We have 86,400 seconds in our day, it is what we do with them that counts

Taken from Shape Magazine October 2004,

The Right Way to Write in a Journal

Keeping a journal can increase your sense of well-being and give you a more positive outlook on life. But that's true only if you make a point of recording things you are grateful for, says Robert Emmons, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the University of California, Davis, who conducted several studies on journaling. If you write only about problems or hassles, or even neutral events, you don't reap the benefits he says.

"Gratitude buffers you from physically and psychologically harmful emotions such as envy, resentment, and regret," Emmons says. "By focusing on cherished relationships and the kindness of others, we feel connected and nourished." The study was published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

So yesterday I was reading old magazines and came across this article above and I immediately thought of Denise. I can sometimes get side-tracked over here and focus too much on what is going wrong in my life, and in my weight-loss efforts, but not her. She always write such up-lifting, motivating, and inspirational entries.

I plan to take a leaf from this book and try to be more grateful when I write. I know that I probably won't be able to be positive in every entry, but if it is for my psychological well-being, I'm all for a change.

Yesterday was another hot day here so I thought I'd get some sun at the pool and walked there only to find that they were having some vacation swimming program for kids and not letting the public in until the afternoon. I was so bummed that I had to turn around and walk back home with my tail tucked between my legs. But then I realized, "hey, that was an hour walk, and I wouldn't have done that otherwise."

When I phoned hubby to tell him of my misfortune he said he was coming home early and would take me then. So I got a bonus. I walked for an hour, and got to go to the pool and get some sun too!

I'm not sure if this is a worry or not, but lately on this no-carb diet I'm only consuming around 14-16 points out of my normal 20 allowed on Weight Watchers and I haven't been hungry. I think 14 is way too low, but the good news is today is my last day. I've cut it short by a day because tomorrow I'm going to Schutzenfest (Adelaide's famous German festival) and I will be consuming mass quantities of bad things ie: beer, bratwurst, soft pretzels, sour kraut, beer, and uh more beer.

Tomorrow's post will be my weigh-in post and I think that I will be another kilo down. Excellent. Last night on The Biggest Loser, as I expected, the smallest person on the Red Team was the one to leave. This girl only weighed around 5 kilos more than I do right now. I knew it would be tough for the smaller people to not get voted out early due to the fact that they wouldn't be shedding nearly as much as the larger folks. Hopefully she learned something valuable anyway that they will keep with her and continue to be healthier for the experience.