Category: Guest Writers

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By Silvia on April 29th, 2010

Business in a Box

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The short answer is “Because…”: Why I started a work-at-home business!

At cocktail parties (not that we get out much after becoming parents), people ask me what I do and I explain, “I work from home doing what I love and raising my daughter.”

I know I’m talking to a corporate captive when this answer gets the scrunched up face and the quizzical look that implies they think it’s a cover story for watching Oprah all day. Then they think about it and say something like, “I could never work from home. I would go crazy!” I take that to mean they spend most of their days socializing with coworkers and not actually doing any work (studies support me in this belief).

The polite ones usually ask why I decided to do that – why take on the challenge of working from home AND raising a child. And thinking about it I realized that it seems kind of crazy. Both are more than full-time occupations and I’ve signed myself up for two!

The short answer is “Because…”

Because I get to take my morning coffee breaks with a spirited child who in the blink of an eye went from a wiggly baby to a busy 5-year-old. Because even when my daughter is with her nanny, I can hear the sound of laughter from my office. Because when it’s nice out, I can play hooky and go to the paddling pool.

Because I want my child to grow up on home-cooked meals made with lots of love just the way she likes it. Because I want to teach her how to cook from scratch the way my mother and aunts did for me, not reheat grayish goop from a can.

Because I want to raise my daughter to believe that anything is possible by showing her by example. Because I want her to create her own universe without fear or self-doubt. It’s not enough to give the valiant speeches anymore – kids need to see it.

Because I want her to know that even as she heads out into this big world, that she has me there as her backstop, the way she does today when a boo-boo sends her rushing into my office for a cuddle and a band aid treatment the way only Doctor Mommy can do it.

So yes, sometimes it means I need to work late at night to catch-up on the work that didn’t happen during playtime. Yes, sometimes the laundry sits in the dryer so long that it’s just easier to wash it again. Yes, sometimes I feel like a zombie because the one morning I have to get up early to give a speech is the morning after the night my daughter has a bad sleep.

But it’s worth it. Why? Because…

Interested in starting a work-at-home business? Check out the MOMeo Magazine Business in a Box Special Edition! It’s FULL of insightful how-to articles and practical tips for starting your own business, including 141 Mom-Friendly Business Ideas!

Carla Young is the Founder & CEO of MOMeo Community.com and Publisher of MOMeo Magazine.com. She’s dedicated to supporting mom entrepreneurs (or mom entrepreneurs-to-be) build work-at-home lifestyle businesses and succeed on THEIR terms at work, at home and in finding a little playtime for mommy!


MOMeoCommunity.com - the Resource Community for Mom Entrepreneurs




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By Jackie on April 08th, 2010

No More Pain in the Neck

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Author: Jackie Silver, author of Aging Backwards: Secrets to Staying Young

“Oh, my aching back.” We’ve all heard – and probably said – those words more times than we care to remember. A report published in the British Journal, The Lancet, found that more than a quarter of Americans suffer daily pain. Here are some tips to help avoid that pain and to combat it when it does occur.

Tips For Avoiding and Battling Pain

1) Lose weight. Carrying around too much weight puts pressure on the knees, back and all joints in general. Research shows that overweight women who lost just 10 pounds greatly controlled the increase of osteoarthritis of the knees.

2) Check your posture. When you’re standing, distribute your weight evenly on both legs, tuck in your stomach, relax your shoulders and don’t stand in one position for too long. When you’re sitting, don’t sit on the edge of your seat (unless you’re in a scary movie!), change positions frequently, keep your shoulders relaxed and use arm rests if they’re available.

3) Take care when lifting heavy objects. It’s recommended that you get a firm footing with legs shoulder-width apart, bend your knees and use your legs, not your back, to lift heavy objects. Avoid carrying the weight on one side of your body and try to get someone to help you whenever possible.

4) Remember the mind/body connection. Can what we think affect our bodies? According to researchers it can. WebMD reports that 75 to 90 percent of all doctor’s visits are due to stress-related ailments and complaints. If stress is causing you pain, find ways to eliminate, or at least lessen, that stress. I recommend reading The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain by John Sarno M.D., available on Amazon.com.

You don’t have to go through life in chronic pain. Try these tips and check with your doctor for ways to manage severe pain.

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By Jackie on March 18th, 2010

Fire Your Diet

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Author: Jackie Silver

Society has been fixated on diets for decades. As a former overweight child and adult, I have tried every diet known to man. In fact, I became a lifetime member of Weight Watchers at a mere 13 years old! I recently met Joe Kasper, M.S., master health coach, nutritionist and exercise physiologist, who gave me an earful about his feelings on diets.  According to Dr. Kasper, DIET stands for D – depression, I – insecurity, E – emotional, T – trauma. “The human body craves high levels of nutrients and by following the standard American diet, you have no chance to be healthy,” says Kasper. He is the author of the book, Fire Your Diet: 17 Simple Ways to Stay Out of the Doctor’s Office and creator of the Fire Your Diet Food Pyramid, which emphasizes plenty of fresh vegetables and offers simple steps that most people can follow on a daily basis. His pyramid also has sections on fruit, water and exercise. What drives Dr. Kasper to be so passionate about a healthy diet? His father had a heart attack at age 50, a stroke at age 59 and he passed away at 64. Kasper is convinced that his father’s ill health and early death was preventable.

“My Dad’s eating habits were terrible! Never did any nutritionist teach him about healthy eating habits. Why? Because they only taught him what they learned in school, which was the Government Food Pyramid of processed food. I remember him eating low fat cheese, diet bread, low sugar/chemical cookies which are all man-made and have no nutritional value. This is one reason why he took drugs to lower his blood pressure, balance his blood sugar, treat his elevated cholesterol and heart condition,” says Kasper. My own father had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoked cigarettes, ate a poor diet and didn’t exercise. He died at 49. He was a cardiologist! That’s another death that was totally preventable. Dr. Kasper has made it his mission to teach people how to live a quality life in spite of their present level of poor health. To find out more about his Fire Your Diet program and book, check out  http://www.FireYourDiet.com or call 877 347-7839.

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By Susie on March 16th, 2010

Making the Best of the Laundry Situation

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Author: Susie Shina

I hate doing laundry so much that I only do it once a week now… that’s the one good tip I got from Tim Ferris’s book, The 4-Hour Work Week.  He calls it ‘batching’.  Every Tuesday I do ALL the laundry – from washer, to dryer, to the bed… repeat that 8000 times and my laundry is done.  Then comes the folding and then my least favorite part – putting it all away.

Hold on… time to shift my energy and make the best of it.  I’m thankful I have a washer and dryer – can’t imagine beating my clothes on a rock by the river.   Here’s me multi-tasking the things I hate doing… I mean, here’s me finishing my laundry and burning fat so I can fit into it all!… check out my Laundry Dash.  Fast and furious.

Today’s Action Item:

Check out www.squeezeitin.com – these ladies multi-task all sorts of household chores.  If you are a housekeeper, you could have the most kickin body ever.

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By Daisy on March 12th, 2010

Why Would You Want To Live Longer?

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Author: Dr. Daisy Sutherland

Why does it seem that we are obsessed with living longer?

Have you ever watched the infomercials out? They seem to all be targeted to losing weight, and looking younger!!!

Do we really need the quick fix? Unfortunately it seems like we do…or one would think so because of all the commercials, infomercials and ads out on the market…

What we should be concerned with is our health, not what we look like on the outside but what we are like on the inside…

It may be wonderful to look thin and slim and wrinkle-free but truly how healthy are we?

We need to worry about the food we eat and the amount…the types of food and the amount of exercise…

That is truly the only way to stay healthy!! Sure, we want the quick fix, but honestly how long did it take for us to get to the weight that we are? How can we possibly lose it over night? It is actually impossible!!!

The time is now to re-evaluate our lives and if we truly want to live longer and healthier, look at how we live…

It is impossible to live longer and healthier if we:

1. eat fast foods
2. smoke
3. drink alcohol
4. don’t exercise
5. don’t sleep enough hours (at least 7-8 hours per night)
6. don’t reduce stress in our lives
7. don’t take action today!!!

It isn’t as hard as you may think!! Make the right choices; choose fruit instead of candy, or veggies instead of potato chips…

Make the effort to plan your meals ahead of time and shop accordingly…

It’s amazing how this works and it will also save you money.

The time is now to make the change in your life!! No one else will do it, but you!!!

I have all the confidence in the world that if you truly want to live your life healthy you can do it!!!

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By Susie on March 09th, 2010

Organic sugar is still sugar…

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Author: Susie Shina

Food labels are killing me.  Organic, gluten-free, fat-free, low-carb, all-natural, added fiber, heart-healthy, calcium rich.  Everyone in the food industry has jumped on the ”healthy” bandwagon.  The new ‘health conscious’ labels make me feel better about what I’m eating… but should they?  I’ve been known to binge eat some healthy food.  I never feel bad about it because it’s healthy, riiiiight?!  Here are a few things to think about when eating your ‘healthy’ food…

1.  Organic sugar is still sugar.  Better for you in an ‘organic’ way BUT it’s still processed and has the same amount of non-organic sugar calories.  Lots of sugar can make you fat – organic or not.

2. Remember, food companies are trying to ’sell’ something.  If you’re trying to eat better, ’healthy’ labels are going to jump out at you.  Just because a juice container says it’s the equivalent of 8 servings of fruit does not mean it is better than eating actual fruit.

3.  If food is missing something (fat-free, sugar-free, etc) something horrible was probably added to make up for it.  If it doesn’t have sugar, it’s got a sugar substitute – blech.  I’d rather eat less of the real thing and have it taste like it’s supposed to.

4.  Less is more when you read labels.  The fewer the ingredients the better… the ingredients you can actually pronounce are even better than that!  If an ingredient sounds like it was created in a laboratory, it was.

It’s hard knowing all this – I love junk food.  Here’s what it all comes down to… Ice cream sandwiches do not give me the calcium I need.  Drinking a whole bottle of wine one night is not going to reduce my risk of heart disease.  Organic cookies are not so good for me that I should eat an entire box.  Sorry to break it to ya… better me than someone else.

Today’s Action Item:

Eat the real deal today.  Everything in moderation.  Food is best for you in its most natural state… yay nature’s candy!

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By Susie on March 02nd, 2010

Better Butt Just Sitting in Traffic

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Author: Susie Shina

I wonder how many hours we spend sitting in traffic during our lifetimes? Hundreds? Thousands? Why not make the most of it?!

SQUEEZE YOUR BUTT.

Sitting in traffic is time you’ll never get back – use that time wisely to sculpt your buns, hun.
Here’s the drill:
Squeeze, hold for 10 sec, release – 10 times
then…
Squeeze, release – 10 times fast

Will you look like a goofball? Probably… but you’ll be the one with the tightest rear-end on the road!

This week’s Action Item:

Squeeze your butt at every red-light you catch. Squeeze it ’til you’re yelling ‘gimme the greeeeeeen’!

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By Susie on February 23rd, 2010

Should You Count Calories?

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Author: Susie Shina

I hate diets.  Diets are just a list of foods that people tell us not to eat.  Well, I want to eat whatever I want.  If I feel like having a mouth-watering, spicy Popeye’s fried chicken sandwich one day, what’s the big deal?  If I need a Dove sweet, dark and delicious chocolate bar, is it OK?  I gotta say – YES! IT’S MORE THAN OK – IT’S NECESSARY!

Depriving ourselves of the things we love is not fun.  Granted, waddling away from the all-you-can-eat buffet isn’t fun either!

Here are 3 tips to eat what you want, not count calories and Really Live in a body you love:

1)  Make your food fantasy list.

I talk about this in my book, Fit Enough, and it’s the #1 rule I live by.  List the 5 foods you would fantasize about if you were stranded on a desert island.  Those are the foods you should definitely indulge in when you have the opportunity.  My list includes:  my mom’s magic cookie bars (the recipe is in Fit Enough and they really are MAGIC); Popeye’s spicy friend chicken; Alessandro’s pizza;  breakfast burrito from Jimmy Carters in San Diego;  my hubby, Mike Shina’s homemade tequila ice cream. Obviously, these aren’t available all the time SO they make great comparisons for anything I might eat out of mindless boredom or even PMS.  I think about these before choosing something crappy and totally sub-par.

2)  Set the timer for 20 minutes.

It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain you are FULL.  Set the timer and make whatever you have on your plate last for 20 minutes.  Pay attention to the experience, listen to music instead of watching TV or reading, chew your food 20-30 times, and put your fork down in between bites.  Eat whatever you want, just ENJOY it.

3) Indulge early in the day.

If you eat most of your food before noon, your body can burn it off before you go to bed.  Studies show people who eat a big breakfast and small dinner are naturally thinner than people who do the opposite.  Make breakfast the biggest meal, then eat a medium lunch and end it with a really small dinner.  Check out ‘The Breakfast Quiz” here!

With these 3 tips, I’ve maintained a size 6 for more than 5 years without dieting.  Oh, so I guess my answer to “Should you count calories?” is “not if you want to enjoy your life”.

THIS WEEKS ACTION ITEM:

Eat a king-sized breakfast in the morning, a regular lunch, and cut your dinner in half.  It’s opposite of what we usually do, just try it.

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By Jackie on February 14th, 2010

Lash Out Loud

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Author: Jackie Silver

Woman eyeWeak, wimpy lashes no longer stand a chance — all thanks to some new medical options that are giving women the chance to create glamorous, Hollywood-style eyes. The eyes have been called the “windows to the soul” and women have been adding a little “window dressing” since time began. Even thousands of years ago, images of Cleopatra depicted her with dramatic eyes and that’s also why three out of four American women use mascara daily. Weak eyelashes can be due to genetics, age, damage or trauma or a condition known as Trichotillomania in which you are compelled to pull on your own lashes or brows repeatedly.

Recently the FDA caused quite a flutter when it approved a topical medication that has been scientifically proven in clinical trials to enhance the length, darkness and fullness of eyelashes. Latisse from Allergan is a prescription liquid that is applied to the eyelids with sterile applicators directly to the lash-line each night before bed, with 79% of users seeing significant improvement by 16 weeks with Latisse. For those who want a more permanent solution to longer lashes, Dr. Alan Bauman, a cosmetic surgeon and board-certified hair restoration physician located in Boca Raton, Florida, offers eyelash transplantation, a highly specialized form of hair transplantation. He’s been performing eyelash transplantation, a delicate yet relatively quick and comfortable outpatient procedure, routinely for his patients since 2000. During an eyelash transplant, about 100 hair follicles are harvested from the scalp and implanted carefully into the lash line using local anesthesia. The ideal candidate for this procedure is someone with wavy hair. “What you have on your head is what you’re going to get on your lid,” Bauman explains. “Patients with straighter hair had better be proficient with an eyelash curler.” Not to mention a pair of special eyelash scissors: scalp hairs continue to grow (and grow, and grow…) in their new home. Dr. Bauman doesn’t abandon his eyelash transplant patients. His office also offers services such as trimming, tinting, perming and even eyelash shampooing to keep those long, beautiful eyelashes looking their best.

For more information, contact Dr. Bauman at doctorb@baumanmedical.com or visit his eyelash website http://www.eyelash-transplant.com.

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By Barb on February 09th, 2010

The Secret to Losing 15 Pounds With Just Your Clothing

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Author: Barbara Ellis

Beautiful young woman looking at clothes hanging by hanger at shI have a friend who is a former co-worker and I hate to tattle on her but she really just didn’t know how to dress her body. One day she’d come to the office looking okay…the next day not so much.

…Unfortunately she had more bad days than good…

Day after painful day I would see her wearing clothes that were too bulky and ill-fitting. She was oblivious to the fact that those baggy clothes were adding 15 pounds to her already healthy frame!

Then one day she came in wearing a beautifully fitted jacket over straight leg pants, and the effect was amazing! Overnight she’d lost 15 pounds! The compliments thrown her way were almost overwhelming!!

At lunch that day she asked me what the big deal was. She wanted to know why people were suddenly telling her how great she looked…

Uh-oh. The moment of truth…what could I say without offending her? “Well”, I started out, “I think you’ve found the secret to being well dressed!”

Want to know the secret that she’d discovered that day? It’s so simple that I’m almost embarrassed to tell you…

You don’t always have to accept clothes the way they are made.

That’s right. Tailoring is the secret weapon that most women fail to get. My friend happened to have gotten lucky and bought that particular jacket right off the rack. In fact, she had never been to a tailor in her life! I don’t know about you, but the tailor is my best friend.

Now, my friend argued with me over the cost… “tailoring is too expensive”, the time… “it’s another errand I’d have to squeeze into my already busy weekend” and the excuses just kept on coming….

…Fortunately, having grown up around my Grandma Betty who was a stickler for fit, I was not about to give up so easily!

I have to ask you the same thing I asked my friend that day…

…Can you afford NOT to be tailoring your clothes?

After all, if you are buying classic items and spending good money on them, adding another 10% or 20% to get it fit to your body will only enhance the value. By value I mean that you will probably wear that garment more times than you would if left untailored simply because it feels better to wear!

And, a tailored garment can look much pricier than it really is, because it looks like it was custom made for you. If you’ve ever owned a custom fit piece (didn’t most of us have our wedding gowns tailored to fit?) then you know what I’m talking about!

Most clothing is manufactured in mass from a pattern on a form or fit model. 99% of the female universe is blessed with some shape other than that of a mannequin.

Instead of thinking that the problem with getting clothing to fit is YOU, start thinking instead of how you can showcase your best features by wearing clothing custom tailored to fit your body.

Not sure of what a good tailor can do for you? Here’s the short list.

ist1_1964118-hips-losing-weight-series• Pants. Finding pants that fit in both the waist and the hip is nearly impossible for most of us. Find pants that fit at your widest part; usually your hips or thighs. While standing in front of a mirror, reach around to the back of your waist and pull in the excess fabric, or ask a friend or sales person to do it for you. A tailor can remove the excess fabric and re-apply the waistband, including belt loops. No more cinching in the waist with a belt!

Don’t forget the length of your pants, either. Be sure to wear the shoes that you would normally wear with the pants to the tailor. A difference in heel height could seriously affect the overall outcome. Sometimes, if I find pants that I really love, I’ll buy two pair and have one tailored to high heels and the other to flats. For jeans, ask to have the original hem removed and put back after the pants have been taken up. For only a few bucks more the effect is worth it!

• Skirts. You can do the same fit trick with a skirt around the waist as you can with pants. The other thing to consider on a skirt is the length. If it’s too long, it can make you look bottom heavy, so be sure to have your skirts shortened to a more flattering length.

• Dresses. Same rules of length as the skirt apply here, but with dresses you need to pay attention to the fit at the shoulders and around the bodice as well. Puckering in the back, too much fullness in the bodice and sleeve length can all be adjusted.

• Jackets. Sleeves shortened (and sometimes lengthened depending on the construction) or tapered, shoulders brought in, waist tucked and length shortened are all good things to consider with a jacket or blazer. I’ve even had the upper arm of a sleeve taken in one time when the fullness of the arm detracted from the rest of the jacket.

Aren’t sure that you can find a good tailor in your area?

• Ask your network of associates and friends, especially those that always look put together. As with most other things, a recommendation usually nets you satisfying results.

• Take the plunge with a tailor by starting them off with something simple like a skirt hem. Inspect the work and if you like what you see, take a few more pieces the next time.

• When you take an item to the tailor, be sure that you have clearly communicated what it is that you want done. A good tailor will also make suggestions for making the fit better. They will also pin or mark the garment with chalk.

• Be sure to try on your items before taking them home. This is your opportunity to ensure that the garment is done to your satisfaction.

Next time you go shopping, or even put on something from your own closet, don’t sigh heavily and get upset if what you loved on the hanger isn’t loving you back! Before passing it up take a really good look in the mirror to see if a little tailoring will help. If you are unsure as to whether or not a tailor can help, check the store’s return policy and keep the tags on the item until you speak to your tailor.

©2010 The Stylish Executive

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