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Obese Recovery: Reason # 132 to Lose Weight: To Meet Youppi !
I took my kid to a Sports Hobby Expo, and Youppi was there. At one point I approached Youppi and respectfully asked if we could take a photo together...Youppi being Youppi was playfully pretending not to understand I wanted a photo with him. So we eventually took the photo.
Then I told Youppi that I have been wanting to meet him for years and years and a bit of my story of how meeting him was one of the reasons I lost 200 lbs (showed him my before and after pic). Then Youppi did something unexpected.
Youppi signed a Youppi Baseball Card for me and gave it to me for free. I was really happy and surprised... those things sell for a lot of money. I hope to let my grandchildren inherit that card one day.
Another bucket list item ticked off.
One of my future goals is to sing the national anthem at a Hockey game with a Barbershop Group (my own that I will create one day, or one of the groups I sing with now). When I do, I hope to stand with Youppi again. One day at a time...that is what I am working towards.
I was too unhealthy to go up and down stairs and walk to find him.
Eventually, The Montreal Expos Baseball team was no more and I thought my chances of ever meeting Youppi was over.
As an adult I would then see Youppi became the mascot of the Montreal Canadiens Hockey team. However, my health had gotten worse, so same thing would happen. If I happen to attend a hockey game (very rarely get the chance), I would have to hope to be lucky enough that he would come to me...it never happened.
I always wanted to meet him and get a photo with him.
It was one of the reasons on my list to get health.
Now I did it.
Thank you Youppi!
I hope to sing the anthem on the ice one day, with you standing with us.
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Cindy used the last 90 minutes of the full interview and broke them up into two 45 minute podcasts labelling them episodes 81 and 82. To listen to the podcasts, see the links below.
The first hour+ will be released by Coach Frank as a youtube video. The youtube video (see below) is the full interrupted interview from beginning to end, cycling through many before and after photos of Coach Frank.
Click on this link in order to listen to A Healthier You – Little By Little Podcast Episode # 81: Conquer Obesity Once and For All
Click on this link in order to listen to A Healthier You – Little By Little Podcast Episode # 82: Conquer Obesity Once and For All
A Healthier You “Little by Little” Podcast
Cindy will cover a range of current health issues from stubborn weight loss, lack of energy, lack of sleep to motivation and accountability tips. To learn more about Cindy Little, please visit A Healthier You Little By Little Podcast
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Addiction is the experience of not being able to stop using a substance or engaging in a behaviour despite a genuine desire to stop.
Addiction is the combination of being in a state of emotional discomfort (often discomfort we are not consciously aware of) and having a previous experience with a powerfully soothing substance or behaviour. Our underlying discomfort increases as a result of this cycle, making us seek even more relief.
When it comes to a substance addiction (like sugar), we also can develop a physical dependence which complicate things further. (It) becomes so essential to our comfort that we can’t muster the willingness to stop without help. We are addicted.
Addiction is a spectrum. Some people have a much harder time controlling their addictive behaviours than others. Some need intensive treatment and some seem to be able to do it with minimal assistance. Do not compare yourself to others; compare yourself to yesterday’s version of yourself. If you have tried to stop or moderate a particular behaviour and cannot seem too despite your attempts to stop, that thing is addictive FOR YOU, regardless if others can stop or not.
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Recovery is the process of improving your thinking, changing your lifestyle, and trusting that you have the ability to live a rich, full life without engaging in life-crushing compulsive behaviors.
Author of Staying Sober Without God
Recovery is not a singular event, or a finite process; it is a lifestyle.
Recovery is a fundamental change to be made to the way you look at and interact with the world and the people in it.
Recovery is a transformative experience that takes place slowly, making small incremental changes towards improving oneself.
Recovery is about interacting with healthier people, which is why meeting have a lot to offer.
Recovery is a willingness to try something new and make a small effort every day to engage in new habits and behaviours.
Recovery is moving out of a hopeless state of mind and body. Where a person no longer experiences certain kinds of suffering.
Recovery is the actions that need to be taken in order to achiever a state of stability and move towards optimal mental health.
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Too Many Couples Never Talk About Money With One Another
The topic of personal finances is a touchy subject for many couples. Even those in happy relationships may go silent when it’s time to talk about money. Fundamentally, the problem stems from the idea of joint finances. Every other aspect of your life is joined together, but many couples still have separate finances.
On the one hand, you can see how this makes sense. Both of you may earn a living, so you want to keep your income separate. However, the longer you’re with someone, the sillier it seems to keep things apart. Couples should focus on their finances together, rather than keeping everything separate. You may be worried about this idea, but there are some clear reasons why it makes a lot of sense.
In this guide, we’ll explore why couples should join their finances together and the benefits this can bring to you and your relationship.
Too many couples will never talk about money with one another. As mentioned before, it’s a touchy subject. Some people don’t want to talk about what they’re spending money on or how much they’re saving. When this happens, you can build invisible barriers between one another. There’s a lack of openness that may not cause problems right now, but it can later down the line.
Couples who pool their money together will have a more open relationship. When both of you share an account and put money in it, it’s only natural to have conversations about your finances.
This is really advantageous as it helps you both get on the same page. You can talk about your outgoings for the month and notice that you’re spending way too much in some areas. If you want to save money for a big purchase, you can look at your joint account and talk to one another about the best ways to budget going forward.
Money stops being this hidden thing that neither of you speaks about and starts becoming a normal topic. The improved communication and openness won’t just lead to better financial control, it’ll also lead to better relationships.
Prevents financial resentment
One of the main reasons couples break up is thanks to financial resentment. One partner resents the other because of certain financial decisions or money-related issues. Ironically, the most common occurrence is in heterosexual relationships when the female partner earns more money than the male one.
Here, the man starts to resent his partner because he feels slightly emasculated. While we could take a deep dive into fragile masculinity and how society has trained men to believe they need to be the “breadwinner” we’ll leave it at that for a moment! Financial resentment is more common when your finances are separate because you may feel like your partner is splashing the cash all the time. You or they become jealous, which puts a strain on your relationship.
When couples focus on their finances together, financial resentment doesn’t exist. You go from both having your own finances to sharing them together. Everyone is equal and you can both use the money as one. It completely removes the idea of resentment, giving your relationship one less thing to worry about.
Financial Resentment Can Cause Couples To Break Up
Stops bad financial decisions and the debt spiral
Bad financial decisions are easier to make when you’ve got your own stash of money. It’s in your account, so you feel less worried about doing something potentially dangerous. You have no issues maxing out your credit card because your partner doesn’t need to know about it.
Sadly, this leads to more bad decisions and you end up in a terrible debt spiral. You owe more money every month and it’s impossible to get out of. Debt is a terrible thing that can ruin your life and put a massive strain on your mental health. Many people have ended up in a depression rehab center as a direct result of bad financial decisions and debt. How does this change when you approach your finances together?
You’re both less likely to make bad financial decisions when you have joint ownership of an account. You may share a credit card, meaning you have to take more care when spending money. Instead of doing impulsive things, you talk to your partner first. Your partner also sees what you’re spending when you share your finances together, so they can talk to you about certain purchases or decisions.
In essence, the added responsibility makes you think twice about things. You no longer feel like you can do something because it only affects you. Instead, you start recognizing that other people are affected, so you cut down on the bad financial decisions. As a result, there will be less debt in your relationship and the pair of you can make smarter financial choices together.
Helps you achieve financial goals faster
Couples who share their finances and have joint accounts will achieve their goals a lot faster than others. It’s down to a combination of things, many of which we’ve already touched upon.
Having better and more open communication will lead to better financial decisions. As such, you can work on creating a better budget together and saving more money. This enables you to reach saving targets quicker - perhaps you can get a downpayment for a mortgage loan a lot faster than expected.
Moreover, combining your finances means you will have more money in your accounts. This will let you take advantage of interest rates to earn more money. If your money is separate, you will earn less interest as there’s less money in each account. Pooled together, you earn more money even at the same rate. The same goes for joint investments; instead of only being able to invest $5,000 in something, you can combine money with your partner to double that and see greater returns.
Your natural human reaction to money is that you should keep yours separate. You spent your life earning a living, so you’re worried about sharing that with someone else. For the good of your relationship - and your financial future - it makes a lot of sense to start focusing on finances together. Combine your wealth; you share everything else, so why should this be any different?
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And it's not just about the money that it takes to plan a wedding, but there is a leap of faith involved that you are entrusting your heart and your soul into another person's hands. You can never be 100% sure that you're making the right choice. You just have to make sure that you're ready to at least try.
Remember getting engaged as a promise that you make, and there are several tests along that journey. You discover a lot about our partner when you promise each other that you'll be together forever and you'll also have that other test: how to tell if a diamond is real when you buy it. Getting engaged is exciting, but if you're wondering if you're ready to take the next step, we've got 5 clear signs that yes, the time is now.
Getting Engaged Is A Promise You Make
- It feels right. When you are ready to get engaged, it's always normal to feel a little nervous. But you don't feel afraid of this decision. It's a big life decision to ask somebody to marry you, and while a few butterflies make total sense, you shouldn't feel afraid of the decision you're about to make.that feeling of impending doom should not be there.
- You are at your best when you are with them. You are comfortable in any situation, whether you are going out to dance at a ball or you are in your pajamas watching Netflix and eating pizza. No matter which situation you are in, you feel comfortable in every way. And if you're going to be engaged, that should be exactly how you feel with your partner.
- You already know how to communicate. The couples that will go the distance are those who are able to articulate what they need from one another without it feeling like a demand. Communication is one of the biggest skills that you need in your marriage and it's so crucial because it makes everything better. If you can communicate and you choose to communicate over arguing, then you are going to be in the best position ever to get engaged.
- You are confident that you can get through the rough spots. Every relationship has them, and while people think that being happy means never, ever fighting, it's just not true. Fighting is a form of communication, but it's how you handle those fights that matters. You've got through the rough spots and you're ready for anything.
- It's time. A clear sign you are ready to get engaged is that it's feeling like now is the right time. You've waited and you've been together and you feel sure. You should never go into a decision so huge unless you do feel sure.
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Some Common Challenges Are Present In Most Relationships
- Changing priorities
Change is part of the growth process, sometimes with a shift in priorities or life goals. As individuals grow, they begin to evolve, and certain things no longer hold priority in their lives. For example, someone may lose interest in a career and seek a new challenge. Some may also seek new personal interests or create new social circles. Regardless of the type of change, a priority shift can make it difficult to sustain a relationship. In most cases, this change can lead to unintentionally neglecting your partner, especially when you feel you’ve outgrown them. This situation creates a disconnection and eventually leads to a break in the relationship.
2. A lack of intimacy
A recent study shows that as many as 40 million Americans in romantic relationships are not physically intimate. Several factors account for this, ranging from a lack of interest to a lack of time. Some also deal with pornography and other forms of addiction, affecting their desire to be physically intimate. In such cases, it’s important to find ways to stop pornography or break free from addiction. Of course, intimacy isn't always physical, as it also encompasses emotional, intellectual, and even spiritual connections. Finding bonding activities can help deal with a lack of intimacy that isn’t physical.
3.Financial strain
Many prioritize love and affection, but money is also key in any relationship. Money matters or finances are some main reasons couples fall off. But a lack of money isn’t the only issue. Sometimes disagreements on many-related issues, purchases, and other finance-related decisions like prenups have caused separations in many relationships. Also, differing attitudes towards money can strain relationships. Financial difficulties only amplify existing problems, although they can create new ones.
4.Incompatible values
Incompatible values can happen on two levels. The first can be an extension of changing priorities, as mentioned earlier. When people outgrow their partners, they sometimes have a value shift that breeds division in the relationship. The second can happen even before the relationship starts. Religious beliefs, political affiliations, or attitudes toward family can cause couples to grow apart. Many feel that such issues are surmountable at the beginning of the relationship because the love is still strong. As a result, most couples fail to address them properly, and these issues later lead to recurring disagreements in the relationship as some partners begin to feel they are not being understood.
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You’ve already done the hard part by finding “the one”. Now is the time to focus on ensuring that your big day is the magical and stress-free event you deserve. Here are 10 top tips to guide you down the aisle in style.
Take Your Time
First and foremost, this will be the last time that you ever complete the wedding planning process. Naturally, then, you should want to enjoy it. Sadly, this will be very difficult if you rush things by booking a date that’s only a few weeks away. The average engagement length is 1-2 years, which is probably right for most couples. Still, if you feel you need longer go for it.
It’s better to take your time and get things right rather than look back with regret.
#2. Find The Perfect Venue
The recipe for a perfect wedding includes many ingredients. However, memorable wedding events begin with stunning venues in idyllic locations. Stunning backdrops will make the day infinitely more magical while your wedding photos will stand out for all the right reasons too. More importantly, it gives you a foundation to build upon. So, subsequent decisions should be easier to make.
Besides, the venue is certainly one of the most memorable aspects.
Choose People Who Will Support You When Needed
#3. Choose The Best Best Man & Maid Of Honor
Even before you start building your dream wedding, you must consider the important guests that have a huge influence on the day. They will provide emotional support during the build-up and help fix any issues that surface on the day. This may include de-escalating disagreements between other guests. After all, every family has at least a couple of members that don’t get on.
The best man and maid of honor offer a valuable emotional safety net.
#4. Know Your Budget
There’s no point in denying that financial matters are one of the chief causes of stress. The average wedding costs $30,000, which is a lot of money to find. However, you don’t have to spend this level of money. After finding the dream venue, you can cut the costs by designing your own invites or getting guests to help with items like baking the cake. It can work out far better than receiving gifts.
Crucially, you need to calculate how much you can comfortably spend.
#5. Choose Outfits With Amendments Included
As the wedding approaches, most brides and groomsmen will want to tone up. After all, this is the day when you want to look your best. However, you may not get to the exact physique that you wanted. Or if you do, your body may be very different from when you got measured. Therefore, finding beautiful wedding dresses and suits that included alterations is hugely beneficial.
Whatever happens leading up to the big day, you will look fantastic.
#6. Make Early Bookings
Even if you take the DIY route for many of the key features, you’ll still need a lot of services. Photographers, entertainment, florists, caterers, and a wedding officiant are all needed. If you try to book these services at the last minute, you will have far fewer options. Similarly, it’s likely that you will pay a premium cost as a direct result. Early bookings will boost your hopes of a positive outcome.
And when the wedding gets close, you’ll have fewer issues to consider.
A Wedding Planner Can Be Invaluable
#7. Consider A Wedding Planner
If you want to take a backseat role while still knowing that your dream will be brought to life, wedding planners are available. They can work to your brief and subsequently build the perfect package. Their experience and contacts will ensure that no stone is left unturned. It can be a particularly useful choice for anyone that has a particularly busy lifestyle and other commitments.
It is an approach that lets you focus on enjoying the day.
#8. Plan Your Guest Lists
You want to share your big day with your nearest and dearest. However, a large guest list will increase the costs. Likewise, it means you’ll spend less time with each person. So, many couples find that a smaller wedding is better. Or they invite more people to the evening reception. Another option is to throw a more casual party after the honeymoon, there are options available.
It also reduces the risk of fights breaking out. Perfect.
#9. Schedule A Vacation Together
Even with the above steps in place, wedding planning is stressful. Therefore, it’s hugely beneficial to take a step back to recharge the batteries and your minds. Taking a romantic weekend away is a chance to do this. It also gives you a chance to discuss any remaining issues that require confirmation. Better still, you can find the balance between doing this and temporarily forgetting about the wedding period.
Of course, the separate bachelor and bachelorette parties are vital too.
#10. Remember It’s Your Day
Finally, many couples fall into the trap of trying to design the big day that everyone expects. Frankly, there is no reason why you have to satisfy all traditions. If the thought of a first dance terrifies you, for example, drop it from the schedule. Ultimately, this is the one day where you are the center of attention. The most important factor, then, is that you do things your way.
If doing things differently helps you start married life with a smile, that’s all that matters.