Weight Control For Webmasters

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Are you gaining weight sitting in front of the computer? It's easy to do.

It's easy to get stuck in a rut and forget about your health needs. Heck, this web business stuff is fun, well most of the time at least.

Whether you're putting together a new site, tweaking a sales letter, developing a new ppc campaign, or putting up landing pages, it's all very exciting. Just thinking about the potential and possibilities can make even the most skeptical jump up and down with joy and enthusiasm.

Yes, it's exciting. You spend hours and hours learning. You set up your website, getting it just right, developing your marketing plan, writing and networking. Sometimes you spend even more hours trying to figure out why things won't work and how to get unstuck. Ever been there?

You've had your head buried in the keyboard and before you know it a month has gone by. Your pants are tighter, you have to loosen your belt a notch, you weigh yourself and Yikes! you've gained 5 lbs.

It's easy to do. You're busy. You're starting to see some results with your web business. You're getting some sign-ups for your newsletter, meeting people on the forums you frequent and maybe you've even made a sale or two. Hallelujah!

You're so excited and pumped that your mind races around all the other ideas in your head for even more websites and strategies and you can't wait to start them. Now you spend even more hours on top of the other hours you spend in front of the computer.

Hold on! Sit back and take a deep breath because another month could go by and you could gain another 5 lbs. or maybe even 10. So I ask you, if you keep doing this how much will you weigh in a year? See what I mean?

It doesn't have to be that way. You can still spend time in front of the computer getting your web business even more successful, developing more web sites and control your weight, maybe even lose some.

How, you ask? Well, the first thing you have to do is recognize that you can't keep doing what you've been doing and expect to control your weight. I know it's hard not to fire up the computer first thing in the morning especially when you can't wait to see how much money you made overnight. Yes, it does happen.

But whether you have good news or bad sitting in your in box before you know it you're clickin' here and there and two hours have gone by. But, but, you say, I have emails to check, stats to check, I have to visit my forums and on and on and on.

Maybe you brought in your coffee before you sat down. Maybe you even grabbed a bagel or a donut as well. But now it's 10 am. and you haven't even brushed your teeth, washed your face, or combed your hair. You're still in your jammies or sweat pants and you figure, oh well, I've got lots of work to do today.

So you dive in even deeper. You put up new pages on your web site, brainstorm a new ppc campaign, answer emails and etc, etc.

By now it's mid-afternoon and you're starved. You open the refrigerator and grab the easiest things. You go to the pantry and grab more easy things. Usually highly processed sugary and starchy stuff. Who has time to cook! You've got work to do! And so you sit down with a sandwich, some chips, some cookies or donuts and a soda.

Before you know it's almost dark. The house is a mess, there are papers all over, the bed is not made and you still have to take a shower. Oh, and one more thing, how about dinner. Who has time to cook? So you go down to the corner junk food drive through because you certainly can't get out of the car in those sweat pants.

What's wrong with this picture? Sure, it maybe an exaggeration but if you're ignoring your health it's a recipe for disaster. Being sedentary (sitting in front of the computer) and not eating right are bad for your health. Add not exercising to the mix and you may not be around long enough to reap the rewards of your hard work on that internet business.

They have a saying in real estate. Location, location, location. Well, I have one for weight loss and control. Routine, routine, routine.

As a webmaster you already have a routine. You already have habits and things you do everyday in your business. You just need to spend sometime figuring out how you are going to take care of your heath needs while growing and managing your business. How, you ask?

It's actually pretty easy. Most of us are creatures of habit. To control your weight and lose some you just need to become a creature of good habits. It's that simple. Think routine, routine, routine. Develop a healthy routine and follow it day in and day out. Here are some ideas to get you going.

Exercise In The Morning

The best thing you can do for your body and your mind is to exercise in the morning. You can go for a walk, jump on the treadmill or go to the gym. The idea is to put the time in. Exercise is the most immediate thing you can do for your health.

Use the time to brainstorm a new business idea or plan your day. If you're on the treadmill at home or go to the gym you can read while on the cardio machines. You can even listen to the latest teleseminar you downloaded to your mp3 player.

Exercise gets your blood going and your body producing those "I feel good" chemicals. You will have more energy and less stress if you exercise. Your day will be more smooth and productive because of the positive attitude you get from exercising.

It's important to exercise in the morning because if you wait until later in the day surely something will happen and you won't have time to do it or you just won't feel like it. The later in the day it gets the more excuses you'll come up with why you can't exercise.

And don't buy into all the "lightweight" exercise advice from diet doctor gurus who've never had a weight problem in their life or some government agency mouthpiece that you only need 30 minutes three days a week. B. S. As I once heard a cardiologist claim "if you're not sweating you're not exercising. So, make it count, get that heart rate up there, that's why they call it cardio.

Act Like Your Going To The Office

Even though you work at home act like you are going to the office. Do what you would normally do to go to work. Take your shower, shave or put on your makeup, do your hair. Get dressed. Now you don't have to go so far as to put on a suit and tie or wear high heels, but do dress up a little. Business casual would be good.

A home business can be very lonely and isolating. You can lose your sense of professionalism real easy. You get sloppy. Put up a mirror by your workspace. Look the part. Be the part. After all, you are the proud owner of a successful and profitable home business right? You'll be surprised how it will improve your attitude, your performance and your results.

Schedule Your Lunch And Break Times

When you have a "regular" job there are breaks and lunch times in your workday schedule. Have a regular start time, break times and lunch times. Eat breakfast before you even start up the computer. If you work through the evening make sure you have a regular dinner time.

Plan ahead. When you cook, make enough for a couple more days. You can do this especially when making soups or stews. Know ahead of time what you are going to eat. Don't just open the pantry or refrigerator and ponder. That's just asking for trouble. Trouble in the hips and waistline that is.

Eat at the regularly scheduled time. Remember routine? Don't eat at your desk. That's a very dangerous habit. If you do and you want to stop it just put up a big mirror by your workspace and I bet you stop soon. Having something nutritious between meals is a good idea. Just go to the kitchen and sit at the table.

Try to include protein at each meal and snack. Protein will satisfy you, curb cravings for junk and keep your mind sharp and alert.

Drink Plenty Of Water

Water plays a big role in weight management. Most people are dehydrated. Many times when we feel hungry we are just thirsty.

It is widely recommended to drink 8 eight-ounce glasses-64 ounces-of water a day. That's not enough. Your body uses 32 ounces a day just to aspirate your lungs. Your liver, heart and kidneys need water to function properly. Your skin, the largest organ needs water and it gets it last after everything else. So if you're looking a little wrinkly lately drink up. It's the difference between a grape and a raisin or a plum and a prune.

A minimum of 12 eight-ounce glasses is recommended for good bodily functions. Water flushes metabolic waste from your system when you are trying to lose weight. Most importantly your liver produces bile, which metabolizes fat, and it needs plenty of water to function properly.

Get Plenty Of Sleep

Recent research has shown that not getting enough sleep causes weight gain. Lack of sleep puts your body in stress mode and you produce certain hormones like cortisol that cause you to store fat especially in the belly. That's not good.

You need 7 - 8 hours of sleep a night. Many people walk around sleep deprived. They are not functioning at their best. Poor judgment and cloudy thinking are the results of lack of sleep. To be successful with your web business you need to be awake and alert.

For a good nights sleep go to bed at a regular time every night. Drink a cup of chamomile tea to help you relax.

Happy dreams.

Copyright � 2005 Sheri Graber. All rights reserved.

This article may be freely distributed electronically or in print as long as the author's bio and the links are included.

Sheri Graber understands the pain and frustration of being overweight. After struggling for years with the emotional stress of having a weight problem she lost 87 pounds in 6 months following a simple plan and has kept it off for 4 years. She writes and speaks about obesity and weight loss to help others experience their own weight loss success. She is the author of Automatic Weight-Loss Plan: Program Yourself Slim the Simple Simon Way.

http://www.automaticweightlossplan.com