I now return you to my regularly scheduled programming.

Being home for a day has done wonders for my attitude and outlook on life.<br /><br />During the past few weeks I was eating a lot of bad food in excess. Just for the record, I believe there are "bad" foods, things that probably shouldn't even be eaten in moderation. Unfortunately for me, I don't seem to have an ounce of moderation or control when it comes to these bad foods.<br /><br />I was eating a lot of processed foods high in sugar, white flour and fat, and very little exercise. I've been in a fog for weeks. My brain hasn't been clear, and I felt like I wasn't really living in the here and now.<br /><br />Perhaps it was the stress or laziness on my part, but my eating was very unhealthy. I could have and should have made healthier choices.<br /><br />After just one day of being on plan and 90 minutes of exercise where I really pushed myself, I feel a hundred percent back to the old me. It's a really good feeling. It's true, we are what we eat.<br />I'm going to bed now. I'm actually looking forward to tomorrow, to going back to work where things are normal. Back to the gym in the morning. Back to my life.

I now return you to my regularly scheduled programming.

Being home for a day has done wonders for my attitude and outlook on life. During the past few weeks I was eating a lot of bad food in exces...

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Life is for the living

I took today off from work and stayed home, alone. I'm so exhausted from lack of sleep, stress and overwhelming sadness that I couldn't stand the thought of going back to work and explaining what happened during the last two weeks.<br /><br />I'm actually doing much better. I went to a 10am Weight Watcher meeting and feel like I'm back in touch with life, and back to eating healthy and exercising.<br /><br />I went crazy with the eating the last two weeks. The hospital cafeteria was only open three hours a day (and the food was horrible!). The other option was Subway, which was right next to the cafeteria. We usually only ate two meals a day, and I had to force my sister to eat anything. I, on the other hand, was on some sort of feeding frenzy, eating my emotions.<br /><br />I ate a lot of vending machine candy, cookies, and ice cream (Dove bars). I managed to gain 7.2 pounds since my last weighin on October 10. I'm back up to 176.4.<br /><br />The WW meeting was great and I feel totally back on track. I've barely exercised in the last seven weeks due to traveling for work and being in Anchorage and Fairbanks with my sister. I used her treadmill the last two days for a couple good walks. Today I'm going to the gym for a couple hours.<br /><br />Now that I'm home and really thinking about Bill (my brother-in-law), it makes me want to get healthy. Seeing him connected to 23 machines to keep him alive was a real eye opener. He was 73, which is only 19 years older than me.<br /><br />Athough he'd been a smoker for 40 years, the doctors said they've seen these same type of heart problems (clogged arteries, collapsed valve) in people who had never smoked. It was a guaranteed death sentence if you were a smoker. Even though he'd quit for 12 years, the damage was done. It can still happen if you have a bad diet, don't exercise and are overweight.<br /><br />Since I really want to live longer than 73, I need to get back on track and get to my goal weight. I know the holidays are coming, but I feel in control again.<br /><br />Even though life sometimes is full of sadness, it's also full of joy. Life is for the living and I want to live it to it's fullest. I can't do that by being overweight and out of shape.

Life is for the living

I took today off from work and stayed home, alone. I'm so exhausted from lack of sleep, stress and overwhelming sadness that I couldn...

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5 Good Jobs for Winter

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/0w/ar5c31s61bd6z1ccft0w.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/0w/ar5c31s61bd6z1ccft0w.gif" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br />What winter means to you probably depends on where you live. You know the postcard scenes of families enjoying a warm fireplace as pure snow falls outside the window? That might be accurate in some towns, but in many Southern locales, that's about as realistic as "Jurassic Park." In some of the Midwestern and Northern regions where snow does blanket the ground, it's not quite as pretty as you'd think. The ivory snow looks more like mushy charcoal after enough cars drive over it.<br /><br />Some people love wearing shorts in January. Others can't imagine walking to the mailbox in fewer than seven layers of clothing. Different wintry strokes for different bundled-up folks.<br /><br />Whether you want to be waist-deep in the embrace of Jack Frost or you want to be baking under the sun, you can find work when the vernal equinox rolls around.<br /><br />Here are five jobs that are popular during winter:<br /><br />1. Accountants<br />What they do: Accountants are knowledgeable on various financial fronts, including tax issues. <br />Why they're popular in winter: Although many people begrudgingly file their taxes as close to April 15 as possible, many do it as soon as they get all the necessary documents. Beginning in January, when W-2 forms are sent to employees, accountants are busy helping their clients navigate all the messy forms and confusing jargon.<br />Salary: $54,440<br /><br />2. Cruise line passenger attendants<br />What they do: On cruise ships, attendants see that passengers have everything they need to enjoy their voyage. They might help guests with accommodations or assist with group activities.<br />Why they're popular in winter: Ask anyone who lives in a painfully cold climate where the winters stretch on for an eternity, and he'll tell you that by February, you need to see some sunlight. That's why so many people book cruises in the midst of winter. They get out of their gloomy city and onto a bright, sunny boat deck.<br />Salary: $23,211<br /><br />3. Personal trainers<br />What they do: Work with clients to set fitness goals and help them achieve those goals through exercise at fitness centers or private gyms.<br />Why they're popular in winter: People worry about their weight during all four seasons, but on Jan. 1, many people vow to get better about eating right and exercising. Of course most people don't stick to these promises, but for the first few months of the year, the gyms are packed with clients eager to begin anew.<br />Salary: $46,049<br /><br />4. Snowplow operators<br />What they do: Snowplow operators clear streets, highways and paths so that snow doesn't prevent drivers and pedestrians from getting around.<br />Why they're popular in winter: Well, it's hard to use a snowplow in any season other than winter.<br />Salary: $33,799 <br /><br />5. Tow-truck drivers<br />What they do: Tow-truck drivers haul vehicles that have broken down or been wrecked.<br />Why they're popular in winter: Snow and ice wreak havoc on cars, and even the best drivers can end up with a sputtering engine on the side of the road. That's where tow-truck drivers come to the rescue.<br />Salary: $39,373<br /><br />Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/abalderrama.

5 Good Jobs for Winter

What winter means to you probably depends on where you live. You know the postcard scenes of families enjoying a warm fireplace as pure snow...

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