*”Diets” simply do not work; the very nature of the word implies the “beginning” and an “end” to a way of eating that has, historically, been unhealthy.

* A lifestyle change is needed to successfully lose weight and keep it off.

* Changing your lifestyle is fun, exciting, rewarding and an exploration into new and heightened flavors, an adventure to new lands through various cuisines that allow for choices that are healthier and more nutritionally sound. It’s all in how you adjust your mind to a positive approach!

* The way I begin to counsel someone is to ask them to create a list of the foods they would normally eat if calories were of no concern. This provides a starting point and allows me to see where their tastes lie. None of us are the same and we must study this and make choices together to be successful.

* Next, we examine those choices and let them guide us in making comparable flavor choices while instituting better preparation choices and learning how to substitute and alter some of the key ingredients that can easily be exchanged for healthier components.

* Following success in changing our thought process about food and evaluating our willingness to look inward to the root of our behaviors, we can move forward in developing and instituting a plan to begin the most rewarding journey of a lifetime.

* Intuitive eating is introduced to assist in making the total transition and is a crucial component for a successful long-term lifestyle change.

*Basically, three meals and three snacks seem to be the choice of many of us who have experienced long term success. Here are a few things you may find helpful.

-Calories in, minus calories used, equal your weight loss/gain.

-Caloric intake must be regulated according to the amount of exercise a person is performing.

-My success was achieved with approximately 1,400 to 1,500 calories a day with moderate exercise.

* My meals were usually kept between 300 to 500 calories so that total meal calories were 1,200 throughout the day for my three meals.

* My snacks were usually kept between 100 to 150 calories so that total snack calories were 300 daily for my three snacks.

* These figures could fluctuate somewhat so that total calories remained between 1,400 to 1,500 calories.

* I lost 137 pounds, which averaged 1.67 pounds per week. There were weeks I lost nothing and a few I gained. Losing nothing is still winning! The weight gained was not put on overnight; it should take a respectable amount of time to lose it as well.

-Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day! This meal starts your metabolism, which enables your body to begin burning calories. It provides the nutrition to stimulate your thought processes and the stamina to begin your day energized and ready for action!

Breakfast Ideas-Item, Portion and Calories

Egg, fried, no added fat 1 large egg 92calories

Oils, cooking spray, all varieties 1/3 second spray 2calories

Toast, whole grain, 100% whole wheat 1 slice 100calories

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray Topping 5 sprays 4calories

Bacon, Ready to Serve, Oscar Mayer 3 slices 70calories

Sea Salt, McCormick Grinder 1/4 tsp 0calories

Fresh Ground Pepper, McCormick Grinder 1/4 tsp 0calories

Coffee 1 cup 0calories

Creamer, Caramel, Coffee Mate 1 TBSP 30calories

TOTAL CALORIES 298

Breakfast Ideas-Item, Portion and Calories

Oatmeal, regular, quick or instant, cooked 1/3 cup 104calories

Milk, Cow, Fat-Free, Skim 1/2 cup 45calories

Banana, fresh 1 small (less than 6 inches) 72calories

Walnuts, English 1/2 oz 90calories

Tea (bag, loose, instant), brewed 1 cup 2calories

Splenda, sugar substitute 1 packet 2calories

TOTAL CALORIES 315

Breakfast Ideas-Item, Portion and Calories

Eggs, scrambled 2 med eggs 140calories

White toast, reduced calorie 1 slice 45calories

Peanut butter OR 1 1/2 tsp 50*calories

Blackberry Jelly 1 1/2 tsp 25calories

Hash browns 1/2 c shredded, 2.8 oz 68calories

Olive oil 1 tsp 39calories

TOTAL CALORIES 315

Breakfast Ideas-Item, Portion and Calories

Item (McDonald’s) Portion Calories

McDonald’s Egg McMuffin,

Without Canadian bacon 1 (4.3 oz) 290calories

McDonald’s Minute Maid Apple

Juice 1 box (6.8 fl oz) 90calories

TOTAL CALORIES 380

Item (Starbucks, Portion and Calories

Loaves, mini, no sugar added, whole wheat pumpkin 1 mini loaf (3.4 oz) 250calories

Espresso Hot, Cinnamon Dolce Latte with sugar free syrup and non-fat milk, no whipped cream 1 tall (12 oz) 96calories

TOTAL CALORIES 346

Item (Caribou Coffee, Portion and Calories

Biscotti, original, almond 1 (2 oz) 230calories

Hot coffee, Northern Lite Latte with sugar free syrup and skim milk, no whipped cream 1 med (1 pint, 4 oz) 123calories

TOTAL CALORIES 353

Breakfast Ideas-Item, Portion and Calories

Cereal, Strawberry Harvest Crunch,

South Beach Living OR 1 cup 170calories

Cereal, Oat Flakes & Wild Blueberry Clusters OR 1 cup 200*calories

Cereal, Go Lean, Instant Hot OR 1 packet 150calories

Cereal, Grape Nuts OR 1/2 cup 200*calories

Cereal, Cheerios, Original OR 1 cup 100calories

Cereal, Fruit Harvest, Strawberry/ Blueberry (Kellogg’s) 1/2cup 110calories

Milk, Cow, Fat-Free, Skim 1/2 cup 45calories

Blueberries, fresh 50 berries (2.4 oz) 39calories

TOTAL CALORIES 284

Breakfast Ideas-Item, Portion and Calories

Yogurts, fruit flavored, fat-free 1 container (4.4 oz) 118calories

High Protein Breakfast Bar, South Beach, Cereal, Chocolate OR 1 Bar (10 grams protein) 140calories

High Protein Bar, Herbalife, Deluxe Chocolate Peanut 1 Bar (10 grams protein) 140calories

Coffee 1 cup 0calories

Creamer, Caramel, Coffee Mate 1 TBSP 30calories

TOTAL CALORIES 288

Breakfast Ideas-Item, Portion and Calories

Eggs, omelet 2 med eggs 140calories

Green onions 2 TBSP 4calories

Tomatoes 1 thin slice (5 oz) 3calories

Mushrooms 2 oz 2calories

Green peppers 1 TBSP 2calories

Pepper Jack Cheese, 2%, Singles, Kraft OR 1 Slice 50*calories

Parmesan Cheese, Grated Fresh, Kraft OR 2 TBSP 20calories

Swiss cheese, No Fat, Singles, Kraft 1 Slice 35calories

Steakhouse Seasoning, McCormick Grinder 1/4 tsp 0calories

Toast, whole grain, 100% whole wheat 1 slice 100calories

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray Topping 5 sprays

4 calories

Tea (bag, loose, instant), brewed 1 cup 2calories

Splenda, sugar substitute 1 packet 2calories

TOTAL CALORIES 309

These are just samples; wanted to show you that you can eat in, eat on the go or eat at one of your favorite coffee houses. Please create your own breakfast ideas according to your tastes and reference portion sizes and calories using package labeling or by going online.

Journaling EVERYTHING you eat is critical to your success, especially in the early stages, to accurately account for your true caloric intake. REMEMBER … YOU TOO CAN DO THIS!!!! It’s YOUR Life and YOUR Journey; Have Fun!!! : ]

Food – What to Eat – Part 1 – Breakfast is from grinderstore.net

• Highly-versatile and easy-to-use power tool that’s a great addition to any pro or DIY work bench
• Smooth and quiet 120-watt 1/8 HP 110V motor; infinitely variable speed from 0 – 10,000 RPM
• Wide wheel clearance gives easier access, more versatility; includes 2 fiber buffing wheels
• Small footprint won’t take over the whole bench – 11″ width x 6-3/4″H x 4-3/4″D; 6 lbs
• Accepts most 3″ polishing and buffing wheels for tapered spindle; 60″ grounded 3-prong cord

Product Description
An essential tool for professional jewelers and other artisans, this great little polisher/buffer has dozens of practical uses at home or in almost any workshop. Great for putting mirror shine on chrome, gold/silver, stainless steel and other metals with minimal effort. Infinitely variable speed control lets you select best speed for each job. Works with a variety of wheel-types; sewn cloth, wool, fiber or synthetic. Tapered screw-type spindle design accepts 3″ d… More >>

Mini Bench Polisher Buffer Dual 3″ Wheels – Variable Speed

Mini Bench Polisher Buffer Dual 3″ Wheels – Variable Speed is from grinderstore.net

Does anyone know the brand name of a company that sells something similar in North America?

Answers below in Comments Section

Single-Sized Black Pepper w/ Grinder? is from grinderstore.net

• 1/8″ collet size
• 8,000-35,000 RPM variable speed
• interchangeable router base
• interchangeable flexible tool with hand piece
• Shaft mounted LED light. Molded carry case.

Product Description
Telescoping tool holder with clamping base
Includes assortment of buffing wheels, sanding discs & drums, mounted stones, mandrels, drill bits, wrench & spare collets…. More >>

Mini Grinder with Flex Shaft

Mini Grinder with Flex Shaft is from grinderstore.net

The first thing he needs is a set of knives. A quality knife is sharp and well-balanced, with a comfortable grip. You’ll need a variety of sizes; each has its own unique use and purpose, from the small paring knife to the large chef’s knife.

Pans are next – a set of pans of various sizes. Your pans should be heavy enough to sit securely on the burner; you’ll find that pans made with a copper or aluminum bottoms are best for quickly and evenly transmitting heat and reacting rapidly to changes in heat levels. Make sure you get one with a heat resistant handle so you don’t get burned.

Whether you’re a serious cook or you simply dabble in cooking, you shouldn’t be without a food processor. I use a 14 cup processor regularly. The food processor is a great asset in my kitchen; it slices, chops, grates, and mixes. Of course, you need a mini-food processor to handle foods that are simply too small for a standard size food processor. You’ll be amazed how the tiny processor handles a few cloves of garlic, mincing them in seconds. If you need to chop onions, herbs, or a few tablespoons of nuts, this is perfect for you. A well-equipped kitchen really needs both sizes of food processors.

You already know that you need a large and small food processor to handle different types of jobs; in the same way, you also need a large and a small mixer. You won’t need to worry about strain on the motor with the powerful stand mixer — it can handle a double batch of cookies with no problem. Stirring tough bread dough is a cinch with its powerful motor. It may come in handy in other ways, too — many models offer attachments for everything from grinding meat to making homemade ice cream.

A small hand-held mixer is just as essential as the stand mixer. Whether you’re looking to make lump-free sauces and gravy, beat a few eggs for French toast, or create a small batch of whipped cream to top your tempting dessert, the hand mixer can assist. Whenever you’re making a small batch, use the hand mixer and a small mixing bowl to guarantee the ingredients can be properly beaten.

A cook’s blending needs go beyond the capabilities of two food processors and two mixers. You’ll also need an “official” blender. If you want to liquefy something and yet keep the contents off the walls and counter, you can use a blender and give it a whirl. To chop ice, use blenders instead of food processors; this will add more life to your food processor blade. If you need to come up with a reason to get a blender, all you have to remember is: margaritas!

Those are the primary tools you’ll need to ensure your kitchen is ready. Apart from these basic tools, there are lots of miscellaneous small tools that should be in your kitchen toolbox. For example you’ll need an instant read thermometer, silicone spatulas, digital timers, etc. A good chef appreciates the never ending quest for new kitchen gadgetry.

Tools of a Good Chef is from grinderstore.net

Grizzly H6156 Cordless Mini Grinder

Grizzly H6156 Cordless Mini Grinder is from grinderstore.net

The number and variety as well as the usage of attachments that have been developed for the skid steer loader over the years is simply amazing and virtually all of them are powered by the loaders own hydraulic system. Post hole diggers, scoops, concrete breakers, stump grinders, ditch diggers and rock breakers are typical examples of some of the most commonly used tools of this type.

One very recognizable common trait of Skid Steer Loaders is their size. They are a smaller machine that’s designed for medium to light jobs in confined working conditions. In fact, one of the newer types of skid loaders to appear on the market is new mini skid loaders that don’t even have seats. The operator stands on the back to operate the machine that often times is no larger than a common lawn tractor.

One very unique feature of these machines is their wheel or track operation. The four wheel versions that aren’t fitted with tracks are usually four wheel drive. That’s not unusual but what is unusual is that the wheel or track systems on each side of the machine are designed to operate independently of one another. The result is that these machines can turn on a dime while standing perfectly still. The zero radius turn.

The first prototypes for what has become the modern day skid steer loader became operational in 1957. Oddly enough, these were three wheeled vehicles that had two wheels in the font with one in the back. This arrangement allowed them to do the zero radius turns by simply positioning the steering mechanism in the single back wheel.

Subsequently, in 1958 Melroe Manufacturing acquired the rights to the machine and some three years later, the first four wheeled models were being manufactured by them. Of course, since then it has been licensed out to other manufacturing firms and also has undergone many more improvements, including tracks that replace wheels in some models as well as so many of the tools and machines that are able to be added on.

The main benefits that make the skid steer loader the machine of choice in such a wide variety of applications are its low cost and versatility. It basically replaces a two to four man crew in so many of the tasks that it performs. Also due to its smaller size and simplicity of operation it’s far safer machine to have and use on a job site. Also some of its tools are in turn adaptable themselves.

However; it is the newer “mini” skip steer loaders that are powered by powerful smaller economical motors that are really catching on. Contractors are finding that with the money it takes to pay a man’s wages for six months, they can buy one of these machines that effectively do the work of two men. They never need to take breaks or call in sick either.

What is a Skid Steer Loader? is from grinderstore.net

Tools for Sharpening. Before the carving tools, it seems appropriate that tools for sharpening them should come first. After all, first we sharpen and then we carve.

At the very minimum, you should have a sharpening stone and a strop. The sharpening stone is used to get your edges to sharpness. Many sharpening stones come in different shapes and in different sizes. Some are very accommodating to the typically short blade lengths of wood carving blade edges. Diamond coated slipstones are very nice. Some sharpening stones can even be found on a key chain or be as small as a credit card. So very convenient.

A strop is meant to remove the burr and all micro-bits still clinging to your well-sharpened blade edge. This is very important in wood carving. Anything added to the edge will only slow your progress. You’ve got to get everything off. If you prefer, you could use a honing compound or a honing board to smooth out your edges.

If you’re really serious about becoming a wood carver, it is highly recommended that you learn how to sharpen and strop a knife. Once you’ve learned that, you’ll also be able to sharpen most other carving edges. The need for smooth sharp edges is a constant in wood carving. Knowing how to achieve them will put you way ahead of the game.

Tools for Shaping. Each type of carving tool that is meant to shape wood has a specific function. At the very minimum, you should have carving knives, wood chisels, wood gouges, wood rasps and rifflers, a mallet and maybe even a power drill.

◦ Carving knives. This is your most basic of all carving tools and there are many kinds. There are straight-edged knives, skewed knives, bent knives, chip knives, detail knives, special pocket knives modified for carving and folding knives with lockable blades. And these aren’t all of them. There are even micro-knives or micro-tool kits, if you’d like.

It’s a matter of functionality. Each edge is target specific. When you’ve learned what each type of knife can do, and you’ve considered the carving project ahead of you, then you’ll know which knives are best for that job. The best knives used for one specific task may not be the same knives that are best for another. That’s why you’ve got choices.

◦ Wood chisels. Most chisels are ground on both sides but it is possible to find them with a bevel on only one side. The head may be slanted or square in shape. They may even be bent forward or backward. You’ll have quite a selection.

◦ Wood gouges. This is one of the most used tools in wood carving. There are many shapes and sizes. Some are very short and stout while others extend for a few inches with an extended blade edge. You’ll probably end up with several kinds. That’s not a problem. Surely, you’ll use each one at some time or another.

◦ Wood Rasps or Riffler files. Shopping for these tools could be a bit confusing. Really. Some stores call it a rasp, others will call it a riffler. And yet another will call it a rasp riffler. How to know, how to know. Well, the majority of merchants appear to agree that a rasp is a very coarse, straight file. The tool itself may be thick and rectangular like a sharpening file but don’t be surprised to find those that are slender with a curving head, looking just like a riffler.

Rifflers, on the other hand, are usually slender with a curved head. Many times these curved heads can be found on both ends of the riffler. You can even find kits that offer you different shaped heads and at different sizes.

◦ Mallets. These little hammers are invaluable in the right circumstance. They are a must for chip carving, relief carving and intaglio carving. (What am I saying?) Mallets are a must for all wood carving. You may need just a few millimeters off of here and no more, maybe add a little notch there, an indent over here, maybe create a shadow. It really is such a valuable tool.

◦ Power tools. There are some pretty nice power tools for wood carving. There are power drills, rotor saw burrs, power chisels and mini grinders. You can even find power carving kits. There’s even a wood carver’s kit that offers its own selection of power grinders.

These tools are quite extraordinary in how much time and labor they can save wood carvers. Many consider them only for life-size or extremely large carvings. It’s all up to the carver. Hey, how about a carving created entirely by power tools? (Wonder how big that’d be.)

Tools for Sanding and Smoothing. When all the wood carving and shaping is done, you’ll want to sand and smooth all surfaces. This is an important step that precedes any painting or varnishing. In doing so, you’ll remove any remains from any previous finishing process and you’ll also prepare the wood to bond with any non-penetrating chemicals. Sanding can be done using sand paper, sanding clothes or sanding sticks.

◦ Sanding is often accomplished using sand paper. There are many grades, from very, very coarse to very, very fine. There’s quite a selection. Something very similar to this is the defuzzing pad. It does as it sounds. It removes all fuzz still clinging to the wood surface.

◦ There are sanding clothes that come in a roll and are available in varying grit sizes. Sections may be cut from the roll and rolled or folded as you wish. Best thing is, you don’t have to worry about it cracking or falling apart on you.

◦ Sanding sticks may also be found in varying grit sizes. You can also find sanding stick kits or sanding detail kits that can remove glue or minute remains of your finishing products. Mini-belt sanding sticks or sanding belts may be used for large sanding jobs.

Wood carving is an amazing craft to develop. You could use just a handful of tools and work with small projects. Or you could use a bunch of tools, including power tools, to work on really large projects. Either way, it’s very relaxing, oftentimes exhilarating and extremely satisfying. Have fun!