Can You Lose Weight By Drinking Coffee?

Being active, I thought the extra weight I was carrying would just fall off me. I've never been overweight and it was a real shock to my system when it started to creep up on me.

The truth was though, that being over 40 (I have since turned 50 last October!!), losing weight wasn't going to be so easy thanks to my hormones and life's stresses. I needed a helping hand 😏

I came across a guy offering samples of a coffee that claimed could help give me more energy and curb my appetite. I enjoy a coffee, but due to caffeine giving me palpitations, I only drank decaffeinated. However, I was willing to give it a try.

After reviewing the ingredients (I'm not willing to put just anything into my body), I was satisfied they met with my approval and requested my samples.

They arrived and after my first cup, I felt jittery but surprisingly, I didn't feel so hungry. The guy who sent me the samples told me to just use half of the sachet until I got a little more use to the caffeine, and also to make sure I was keeping hydrated. I was impressed with it so far so bought a tub. It came with a 30 day money back guarantee, so I felt I had nothing to lose (except some weight 😂).

I have been impressed by my energy levels AND losing some weight (a stone or more). I've stopped weighing myself and just go by how my clothes feel.

                                                  Before                                  After

The weight has stayed off and I only use the coffee now and again, mainly when I feel I need an energy boost. Love it! 👍

Try for yourself, coffee or capsules

No time for meditation? Think again.....

With the hectic pace and demands of modern life, many people feel stressed and over-worked. It often feels like there is just not enough time in the day to get everything done. Our stress and tiredness make us unhappy, impatient and frustrated. It can even affect our health. With a busy schedule, we feel we have no time for meditation.

Meditation actually gives you more time by making your mind calmer and more focused. A simple ten or fifteen minute breathing meditation can help you to overcome your stress and find some inner peace and balance.

Meditation can also help us to understand our own mind. We can learn how to transform our mind from negative to positive, from disturbed to peaceful, from unhappy to happy. 

Breathing Meditation

Find a comfortable place where you won't be disturbed. Turn off any distractions such as mobile phone/computer. You can do this sitting or lying down.

If sitting, sit upright in a chair, feet on the ground and back straight. You can place a cushion in the lower part of your back if it feels  uncomfortable. Close your eyes, or focus on a point in front of you if you wish to keep your eyes open.

Bring your attention to your navel, and breathing through the nose, be aware of the tummy gently moving out as you inhale, and falling back towards your spine as you exhale. Don't force the breath. 

Continue with this rhythm, each time trying to slow the breathing down. In your head count slowly in for 4 and out for 4. If this feels comfortable, count in for 4 and out for 6. If at any time it feels uncomfortable, just return your breathing back to normal pace and try again when you are ready. 

If you mind wanders at any point, acknowledge it and be aware this has happened. It's perfectly natural at first. Once you are aware it has wandered, just come back to focusing on your breathing. Keep this practice up for at least 2 minutes with the counting. Then continue for longer if you can, not counting with the breathes, but simply being aware of the breathing and the air flowing in and out of the nostrils. 

Practice this daily. Also throughout the day, have micro moments where you stop for a minute or two, and be aware of the breathing and the air flowing in and out. If you are feeling stressed, this will help calm the body and mind. You can also imagine any stress leaving the body as you exhale. Breath in calm, exhale any stress.

How Can Using A Daily Journal Improve Your Life?

Benefits of writing a daily journal.

Journaling can be effective for many different reasons and help you reach a wide range of goals. It can help you clear your head, make important connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and even buffer or reduce the effects of mental illness!

Journaling helps keep your brain in tip-top shape. Not only does it boost memory and comprehension, it also increases working memory capacity, which may reflect improved cognitive processing. Boosts Mood.

Journaling can be a great stress reducer through organizing one's thoughts, clearing one's mind and facilitating problem solving. There are many benefits to keeping a journal. ... Journaling can reduce stress by helping one get rid of negative thoughts.

It's not only true that scientists have found that writing expressively (the way we often do in a journal) improves working memory, it's also a fact that recording the ins and outs of your life in a journal gives more permanence to an often fleeting past.

It's simply writing down your thoughts and feelings to understand them more clearly. And if you struggle with stress, depression, or anxiety, keeping a journal is a great idea. It can help you gain control of your emotions and improve your mental health.

Begin Your Journal Journey HERE

Things You Must Do To Lose Weight Over 40

With age comes many things: greater wisdom; deeper empathy; a greater sense of knowing who you are; and less happily, the very real possibility of a bigger pants size.

Starting in your 40s, it's easier than ever for the pounds to creep on—and tougher to take them off. Thanks to a slowing metabolism you could be burning 300 fewer calories per day than you did in your early 20s, according to the American Council on Exercise. What's more, falling estrogen levels during perimenopause and menopause (which begin in your early 40s) can cause insulin sensitivity, which makes it harder for your body to control the amount of sugar in your blood, says Caroline Cederquist, MD, a board-certified bariatric surgeon and founder of the meal delivery service BistroMD. This can make your blood sugar levels more prone to spiking and crashing, which can increase your urge to snack—especially on high-carb, sugary junk, Cederquist says.

Put it together, and it's no wonder so many women over 40 end up hitting a weight loss wall. But it doesn't have to be that way. With a few smart moves, you can outsmart your slowing metabolism and get lean—for good.

Sure, some things change after 40. But the basic tenets of successful weight loss stay the same, no matter how old you are. Before you take steps to ageproof your diet plan, it's a good idea to brush up on the basics.

• You need to eat less. It doesn't matter if all you eat is grilled chicken, brown rice, and broccoli. If you don't cut back on your portions, you won't lose weight. Everyone's calorie needs are different, but in general, a woman eating 2,000 calories per day should aim to cut back by 400 to 500 calories, recommends Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, nutrition expert and author of Eating in Color.
• You should aim to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week. Those drop-a-dress-size-in-a-week plans are tempting. But the slow and steady approach is more sustainable since you're more likely to build healthy habits (like exercising more and eating more veggies) that will help you stay leaner in the long term.
• Skipping meals will mess with your metabolism. When you skip breakfast or dinner, it tells your body to squirrel away calories instead of burning them. Skipping meals also increases the chances that your blood sugar will crash, leaving you ravenous for a quick energy hit in the form of sugary carbs, Cederquist says.
• Keeping your carbs in check—especially the refined kind—can help combat age-related insulin resistance and promote steady blood sugar levels, Cederquist says. Adding more protein to your diet can also help. Not only does the nutrient help stave off age-related muscle loss, but it also helps keep your metabolism revved, because the body has to work harder to digest it than, say, a bagel, Cederquist says. How much of each nutrient you consume each time you eat matters, too. In a perfect world each meal and snack should have:
• Vegetables or fruit: Fill half of your plate with these. They’re high in fiber and water, so they'll take up lots of space in your stomach without contributing too many calories to your diet.
• Lean protein: Your plate should have a serving that’s about the size of your palm. Good sources include Greek yogurt, eggs, chicken, and fish. 
• Complex carbohydrates: Your plate should have a serving that’s the size of your closed fist. Whole grains, beans, fresh fruit, and starchy veggies (like sweet potatoes) are all good choices.
• Healthy fats: These can add up quickly when you're trying to lose weight, so it's worth measuring your fats. Aim for 7 to 10 grams every time you eat. That’s 1½ tsp of olive oil, a quarter of an avocado, or two tablespoons of nuts or seeds.

Source:prevention.com/weight-loss/a20465042/lose-weight-over-40/