Scales For You

Everything is smaller today.  Cell phones, laptops, ipods–you can carry almost any electronic gadget in your hand.  Speakers that used to take up a lot of space are now smaller, yet clearer.  Computers that once took up a whole room at a university were not as capable as one now that can sit on your lap.  You can watch movies on a handheld ipod.  Convenience is the key.

Scales are smaller, too.  A handheld scale that will fit in your pocket can be taken into restaurants or used at home.  It can measure your food portions before they are placed on your plate.  In other words, you can take your diet on the road with you.  Wherever you are, you can be assured that you will be able to stay on your diet and get rid of those excess pounds.

The holidays are not even over–really not even officially started, but we’ve been celebrating.  As usual, it’s all about food–turkey, ham, dressing and gravy, cranberry salads and sauces, green beans, pies and cakes!  Everyone in my family has already gained weight, even the dog.  We can’t quit now, Christmas is not even here for three more days. 

We’re all going on a diet New Year’s day.  All we need is some cooking scales and some will power.  We can plan our meals ahead, measure our portions, leave off the fats, fast food, and sweets, and start an exercise program.  That sounds like a lot, but it’s really not that hard if our mindset is right.  Trying on clothes that once fit may give us a little extra incentive, and a feeling of success when we can wear them again.  Check out the scales at www.holladaypartners.com   They’re cool!  They come in many sizes, styles and colors.   We’re sure to find some that fit our decor.

Have you ever thought about comparing budgeting your money you are spending with budgeting your food you are consuming.  A new VISA study found that American “misplace” about $3,000 in cash every year.  It may go for gadgets such as iPods, iPhones or Blackberries or just things we want for our kids.  In order to stop this “mystery spending”, we must review our purchases regularly so we can see quickly what we’re spending, then set a budget and stick to it.  This will help eliminate impulse buying and help us start to save. 

Doesn’t this sound a lot like dieting.  We “misplace” food by eating-on-the-go, snacking, eating while reading or watching television, and eating when we’re not hungry because someone else is eating or providing food.  In order to stop this “mystery eating”, we must document what we eat so we can see quickly what we’re consuming, then set a food plan and stick to it.  This will help eliminate impulse eating and we can start to lose the excess weight.  We will need scales to measure our food portions and scales to weigh ourselves in order to make this process work.  A variety of scales in many colors, sizes and styles are available at  www.holladaypartners.com   These are quality designer scales that will match any decor at the lowest prices ever.  Check them out.  You’ll be glad you did!

Everything is going portable.  They now have portable fitness training that provides exercise instruction that can be uploaded to an iPod or smartphone.  Those screens are small, but you can also play a video on your computer or tv.  If you decide to go portable with your fitness program, be sure the exercise instruction has been done by certified personal trainers or fitness experts. 

So many jobs in today’s world require travel, and it’s difficult to take care of your body while on the go.  In addition to a portable fitness program, you may need a portable scale to weigh food portions in restaurants.  By measuring the food before eating and requesting a carry-out carton for the unwanted portion, it will be possible to stick to a diet even on the road.  Holladay Partners offers portable scales that will fit into your pocket.  These handheld scales have a stainless steel platform for easy cleaning.    

My laptop computer has changed my world.  I can sit in my recliner and connect to the internet without plugging into anything.  With the wireless card built into the computer and the battery, I am set without electricity or telephone line.  That is truly amazing, when I look back to the early seventies when I was working on a masters degree.  The statistics teacher made us spend one evening in the computer lab.  The computer took up all of a large room and we had to punch holes in cards and feed them into the computer to run our program.

Our world has truly become portable.  Portable scales are available now to carry in our pocket into a restaurant where we can weigh our food portions.  This helps dieters who have to travel a lot to stick to our diet regardless of where we happen to be.  Our world has definitely changed to make life more convenient.

Thanksgiving is a time for food and family.  This year is going to be different for me.  I usually cook a big Thanksgiving dinner (my husband smokes the turkey) and invite my children and grandchildren over.  This year, however, I’m taking my granddaughters to Texas to see their mom and have Thanksgiving with her.  It’s much easier to control my diet at home; I can measure my food portions before filling my plate. 

In planning my trip, I’m also planning my diet.  I can’t afford to give up now.  I’ve come too far.  Their mom said she has some kitchen scales I can use at her house, but we’ll have to eat a meal on the road going and coming back.  I found the neatest thing–a portable scale.  It has a stainless steel plate for easy cleaning and will fit in my jacket pocket.  I can discretely measure my food in a restaurant and ask for a carry-out carton for the unneeded food.  If it’s not on my plate, I won’t eat it! 

Several years ago, I purchased a Nintendo game to have at my house when my grandchildren visited.  Of course, I soon became somewhat addicted to playing.  Sometime later our house burned and we lost everything including the Nintendo game.  After we had rebuilt and obtained the necessities again, I thought I would replace the Nintendo game.  Like most technology, the game was out-of-date and all I could find was used units that didn’t work properly.  My daughter suggested I get a Gameboy instead.  I had never heard of a Gameboy, but she got me one for Christmas that year.  Guess what!  I had my old game back, but it was a handheld unit.  I could take it with me anywhere I went and always have it available if I got bored.  The grandchildren loved it!  They could borrow my Gameboy anytime they were with me.  In fact, we eventually bought one for them.  Portability is a convenient thing!

A handheld scale is now available.  You can put it in your pocket or purse and take it with you on the road.  If you’re serious about dieting and measuring your food portions, this portable scale is a wonderful convenience.  Take it into a restaurant, measure the amount of food that you need to eat, call for a take-out carton and place the remainder of the food in it.  Once it’s in that take-out carton, it’s not nearly so tempting to eat it all.  And, if you’re willing to eat leftovers, put it in the motel refrigerator and reheat it for another meal.  That’s smart!  Now you can use that money you saved to shop for clothes! 

We Americans, in many ways, are a culture of extremes, and we tend to flip-flop from one end of the spectrum to the other.  A bandwagon comes along and we hop on and ride to the end of the line, then catch one going the other way.  We buy stocks hoping to cash in on some quick, easy money, then sell in a hurry, fearful that the bottom is falling out.   We exercise and diet the same erratic way.  We run marathons, even when our joints and knees are past feeling the pain, then we become couch potatoes.  We eat no fat, then no carbs–whatever the latest diet information tells us to do.  By the way, the latest study I read shows that eating healthy is more important to heart health than exercise.  Moderation is the best approach in most situations–moderation in eating and exercise.

A kitchen scale that can measure our portions before we eat them is probably a wise investment.  Since money is tight, a spring scale could be the right choice.  They are less expensive, yet do a good job of weighing accurately.  The bowl covers the scale when not in use.

I was not happy this morning when I stepped on the scales.  I have been thinking for some time that I needed to lose weight, but the scales definitely show I have gained instead.  If I don’t get serious about losing weight, I’ll need a new wardrobe.  The current state of the economy does not encourage me to spend unnecessary money.  If I eat less, that should save money on food; and if I lose enough to continue wearing my current wardrobe, I’ll have enough money to pay for a trip to the Smokey Mountains to see the colorful fall foliage.

I’m been involved with several eating plans in the past.  I know the healthy foods and portion sizes needed to lose weight, but I’ll need a pocket scale to take on my trip.  A handheld scale that will fit into my pocket will allow me to measure my portions in restaurants or at home.  Since I’ve always been taught to clean my plate, I’ll need to measure out the portions I will eat and immediately put the remainder into a carry-out box.  It’s very difficult (almost impossible) for me to leave food on my plate; but if I put it into a carry-out, I can leave it at the motel with no regrets.  Somehow, it doesn’t seem as wasteful and, anyway, it doesn’t look appetizing any more!

How valuable are pockets?  I’ve always envied men because they don’t have to carry a purse–they carry what they need in their pockets.  Of course, many men do carry briefcases to work, but when they go out for an evening or just to the mall, everything they need is in their pockets.  Many of my clothes do not have pockets, and even if they do, they bulge out when full and make me look even heavier.  So, a purse is a necessity, but I can never find what I’m looking for in it.  My husband says I carry too much stuff  and will ruin my back carrying such a heavy load.  He just doesn’t understand what all I might need before I get back home.

I’m going to add one more item to my already too full purse–a digital pocket scale.   When I’m away from home and concerned about food portion size, a handheld-pocketable food scale will solve my problem.  The automatic shut-off feature ensures long battery life and the stainless steel weighing pan helps with clean-up.  Best of all, it will fit into the palm of my hand, in my pocket, or in my purse.