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It’s been one whole year and I have lost 97 pounds!! That’s right I went from a staggering 238 and today I weight 141lbs with about 10lbs to go. If you want to know how I did it, and how I intend on maintaining my current weight, then these weight loss tips are for you. I’m no Jillian Michaels, but I do speak from experience. If any of my tips helps you attain your own weight loss goals, then I’m happy to have helped Most of this, I learned on my own or through the internet and Dr. OZ realage.com. Feel free to add your own tips to this list, too!1. Change your lifestyle.
If you’re calling this a “diet,” then you’re going to gain all the weight back and sometimes more within a few months of losing it. Diets do not work. Diets are temporary. A lifestyle change is FOREVER! When you change your dietary lifestyle, however, you’re not only changing your eating habits, as we know one good choice leads to another and you’re putting yourself on track for long-term / continued success and weight maintenance.

2. 3/5 Rule
This one I learned from Dr.OZ and It’s the most important rule of all. You MUST eat to lose weight, and we are talking 5 times a day never going more then 3 hours in between meals, at first I was like what the… how am I going to lose weight when I’m eating all the time?? But the amazing thing is it did work! By eating breakfast, lunch and dinner and 2 small snacks in between and keeping my calories under 1500 help keeps your metabolism burning fat at a faster rate.

3. Reprogram your way of thinking
This is another vital tip that I learned from Dr. Oz and that is after doing something over and over for a period of time it just becomes a normal habit. So essentially for the first three weeks of my new lifestyle I ate the same thing for breakfast, lunch, and my two snacks. The only thing that varied was my dinner.
Example: Breakfast Oatmeal low in sugar and a piece or fruit
Snacks: 1st- string cheese and a few wheat thins, 2nd - hand full of nuts
Lunch: 100% whole wheat turkey sandwich loaded with veggies and fruit
Dinner: Lean protein with 2-3 sides of veggies
Dessert: every other night skinny cow ice cream, or jello pudding sugar free.

4. Join a online group
I joined a great free website called www.fitday.com I used it for the first 3 months until I knew that my healthy habits were a permanate fixture in my life. In the beginning you may not be to sure how many calories are in this piece of fruit and in the cheese you decide to use on your sandwich. This website is a lifesaver you can track what you eat look up calories for every food product imaginable. You can track your activities, how many calories you burn, it even calculates how many calories you need to burn to reach you ultimate weight goal. The site does so much more then what I listed you should really check it out for yourself.
5. Get Active
No, I don’t mean go out and run a 5k your first week that would be just plain foolish and for most not obtainable. It’s key to start out slow but to be consistent. The first step I took was to get off the couch and walk, that’s it just walk. I committed to walk every day rain or shine no excuses for at least 30 minutes every day. After a while 30 minutes wasn’t long enough so I increased my time little by little after the first 2 months I found myself walking an hour a day. I also included 20 minute light calisthenics 3 times a week. The great thing is after doing workouts like this consistently you body gets stronger you feel better you start looking better you clothes fit better and you can’t help but what more. So it was only natural for me to step up the intensity of my workouts once I hit 160lbs I took off running now I’m addicted you will be too one day! I now run four 5k’s per week and on the other 2-3 days I cross train on the elliptical and weight train.
This year may sound like a long hard painful journey to you but it was the best year of my life! Yes, I had to work hard I must say it was a blast and so much better than sitting on the couch with a bag of chips wasting my life away. I love running with our Dalmatian, and riding bikes with the kids and all the great trails we have here in Vancouver, my only regret is why did I not do this sooner? Being healthy feels GREAT!

There is a much to be said about the abundance of walking trails here in Clark County, with over 25+. I first discovered the trails while trying to lose 100 lbs just over a year ago. Dick Hannah Honda is located less than a mile from the Burnt Bridge Creek Trail it’s one of the best trails in the city it’s over 8 miles long with wetlands along the way more than 19,000 trees and shrubs planted giving the trail a plush canopy or greenery. I love to run the Clark county trails at least 3 times a week there nothing better than running with nature. If you not a runner your can always walk or a much better way of exploring the trails is to hop on your bike and why not bring the whole family. My boys can’t wait for the summer they know it will be filled with days of longs rides on the trail feeding the ducks in the wetlands, picking fruit off trees and just having good quality family time. You can view and or print your walking guide at http://www.clarkcommunitychoices.org/walkaround_guide/index.htm or pick one up at Firstenburg or Marshall community center. You can also come see Nora at Dick Hannah Honda to pick up your walking guide.

1955 VS. 2010

Scenario 1: Jack goes quail hunting before school and then pulls into the school parking lot with his shotgun in his truck’s gun rack.
1955 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack’s shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack…
2010 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.Scenario 2: Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.
1955 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.
2010 - Police called and SWAT team arrives — they arrest both Johnny and Mark. They are both charged with assault and both expelled even though Johnny started it.

Scenario 3: Jeffrey will not be still in class, he disrupts other students.
1955 - Jeffrey sent to the Principal’s office and given a good paddling by the Principal. He then returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2010 - Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin He becomes a zombie. He is then tested for ADD… The school gets extra money from the state because Jeffrey has a disability.

Scenario 4: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor’s car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1955 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college and becomes a successful businessman.
2010 - Billy’s dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang. The state psychologist is told by Billy’s sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison.. Billy’s mom has an affair with the psychologist.

Scenario 5: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.
1955 - Mark shares his aspirin with the Principal out on the smoking dock..
2010 - The police are called and Mark is expelled from school for drug violations… His car is then searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario 6: Pedro fails high school English.
1955 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English and goes to college.
2010 - Pedro’s cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist.. ACLU files class action lawsuit against the state school system and Pedro’s English teacher.. English is then banned from core curriculum.. Pedro is given his diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Scenario 7: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from the Fourth of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle and blows up a red ant bed.
1955 - Ants die.
2010 - ATF, Homeland Security and the FBI are all called. Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism.. The FBI investigates his parents –and all siblings are removed from their home and all computers are confiscated. Johnny’s dad is placed on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario 8: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.
1955 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2010 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy
I wish I had the words to describe how this makes me feel. “Sad” doesn’t even come close. What a shame that this is all kids are going to grow up experiencing. I shared this with some co workers at Dick Hannah and really wanted to share it everyone else as well!

Mother Tested, Kid Approved!
Honda Odyssey Quick Facts:
Price Range: $26,255 - $40,405
City MPG:  16 - 17
Highway MPG: 23 - 25
Seats:  8
Latch Connectors:  3

Me, drive a minivan?  Never.  That’s what I thought when assigned the task of reviewing the Honda Odyssey with my family of five to put it to the test.  Well, that was the past, because the moment I got into the Odyssey it was love at first drive.  My boys loved it too, as I pulled into the driveway they were all over it like a jungle gym.  I had to remind them it was not ours!  An hour and a half later we were still in the Odyssey watching the kids Star Wars movie on the DVD player and as I sat there with the boys I thought to myself “this could be a weekly family tradition, movie night in the Odyssey”.  This minivan thing could really start to grow on me.

Exterior Features
Honda has lead the pack with the Odyssey for years, and now with the updated exterior body style it is more sleek and stylish than ever. The exterior is fantastic - unlike the common boxy or bubble type passenger cabin, the Odyssey has an elegant sleek style, yet its broad stance demands control of the road.

Interior Features
As I sat in the driver’s seat the first word that came to mind was comfortable, and I’m talking La-Z-Boy comfort.  The EX-L not only comes standard with leather seats, but they are heated as well which certainly comes in handy for both cold mornings and cool evenings.  The Odyssey back seats are just as comfortable as the front and my kids had it good with their own A/C controls, DVD player and captain’s chairs.  It was glorious to not hear “it’s too hot”, “are we there yet?”, or my all time favorite from way back when I was kid, “he’s on my side!”  For once, harmony while driving as a family!  There were a few features that left me a little confused, like 15 cup holders for 8 passengers, you do the math - I still can’t get it to add up!   Instead of a center console, the Odyssey has a collapsible table; at first I thought it was very clever but over time realized it might be a pain to clear off every time we wanted to use the 3rd row.  The other tiny thing – there is no coin holder!  These things aside, all the clever creature comforts completely outweighed any minor things I noticed.

Performance
One of the newest developments with the Honda engine is called (VCM) variable cylinder management; basically some of the cylinders are turned off when not needed.  When more power is needed the other cylinders kick back on. The transition happens so smoothly and quickly you’ll never notice it, except at the gas pump in savings!  Don’t worry - you still have great get up and go that the V6 engine has to offer.  I actually found myself applying the gas on some turns that I normally would have braked for in the past, making the Odyssey very fun to drive.

Safety
As a mom of three boys I know that I can’t always keep them from harm’s way while on the road.  The Odysseys’ 5 Star Crash Rating is very reassuring – it is the highest ranked vehicle in its class.  The first thing that I noticed as I backed out of the parking space I was in was the backup camera that popped up in the left hand corner of the my review mirror.  I wonder how many precious little lives that been saved by this feature already.    The Odyssey has 3 LATCH systems, there’s even one in the 2nd row middle seat.  Most parents would choose to have their baby or toddler in this seat, yet few vehicles supply a LATCH system in that seat location.  Some safety features that you can’t see and never want to include 6 airbags and (VSA) vehicle stability assists which helps your vehicle stay the course in the event of over or under steering.  (ACE) advance compatibility engineering body structure helps direct the force of an impact away from the passenger cabin.  You might be wondering if only the EX-L  model gets all these safety features, but Honda’s motto is ‘safety for all’, so these safety features are on all trim levels of the vehicle.

Of course the kids asked, “Can we keep it?”  When my real life test drive was over you would have thought I was taking their dog to the pound.  I must admit - I didn’t want to give it back either, and as much as I may have tried to convince myself that I would never own a minivan, I now can’t wait to own my Odyssey.

Looking for a Honda Odyssey?  Click Here to find yours!
Questions?  Call Nora or Merla at 1-877-503-2740