Do You Jiggle When You Laugh?

How many of the readers out there resolved to lose weight in 2012? How many of you refuse to make such a resolution knowing that it'll never happen? Or, is there anyone like myself who would like to lose 3 pounds (yes, only 3, but it's like climbing Mt. Everest), but simply would rather continue my current workout regimen/eating habits than kill myself over 3 pounds. To be quite frank, I enjoy both- eating and working out. There is a happy median. I am happy every morning waking up at 5 am to go get my cardio on! I also am happy at 8 pm watching "Biggest Loser" while indulging myself with at least 1, maybe 3, white chocolate chip cookies (however, recently I have been cutting back to only 1 Skinny Cow ice cream per night).

I have a sweet tooth- I also have a desire to workout. Both make me happy- and yes, my belly jiggles when I laugh.

I thought about blogging about the skinny vs. fat perspective while in Sunday School. We were discussing how wrong it is to gluten. But, never once did anyone point out how wrong it is to starve yourself (until I did- I had to point it out!). We were each created specifically for our own bodies. Some of us are tiny- I have friends that weigh less than 90 pounds soaking wet with Arctic wear on. I also have friends that are 6 feet tall and still weigh less than me. But, that 90 pounder, the 6 footer, and me (the mommy)- all of us are happy with who we are. We all eat at every single drop of a hat- heck, this weekend we're getting together simply to eat chocolate! No lie, us girls love to eat and we are H-A-P-P-Y!

Happiness comes from being satisfied and satisfaction comes from acknowledging that your body isn't the same as the girl driving next to you. Some of us are mommies (we ALL know how that changes your body), some of us are naturally skinny, some of us aren't. But, whatever we are- we can't make ourselves unhappy just trying to change what God dealt us.

Read this blog that I found from a guy in Jamaica. Jamaicans call girls either skinny or fluffy- and I actually prefer the word fluffy to fat- at least it sounds like something fun to cuddle with!!! Read on....

I think the "skinny" and "fluffy" folks should be asking yourselves these questions:

Why do I want to gain/lose weight?
Is it because you think you're not attractive enough, you have low self esteem, you're too fat or too skinny? Whatever the reason may be, you just need to accept that you were born that way, and once you have done so you will realize that you are not going to care at what remarks people might say.

Not getting a guys attention?
Some people lose or gain weight because they feel they need a guys attention, but let me tell you this: for every one born into this world, there is a guy for you. Once you know this, you may or may not feel better, but it's true. There's going to be a guy who will tell you, "I love you".

People in society tend to bash skinny and fat people, and this leads to low self-esteem which can cause people to become reclusive or even depressed. The only way to overcome this trial in your life is to be strong and feel good about yourself. If someone says you're fat, you could reply, "I don't mind, GOD made me beautiful in my own way".AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!

God made some "fluffy" and some "skinny"- He also made us strong, kind, and intelligent. Make the smart decision to be happy with yourself. Whether your one body type or another, be happy.

I jiggle when I laugh (but I laugh a lot!),

Erica

Want a Boost?

Happiness can be expressed in many forms, but apparently one of the more healthy forms is laughing!

Laughter is something that happens often around my house. I have found that it's better to laugh it off when crazy things happen than to mull over it. This has happened a lot recently. 1) My son pooped (yes, pooped) in the floor as soon as I got him out of the tub, 2) My dog consistently runs across the road to potty, making it difficult to call her in if I'm in my robe or night clothes, 3) My hubby conveniently overlooked a clump of mud left by his boots in our garage (<--well, I didn't really laugh over that one).

Visiting my 'ol trusty webmd.com here's what I found about laughter doing the body good:

• Blood flow. Researchers at the University of Maryland studied the effects on blood vessels when people were shown either comedies or dramas. After the screening, the blood vessels of the group who watched the comedy behaved normally -- expanding and contracting easily. But the blood vessels in people who watched the drama tended to tense up, restricting blood flow.
• Immune response. Increased stress is associated with decreased immune system response, says Provine. Some studies have shown that the ability to use humor may raise the level of infection-fighting antibodies in the body and boost the levels of immune cells, as well.
• Blood sugar levels. One study of 19 people with diabetes looked at the effects of laughter on blood sugar levels. After eating, the group attended a tedious lecture. On the next day, the group ate the same meal and then watched a comedy. After the comedy, the group had lower blood sugar levels than they did after the lecture.
• Relaxation and sleep. The focus on the benefits of laughter really began with Norman Cousin's memoir, Anatomy of an Illness. Cousins, who was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a painful spine condition, found that a diet of comedies, like Marx Brothers films and episodes of Candid Camera, helped him feel better. He said that ten minutes of laughter allowed him two hours of pain-free sleep.

It doesn't hurt to laugh (unless it's uncontrollable and you lose your breath)- so try it! If you feel like screaming in anger- just laugh it off. You'll be happier!

He has the sweetest, most innocent laugh of all!

Erica