Right on the heels of the completion of the first 30 days of the Give-Back Diet, let’s check-in on weight loss, new fitness and health routines, new and better habits, and your relationship with God and others.  Welcome to Day 29, otherwise known as Day 1. I believe that each day is a fresh God-given day.

If you are reading this for the first time, welcome!  You’ve come to the right place.  Join with our large community of thousands of people all in the spirit of good health and living fully.  Please post a comment and introduce yourself.  There are a few regulars, some I mentioned last week, others, such as Nancy, Valerie, Maria, Phil, Shut-Eye Doll, and Marya.  Connecting with other people is a big part of the “Give-Back” approach: it is all about giving back the problems, and giving help to others.

What I love especially is when people write comments and share their problems and struggles.  That helps us all feel like we’re in this together.

Let’s keep it all fresh, with some daily activities:

ACTION PLAN:

— A self check-in.  How are you?  Really!  How ARE you?  Tell us in a comment.  Are you avoiding or limiting carbohydrates, such as breads, alcohol, pasta, crackers?  How is the sugar consumption?  Are you enjoying some daily activities?  Or are you thinking about these things, and have a lot of good intentions?

— Are you using your body: moving, playing, dancing, doing yoga, walking, reaching, stretching?  Some of you have asked about what to do if injured, or confined to a chair.  I suggest using the parts of your body that you are able to use: arms, a leg, neck, head.  Dance in a chair!  Do yoga in a chair!  Also, moving in water can be helpful – enroll in an aqua-aerobics, or swim class – if you are able.  Just don’t be sedentary.

— How is your spiritual fitness?  How is your soul doing?  I suggest not only daily prayer and meditation, I think it’s good to pray as much as possible all day, throughout the day.  I’m Christian, and I like the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have Mercy on Me, a Sinner.”  I mentioned this before, and several people asked me to elaborate on it. This is an ancient prayer that I’m actually making a movie and writing a book about, to be released later this year.  Details at www.mysteriesoftheJesusprayer.com (we have changed the name, it used to be Sophia: Secret Wisdom).  There are many prayers for many religions, check out the prayer section of Beliefnet.com here.  

If you’re not religious there are prayers for you, such as “Dear Higher Power, Thank You.”  Or, “please help me.”  Please post some of your favorite prayers and meditations below.

— Teach someone your technique for living today: share a positive habit, inspire someone to get up and move, share a recipe for a healthy, inexpensive dish.  Many of you are “giving-back” to others right here on this blog – please continue!

HERE’S A LIST OF THE WHOLE “GIVE-BACK DIET” DAILY POSTINGS, they’re there for you.  As I am here for you.  As the whole community is here for you.  As GOD is here for you!