchase with other purchases or things you have at home that will make it well-balanced including dietary fat, protein, and carbohydrates. 

Each week when it is time to grocery shop take a few minutes to make some menus for the week. They don’t need to be specific—fish, green vegetable, and some rice the details can be decided later, based on the sale items. Perhaps it is taco night or pasta night…either way make sure that you include dietary fat, protein, and carbohydrates.  This includes your breakfast, lunches, and mini-meals (i.e. snacks)

Organize Your Fridge!

You may have so many groceries in your refrigerator and freezer that you have no idea what is good, expired, or even goes together to make a well-balanced meal. It is better to have less groceries in your fridge that you know are fresh and good for you than be filled with many foods that are “not in your best interests” or have already expired and will not be useful when it is time to make dinner.

Take 15 minutes with the trash can in hand and get rid of anything that you would not be willing to eat right now. In other words if you don’t think it is fresh today, then toss it. Now organize what you have left by areas that make sense to you! Some people like to organize by breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacks, while others like to organize by products, cheeses, meats, salad mixings, cooking vegetables, toppings, etc. Whatever organization makes sense to you go for it, keep it, and make it work for you to save money and use all the groceries you bought instead of throwing them out because they went bad.

Save Your Money

Grocery shopping is the one area that you have the MOST control over your budget. You decide what you buy and how much you buy. I read a statistic that the average family throws out a little over $1,000 each year! Do you have something that you could spend $1,000 rather than the trash can? I know I do! I am not perfect I promise I have to deal with the same thing that all of us do. But, most of us don’t even realize what we are doing. We throw food out in the trash without realizing the actual $’s that we are throwing out. So when you are throwing out food, take a note pad and write down an estimate of how much you are tossing. So if something cost $10 and you used ½ of it then you would write down $5 as the amount that you wasted. Do this for at least a month and get to the point where you are throwing away less than 2% of your food budget. Life is all about choices and the wisest choice is to buy what you want AND need and to not waste any of it (well not much of it anyway!)

Sherri Sue Fisher, author of TimerDiet, TimerOrganizer, and coming soon TimerSavings

Halloween Candy!

Halloween Candy!

It is that time of year when all the temptations are around us constantly until the New Year. TimerDiet devotes all of Chapter 7—Holidays and Various Events, just for you!

Don't Get Spooked by the Halloween Candy!

The Best Defense is a Good Offence!

Here is an excerpt from my book TimerDiet Chapter 7—Holidays and Various Events: “Halloween: Don’t buy candy that you will want to eat yourself. There is usually some kind of candy that is not very tempting to you. For me, these candies are Almond Joy, Hot Tamales, and Gummy Bears—they just don’t do it for me, so I feel very safe buying them. However, do not get me around a bag of Snickers, Reese’s, or M&M’s. I will eat them in a heartbeat! Keep this in mind when you pick up goodies to hand out. No one needs to know that you are not crazy about the candy you hand out. When there are leftovers, you won’t be tempted to eat them, nor will you be tempted to open the bags ahead of time to get a taste.

If you have children and are used to getting into their candy, decide this year, it is hands-off! How much and how often you allow the kids to eat is a personal decision that you will need to make. If you can give some away to a good cause, do so. Some dentists have a program in which you bring in your Halloween candy and they donate it to the troops.”

Get a Head Start on the Holidays!

With all the “eating” holidays coming soon, it is important to have some good information to make sure that you don’t gain weight and if you are in the middle of losing weight to make sure you stay on track!! (It CAN be done xoxo)

Sherri Sue Fisher, author of TimerDiet and TimerOrganizer

TimerDiet is available in Hardback, Paperback, E-book, and Audio

Clickhere to go to Amazon and get your copy!

Accountability

Diet Plans Where You are Accountable to Someone Else May Backfire!

We hear about having an accountability partner and be accountable to someone else for your diet plan. Is this really working? I can’t imagine asking my best friend to tell me to my face when they think I am screwing up and being “happy” about them telling me. Let’s even go to a worst case scenario. Your friend is also losing weight and by all accounts is being perfect and losing weight faster than you. Now you have your best friend on your case and losing weight faster than you are. Will this motivate you? Or make you give up and say, “I just don’t want to play this game anymore!”?

So try these new rules for being accountable to you and only YOU:

1.      Do not tell anyone that you are planning on losing weight

2.      Keep a journal of what you ate so you can learn how certain foods affect you

3.      Always do things that you love to do

4.      Never create a reward system for reaching your weight loss goals

5.      Keep a journal of your exercise progress, see how much you are able to increase in time and weight, it is exciting!

Diets and weight loss plans are all over the place right now and it can be a little overwhelming. Just remember that you have the power to lose the weight you want within you! Keep your friends for fun, sad times, and someone to talk with. 

Sherri Sue Fisher, author of TimerDiet and TimerOrganizer