Finding the right professional to help you lose weight

Need help losing weight? You may want to turn to a professional who will help you change your eating habits and skip a diet that could cause you to deprive yourself of nutrients and leave you feeling unsatisfied. Chances are high that you will go off such a diet and gain more weight than you lost.

Before you go looking for help, you may want to know what the difference is between a nutritionist and a dietitian. According to NutritionEd.org and state regulations, a registered dietitian (RD) must “complete academic requirements established by the American Dietetic Association” and “must have received a baccalaureate or higher degree from an accredited college or university.” Beyond education, registered dietitians must have at least six months of experience within five years of attaining the educational requirements.

Requirements for nutrition counseling vary from state to state. In many states, there are no educational requirements although insurance companies may have.

How to find a reputable professional to help you meet your goals?

Get a referral from your physician. Check with your insurance company. Ask friends who have been successful at changing eating habits through a dietitian. Or go to the following Web site. EAT RIGHT: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and check out their listings. Just because the “expert” is listed here doesn’t mean he or she is the right person to help you. Check the person’s educational background, website or Facebook page (if applicable) and you can check with the state to see if the person has the qualifications listed. Read a bio, find the dietitian’s area of expertise, find out if they do individual and/or group counseling, and if they accept insurance or Medicare patients.

Once you have done some homework, talk with the person on the phone or ask for a preliminary meeting so that you get a sense of how you connect with this person. Find out what he or she needs from you before the first meeting, and go prepared. And stay focused on the positives of your weight-management journey and not on the things you will give up.

Please feel free to leave a comments about how you found a dietitian or nutritionist.

If you are feeling anxious about working with a dietitian, heat up a Maine Warmers' microwave heating pad, place it on your neck, back or abdomen, and take some time to relax. If it's hot out, put one of them in the freezer for a few hours in a plastic bag, then use it to chill out.

Maine Warmers

What to buy a father who has everything for Fathers' Day?

At the end of a busy day, most dads want to sit down and relax. A microwave heating pad can help.

Some men don't think they need a heating pad to relax and may consider it to be unnecessary or even effeminate to use one. I often hear men at trade shows tell me, "Oh yes, my wife uses one of these." Other times I have heard women say, "My husband uses the Sheep I purchased from you for his sore back muscles." Men don't think they need a heating pad, but once they try one they like it.

I think most men have sore backs from lifting heavy objects. If men are active, chances are they have a few tight muscles. If they aren't active, they may have poor circulation and feel chilled. Either way, a microwave heating pad, whether it is a traditional Back Warmer, or a Gray Whale Back Warmer, or some other comforting creature, will help relieve muscle stiffness or provide comforting warmth.

Some men need to be shown -- not told. So, heat one of these up and when your dad sits down in a chair ask him if you could put this between his back and the chair. If his neck is what bothers him most, then make it a Neck Warmer.

Maine Warmers microwave heating pads are portable, so dad can sit with it in front of the TV, computer, in a car, or take it on a walk. It doesn't have perfumes and it is washable.

Maine Warmers Microwave Heating Pads for Dads

Art and Technology

Artists today can present their designs to the world through the Web. In the past two decades markets have expanded with the technology of computers and the Internet, changing the world of art and marketing. The Internet continues to grow in leaps and bounds, and will continue.

When web sites became well-known and used for shopping in the late 1990's, I saw an opportunity to

Microwave Hand Warmers

market to the world the simple little microwave heating pads I had been designing, making, and giving to friends and family members for years. 

If my father had not introduced me to computers I may not have started Maine Warmers.While taking a Web Site Development class at University of Southern Maine, the instructor kept telling us that a strong resume included good writing skills along with technology skills. An artist creates within technical limitations, and as technology grows the boundaries of what can be accomplished expands.

Due to computers, the internet, and hours of designing, photographing, learning how to run a business, and learning new technologies around web site marketing, I continue to make Maine Warmers microwave heating pads available online. They are sold throughout the US in gift stores and other venues. See our web site for store locations and all of Maine Warmers products on one page.

Unique and Decorative Body Warmers in Animal Shapes

Benefits of exercising with arthritis

Studies have shown that resistance training can help reduce the painful effects of arthritis and increase range of motion. Building stronger muscles around the joints, increasing bone density and, burning calories to help keep weight down are all added benefits of exercising with arthritis.

Three great articles from reputable Web sites, extol the benefits of exercise for those with Rheumatoid Arthritis. I found these online after reading an article in Arthritis Today, May-June 2013.

• Exercise helps ease arthritis pain and stiffness
• Rheumatoid Arthritis and Exercise
• How Weight Lifting Benefits Rheumatoid Arthritis

The idea is to start with a minimal routine and increase activity as your body adapts, and you are able and ready to go to the next level. A physical therapist can be helpful in the initial stages. He or she can tell you what to avoid, depending upon your specific needs. A follow up visit once a year or as needed might give you new information and exercise routines to keep the boredom at bay.

Maine Warmers Cozy Black Sheep microwave heating pad for the back

It only takes a few weeks to begin to feel the progress and see positive changes. You may sleep better and feel less tired during the day, thus feeling more mentally alert. If you have depression you may find it has lessened and that you have a better outlook on life.

When you exercise it is normal to feel some muscle stiffness.  A heating pad can help relax stiff muscles, increase circulation, and help with flexibility. Maine Warmers has Neck and Back Warmers and a variety of Comforting Creatures that offer a fun way to feel better. All of their products can be frozen and used as gentle ice packs.