28 Most Recent Articles
Written By: Larry Tobin

1	Losing Weight - A Body in Motion Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-09-02 | - Word Count: 853 | Viewed: 62 | Votes: 0 Newton tells us that a body in motion will stay in motion unless acted upon; likewise, a body at rest will stay at rest until acted upon. This gives us a powerful metaphor for the difficulties of getting into a proper, healthy exercise habit that can help shed weight and keep it off. If we can break our old habits and get ourselves into a good, strong routine of healthy habits, we will find they are much easier to maintain. This applies just as much to exercise as to any other habit we have in mind. Taking it step by step (literally!) can make all the difference in the world.
2	Stop Stressing - External Checks on Internal Perceptions Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-08-31 | - Word Count: 855 | Viewed: 62 | Votes: 0 It's very easy to take our perception as reality. We see a wall six feet away, we say it's six feet away. We feel hot, we say it is hot. The problem is, perceptions are a matter of perspective and information. This is one of the most important stress management tools available in our toolkit. Let's look at a healthy habit we can build to help combat our internal perceptions with external information.
3	Stop Stressing - Using Systems to Gain Control Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-08-26 | - Word Count: 919 | Viewed: 80 | Votes: 0 So far, we've been focusing on using small steps and independent techniques to help deal with the stress which piles up in our lives. Each of these techniques is a good and proper one for dealing with stress. However, there is another technique that takes advantage of all the things we've talked about and makes them even more effective. This technique is called "system building."
4	Stop Stressing - Finding Choices Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-08-24 | - Word Count: 932 | Viewed: 77 | Votes: 0 It's hard to make a good choice instead of a bad one. It can be even harder to go back and undo a bad choice that we made some time ago. Instead, many times we stubbornly reinforce it again and again, letting it build up over time to continue burying us in worry, regret and stress. If we genuinely want to build lifelong habits that will benefit us and reduce the amount of stress in our lives, we have to look seriously at every aspect of those lives and improve them.
5	Losing Weight and Building Confidence Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-08-19 | - Word Count: 915 | Viewed: 95 | Votes: 1 | Rating: 5.00 Having confidence in your goal is important. It's tough to stick to something we don't believe we can do, after all. Just like all of our other behaviors, confidence also is a habit. It's a way of thinking that, if we cultivate it properly, will become automatic. People with more confidence try more things, take more risks and have more experiences overall than those of us without it. So let's look at a few ways we can cultivate that kind of confidence for ourselves.
6	Stop Stressing - Don't Look Back Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-08-17 | - Word Count: 859 | Viewed: 87 | Votes: 0 The past can be a problematic albatross to carry around. We'll forget where we left our keys 20 minutes ago, but ask us to remember an embarrassing moment from our childhood and it will come to mind like a flash. For some reason, we seem incredibly predisposed toward reminiscing over troubling events. We replay and replay them in our minds until we can't focus on anything else but feeling mortified and wondering if we made the right decision. What's needed is a system - a way of approaching the problem piece by piece and addressing each part until we can settle it logically.
7	Stop Stressing - Breathe Deep Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-08-12 | - Word Count: 883 | Viewed: 97 | Votes: 0 We can turn breathing from something that just happens automatically into a powerful, stress-controlling habit that allows us to regulate the way our body processes its energy. For those of us looking to reduce stress in our lives, following are a few tips on how to make breathing into a life-affirming habit.
8	Stop Stressing - Resist the Urge to Time Travel Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-08-10 | - Word Count: 869 | Viewed: 87 | Votes: 0 For creatures that supposedly only exist in the present, we sure do a lot of time traveling. We worry about tomorrow, we fret over yesterday, and all the while our current status gets neglected. If we're going to make the best of our efforts to relieve stress and get to where we want to be, we need to make a habit of making the most out of the present, instead of letting time-traveling worries get the best of us.
9	Losing Weight - Weighing In Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-08-05 | - Word Count: 872 | Viewed: 96 | Votes: 0 Part of our ultimate goal in doing all this habit changing is to lose weight, of course. Part of that is the practice of weighing in and seeing what our progress has been. Unfortunately, this is another area where people too frequently miss out on developing a good habit, and find instead discouragement and frustration. However, just like all other problems, there is an explanation and a habit that can help solve it.
10	Stop Stressing - Just Say No Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-08-03 | - Word Count: 973 | Viewed: 78 | Votes: 0 As many people have commented at one time or another, we could get so much more done if there were just more hours in the day. So what's the problem? To be entirely fair without being harsh, we are the problem. More accurately, it's our inability to say no. If reducing stress is the goal, it's time that we learn to use the power of a well phrased 'no.'
11	Stop Stressing: Visualize Success Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-07-29 | - Word Count: 943 | Viewed: 91 | Votes: 0 We're going to discuss a few ways to turn our mind from an enemy into our friend. Once we're in the habit of calling out our bad thoughts and pushing them out of the way, it's time to put good thoughts and positive visualizations in their place. The mind will fill up emptiness with more thoughts, so why not use these techniques to make sure they're thoughts that help, not hinder?
12	Stop Stressing - Getting Away from Should Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-07-27 | - Word Count: 882 | Viewed: 90 | Votes: 0 People like to have a sense of purpose about things. We want to know that we're doing the right thing, and that our activities are going along according to "the plan." In short, we spend a lot of time either saying "I should..." or asking ourselves "what should I..." Instead of getting hung up on the "I shoulds" that keep tearing our confidence down, let's look at the way we can harness the power of "I want," and "I will."
13	Stop Stressing - How to Log It and Block It Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-04-21 | - Word Count: 867 | Viewed: 226 | Votes: 0 An interesting thing about the human mind is that it tends to work largely on autopilot. Whether it is showering, driving to work, or making breakfast, there are large parts of our daily routines that occur without needing much conscious thought. Just as the mind can adopt behaviors as automatic, it can be made to think about them and break them down into meaningful pieces of information. To that end, we're going to look at a life-building habit called a Stress Log.
14	Losing Weight - Share the Health with Family-Friendly Habits Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-04-20 | - Word Count: 863 | Viewed: 194 | Votes: 0 Kids pick up their eating habits from their parents. They get used to eating what their parents serve, and while they don't share all tastes with their parents, there ends up being a lot of commonality. Children pick up habits just like adults do, through repetition and example over a period of weeks and months. Making sure these habits are healthy is an important part of parenthood, and fortunately we have some advice to help make this process a little easier.
15	Stop Stressing - Building Your Support Team Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-04-16 | - Word Count: 851 | Viewed: 212 | Votes: 0 There are many ways that we can allow others to help and encourage us in our efforts. The ultimate responsibility may come down on our shoulders, but that doesn't mean we're islands that have to stand entirely on our own. Families, friends, and oddly enough even entire strangers can be an amazing resource in our efforts to de-stress our lives. Here, we focus on some of the ways we can build a strong support group as we endeavor to kick the stress habit.
16	Stop Stressing: the STOP Method Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-04-13 | - Word Count: 863 | Viewed: 223 | Votes: 0 Stress is a universal part of the human condition. In short, just about everything in our lives can be a source of stress. The key is not avoiding stress, but learning how to filter what kinds of stress we allow to affect us, and to stop the influence of the worst sources. With this in mind, we're going to take a look at the Habit Changer S.T.O.P. method of thought management.
17	Losing Weight - Discourage Discouragement Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-04-09 | - Word Count: 915 | Viewed: 148 | Votes: 0 As an important part of building our strong habits for weight loss, we need to learn to identify and stop unhealthy criticism and discouragement. Here are four key steps to help you overcome these obstacles and clear the path to your goals.
18	Losing Weight - Counting and Setting Goals Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-03-15 | - Word Count: 854 | Viewed: 292 | Votes: 0 Effective weight loss hinges on goal setting. While weight loss itself is our final goal, the end product we want to achieve, our weight loss journey isn't just a one-step process. If it were that easy everyone would likely have done it already. Here are some tips and tools to help you form the goal-centered habits needed to lose the weight, but gain a sense of accomplishment.
19	Losing Weight - 3 Steps to Mix Socializing with Dieting Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-03-12 | - Word Count: 805 | Viewed: 250 | Votes: 0 We are a social and habitual species, so it's natural that we build up patterns of behavior related to socializing. While many calorie-centered rituals have the potential to thwart effective weight loss, socializing does not have to be in conflict with healthy eating habits. Here are three steps toward building positive weight management habits while you enjoy time out with your friends.
20	Losing Weight - Taming Your Trigger Foods Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-03-10 | - Word Count: 872 | Viewed: 224 | Votes: 0 There are certain things we just cannot stop eating once we've begun. A bag of chips, bread, a favorite chocolate or candy, whatever it is that sets us off makes us keep eating until we feel over-full or finish the bag. These are what we call trigger foods, and they can be a serious stumbling block to trying to lose weight. Incorporate these two techniques into your routine over the next 30 to 60 days to take charge over those trigger foods.
21	Losing Weight - The Power of Practicing No Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-03-02 | - Word Count: 853 | Viewed: 230 | Votes: 0 As a species, we are naturally inclined to say 'yes' to others. Unfortunately, sometimes we find ourselves saying yes even if it sets us back on our own goals and efforts to build good, healthy habits. Over the next 30 to 60 days, incorporate the tactics below to build your "No" muscle, and help yourself to healthier habits.
22	Losing Weight: Redefine Full in Four Steps Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-02-23 | - Word Count: 821 | Viewed: 204 | Votes: 0 Overeating is about more than reckless epic binges or always ordering the double large portion from your favorite restaurant. In many cases it can actually be a very subtle occurrence, done one small step at a time rather than in a big and noticeable way. There are classic signs of overeating, and they are entirely manageable with good habit building.
23	Losing Weight - STOP and Shed Inches Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-02-18 | - Word Count: 922 | Viewed: 217 | Votes: 0 One of the most interesting truths is that we are our own worst enemies. We can be full of confidence, exuberance, and encouragement for our friends and families. When it comes to ourselves, however, we're often full of discouragement, disbelief, and disheartening diatribes. There is a method for taking control of our thoughts and that little voice in our heads, a method called S.T.O.P.
24	Losing Weight - Take Control of Late Night Snacking Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-02-03 | - Word Count: 900 | Viewed: 200 | Votes: 0 When it's late at night it's all too easy for that snack to be something calorie-laden, like a big bowl of ice cream. Unfortunately this is a decision that sets many people back. Yet like every other behavior we've discussed, we can control late night snacking through the formation of healthy, specific habits. It can be as easy as 1-2-3, as we've outlined below.
25	Losing Weight - A Pattern of Portion Control Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-01-28 | - Word Count: 928 | Viewed: 276 | Votes: 2 | Rating: 3.50 Managing our weight can be a tricky proposition. Unhealthy food choices surround us, we don't always have the opportunity to exercise, and society's system of three meals a day can send our metabolism into fits. Finding a way to take control is one of the most important steps that we can take in our battle to keep the pounds and the inches off our waistline.
26	Losing Weight - Redirecting Your Snacking Habit Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-01-26 | - Word Count: 929 | Viewed: 282 | Votes: 2 | Rating: 4.50 Take on some smart snacking tactics - like the ones highlighted here - for six weeks to kick-start a lifelong habit of healthy eating and feeling great.
27	Weight Loss - Walking off the Pounds Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 2010-01-21 | - Word Count: 879 | Viewed: 259 | Votes: 1 | Rating: 2.00 Walking is a near universal opportunity to burn a few more calories every day, everywhere we choose to go. It is the most basic exercise. We move muscles, and those muscles burn calories as we go. But it's such an automatic thing to do that we often forget the benefits that a good walking routine can provide us. So, let's take a look at five quick ways we can take advantage of our walking habit without going out of our way.
28	Stop Stressing - Stressors and Themes Written by: Larry Tobin | Distributed: 0000-00-00 | - Word Count: 906 | Viewed: 49 | Votes: 0 One of the most important ways to identify stressors and their role is to figure out their theme. A theme is a sort of thread that ties seemingly different elements into the same whole. What seems like many problems is actually just one related, overall problem. Once we know our major stress themes, we can begin taking more appropriate big-picture steps along with smaller ones.