The History of Thanksgiving in Canada

Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian Friends!

In Canada, Thanksgiving can be traced back to Martin Frobisher in 1578. He left England in search of a way to get to the Orient by traveling north. Although he never did find that passage, he did establish what later became Newfoundland and Labrador.

The first Thanksgiving in North America was his celebration of making it all the way from England to his new home. Frobisher was joined by more settlers, and as the settlements expanded, the people continued to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Samuel de Champlain led the French settlers to Canada, and they had their own Thanksgiving feasts. The French shared what they had with the local Indians that lived in the area, similar to the Pilgrims first Thanksgiving.

There were various special Thanksgiving celebrations over the years. One took place in 1763 at the end of the Seven Years’ War. Celebrations were held in Halifax as the British took possession of New France. Celebrations were not held yearly at this point.

In 1879 Thanksgiving finally became an annual celebration; however the date was not always the same. Each year, the people were encouraged to focus on different things for which to be thankful. These reasons varied from the usual abundant harvests to remembering significant dates in Canadian history.

Being thankful for God’s mercies, victory over enemies, the end of wars, cessation of cholera and other diseases, peace, blessings, and most often, abundant harvests were some of the common themes for different Thanksgiving celebrations.

Many American Colonists left to live in Canada after the Revolutionary War. They brought the traditions that had been passed down from the first Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims at Plymouths Rock with them. To add to the menu, they also brought many of their favorite foods with them.

Canadians celebrated Armistice Day and Thanksgiving on the Monday closest to November 11th for some time after WWI. Armistice Day was renamed Remembrance Day in 1931 and people began to celebrate them separately.

The Canadian Parliament finally established the second Monday in October to be the official Thanksgiving in 1957. It only makes sense that the Canadian Thanksgiving is held earlier in the fall than it is in the United States since Canada has an earlier harvest.

Canadians serve many of the same Thanksgiving foods, or very similar foods to that of the Americans. They also enjoy turkey, mashed potatoes, different vegetable dishes and pumpkin pie. Cornucopia was introduced to the celebrations as well by the Europeans.

Thanksgiving is still all about being thankful for all of the blessings of the past year and being with family in Canada, despite all of the changes in the date and why it was celebrated.

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How to Maintain Your Weight

Diet and healthy eating The question many people ask is how to maintain your weight. Many people will go on a diet lose weight and then gain it back. Their weight is like a wild roller coaster weight, never staying still, constantly going up or down.

News Flash! This “just in” hot off the presses…

Research comparing low-carbohydrate diets, low fat diets and reduced calories have shown that ALL participants started to regain weight after six months. By the twelfth month there was little difference between the groups. This shows that learning how to maintain your weight is imperative to your success.

Despite the popularity and apparent success of low carb diets like Atkins or the famous SouthBeach Diet there is no evidence to support that low carb diets help people to maintaint their weight.

Learning how to maintain your weight begins with your choice of the diet and weight loss program you follow. We are living in a world of dietary confusion. Many fad diets and diet pills and other so called “weight loss miracles” keep us in a confused state and distract us from the truth.

From the get-go you need to find a safe and healthy diet that makes sense to you. A plan that you can stay with for the rest of your life. Just because your friend lost weight and kept it off by following the SouthBeach Diet doesn’t mean that you will be able to. Maybe a simpler more convenient plan like one at eDiets will help you to lose pounds and maintain your weight.

If you’re struggling to lose weight, bagning your head against the wall and hoping this time will be different – My friend, if this is your experience with dieting you need to take a step back and choose a diet that you can follow for life. This is the only way you will ever be able to maintain your weight.

Some of the lies we’ve been led to believe are that we can never eat ice cream, cookies, cake or dine at our favorite places is part of the problem. The key is moderation. Any safe and healthy diet will allow an occasional indulgence. Some plans like Bill Phillips or Burn the Fat have cheat days built in.

You need to keep in mind that losing weight is easy! All you have to do is follow a plan. The tricky part is learning how to maintain your weight with out feeling like you are constanly on a diet.

The diet industry wants us to believe that we can not maintain our weight because of our “lack of commitment” or “our self esteem is low” or we have “failed to plan”. The TRUTH is it’s not us – It’s their plan!

95% of commerical diets fail because they are designed for the “quick fix”. They are not designed for a lifetime of normal every day eating. They rob us of our time – and deprive us of things we love.

In order to maintain your weight you need to establish every day eating habits that are in balance with the energy you expend.

Top 3 Tips to Maintain Your Weight according to those that have done it …

1. Find a diet that is practical, nutritious and in balance with your lifestyle

2. Establish an exercise routine that you follow. (Remember exercising allows you to eat more and still maintain your weight!)

3. Monitor your weight regularly. Have a set point (maye about 5 pounds over your goal weight) – if you reach it, reduce your caloric intake until your back down.

Do this, and you are guaranteed success!

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Jennifer Aniston Diet and Exercise Plan

jennifer-aniston Jennifer Aniston makes it a point to stay lean and trim all year around. Her diet and exercise plans are very important to her and she makes it a priority in her life.

Just before Jennifer turned 40 on February 11, 2009 she appeared on Oprah to discuss staying fit and healthy at 40. Durring her appearance Jennifer she credited her exercise routine and eating a healthy diet to staying in shape.

You can easily follow Jennifer Aniston’s diet plan and exercise routine to lose weight, gain energy and develop the mind-body connection for a healthier and happier life.

Jennifer Aniston’s Diet Plan:

Jennifer is known as the “poster girl” for the Zone Diet. She stays true to this plan, though she has been known to also follow the less stringent SouthBeach Diet. Both diets allow a moderate carb intake.

The Zone Diet is based on eating a ratio of 40% Carbohydrates, 30% fat and 30% protein daily. The Zone diet does take planning and can be tricky at times. Jennifer appears to do a great job of maintianing the ratio of carbs to fat to protein.

Jennifer was introduced to The Zone Diet when told by the entertainment industry that she needed to lose 30 pounds during her years on Friends.

The Zone requires that you eat 3 meals and at least 2 snacks each day in order to keep your body fueled. The official website offers Zone Foods of bars and shakes that really help out with the snacking – or for people on the go.

Jennifer Anistons Diet – Lose 5 pounds in 5 Days:

When Jennifer wants to lose a few pounds quick, before a red carpet event she will follow this diet for 5 days. The intake is between 1,000 to 1,250 calories and should not be followed for a long period of time.

Jennifer eats a 250 calorie egg-white omlet with vegetables and feta cheese for breakfast; A 300 to 500 calorie green salad with fish such as tuna or salmon (protein) for lunch; A 500 calorie meal of fish or chicken with a salad (no dressing) for dinner.

Jennifer Aniston’s Workout Plan:

Jennifer has practicced Yoga for years and states it has helped her with the mind body connection. Her private yoga instructor, Mandy Ingber offers a variey of active movements and static poses for a total body workout that is challenging and never boring.

The yoga routine included five sun salutations that are a sequence of movement with breath. The routines include postures like bridge, butterfly and tree pose. Mandy has transformed some of the tradional postures into strength training movements for Jennifer. Here’s a great Yoga Course where you can learn the proper techniques and poses.

Jennifer also practices regular cardio routines. Her favorite fitness machines are the elliptical trainer and the treadmill. She usually uses these machines for about 20 minutes prior to her yoga session.

Durring an interview with Self magazine Jenniefer stated she’ll do a five minute warm-up and then aternate one minute of high-intensity cardio with two minutes of recovery at a moderate pace.

The benefits of following Jennifer Aniston diet and exercise routines are more energy, a healthier, more balanced life and weight loss.

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How to Lose Baby Weight

Mom and Newborn What is the normal weight gain during pregnancy?

That depends. You would have to take into consideration where you started off. If you became pregnant while being underweight then about 40 pounds would be a healthy number. If you were overweight 20 pounds would be more appropriate. Regardless of how much weight you gained, you’ll still be faced witht he question “How to lose baby weight?”

The normal weight gain for an average woman is about 30 pounds. Unfortunately once the baby comes, you only lose about 12 to 14 pounds. What do we need to do to get rid of the extra weight?

Tips to Lose Baby Weight:

Did you know that breastfeeding can help you lose baby weight? It’s true, just by breastfeeding, you can burn up to 500 calories a day. Not only will you lose the weight faster but you will also have that extra bonding time with your baby. Another benefit to breastfeeding is that for every year you breastfeed, it reduces the likelihood of you developing breast cancer in the future.

Maintaining a diet that is rich in lean proteins such as chicken breast, water packed tuna or egg whites. This is a great way to keep your metabolism in line. When eating breads it’s best to choose those that are made with whole grains. Portion control is also very important. Instead of eating one or two large meals a day, eat 5 to 6 small meals. By doing this you will boost your metabolism which in turn will help your body lose baby weight. You’ll also have that much needed energy you’ll need to care for your baby.

Lastly, exercise. Without exercise you are less likely to lose the weight. If you don’t want to or can’t afford to go to a gym simply load your baby in his stroller and take a walk. Add ankle or wrist weights to burn even more calories. One thing that works for many woman is to put your baby in her sling and do your chores with her hanging on you. This helps you lose baby weight, keeps your baby happy and will allow you to get your housework done.

By Isabella Fox

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Motivation to Lose Weight

It’s interesting to note that weight loss is desired by about 80% of people. So what’s stopping them?

The sad truth is many are unable to find the motivation to lose weight the healthy way. They are looking for a quick fix – a fad diet that simply will not work.

Obesity has become a major problem in today’s modern times. Our lifestyle is all about convenience and speed. We want everything now.

This is why fad diets, diet pills and other gimmicks create multi-million dollar companies. These companies know that people lack motivation to lose weight so they offer a false promise of losing 20 pounds in a month.

Fifty years ago people walked places. Children were outside playing tag or baseball on the streets. People enjoyed walking and jogging in the park. People found physical activity entertaining and fun without all of today’s electronic technology.

Today we are overworked, and are constantly juggling work, school and family responsibilities. This has led to a lack of time to prepare healthy meals and exercise – so people think …
Could it just be a lack of motivation to lose weight?

We always find time to do what we want to do. How important is weight loss to you?

Weight loss is a process. It demands time, determination and planning. The most IMPORTANT factor is changing your habits.

To lose weight, one has to THINK differently. The right way of thinking will provide you with the necessary motivation to lose weight.

Pay attention to what you’re eating. Plan your meals and choose healthy nutritious foods.
Eat five or six small meals a day.
Learn proper portions (Did you know some all you can eat buffets actually have dishes the size of a tray!)
Learn to read labels – KNOW what you are feeding your body.
BELIEVE in yourself! Start picturing yourself at your ideal weight.

You’re probably saying it’s easier said than done. You know what to do, but continue to procrastinate because you lack the motivation to lose weight.

It’s important to first find the MOTIVATION and then the RIGHT weight loss program.

Motivation comes first because it gives you the strength to say NO to some pernicious habits that hinders your diet program.

The right weight loss program will be the difference between another failed diet and a permanent weight loss.

How do you find the Motivation to Lose Weight?

Know that there are two kinds of motivation – Internal and External.

Internal motivation is your perception of yourself. This is why you need to start seeing yourself at your ideal weight. It is the desire to wear a bikini or that little black dress – or for men to have that lean muscular physique you’ve been dreaming of.

When your motivation to lose weight is internal it is POWERFUL. Just about everyone that has lost weight and kept it off found their internal motivation. This is the strength deep inside your core that you are determined to succeed which helps you overcome those voices telling you that you can always start your weight loss program next Monday.

External motivation to lose weight comes from the outside world – their perception of you. Maybe you’ve experienced humiliation and prejudice that was the last straw. Maybe you were passed over for a job promotion due to your weight. You want your significant other to find you sexy again.

It’s interesting to note that society seems to think that heavy and obese people are lazy and indulgent and judge you on your weight.

Unfortunately, the same society that produces obesity, demands you to be HEALTHY AND THIN.

It’s up to you, to start a healthy diet program or keep “trying” all the fad diets on the Internet.

Our #1 Rated program eDiets offers you Motivation to Lose Weight and all the tools to succeed! You’ll be able to talk directly to a nutritionist on the phone as often as you need and have access to support from trained staff and your peers on the forums – 24 hours a day!

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3 Easy and Kid Friendly Snacks

Why is it important to always have kid friendly snacks on hand?

“I’m hungry” or “there’s nothing to eat” are two phrases that I think all parents or caregivers are much too familiar with. In my own experience I know that my refrigerator can be full to its maximum capacity and my children will still say there’s nothing to eat.

Listed below are three great, easy and kid friendly ideas of quick and yummy snacks you can make for your little ones, and they are so simple to make that you can even have them help you prepare them.

Kid friendly recipe #1
Pizza crackers: All you need is ritz crackers, string cheese and some pizza sauce. Slice up the string cheese into quarter inch slices. Place a slice of cheese on top of each ritz cracker and microwave them for about 30-45 seconds. You pour some pizza sauce in a small bowl and you use it to dip your cracker in.

Kid friendly recipe #2
Pigs in a blanket: You will need a can of ready to bake crescent rolls and lil franks. You take the crescent roll dough apart place a frank in the middle of it and roll. And you then bake according to the instructions on the can. You can use ketchup, mustard or even syrup as dipping sauce.

Kid friendly recipe #3
Mini doughnuts: You simply take a can of biscuits and pierce a hole through each biscuit with your fingers. You then fry evenly for about a minute on each side or until golden brown and you’ve got yourself a doughnut. You can get creative with the toppings by dipping them in powder sugar, cocoa powder, or even in syrup for a delicious breakfast treat.

I’m sure you and your little ones will enjoy the kid friendly snacks listed above. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Find what your child likes and try various things. Kind friendly snacks don’t have to be loaded with sugar or expensive.

Submitted by guest writer;
Isabella Fox

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Lose Weight Eating these 5 Delicious Healthy Snacks

Whether you’re on a plan to take off a few pounds or just maintaining your weight it’s important to eat frequent smaller meals throughout your day. Eating Healthy Snacks keeps your body fueled, increases your metabolism, and enables your body to burn fat.

Yes, snacking is GOOD for you – that is when you choose wisely. You know you won’t lose weight by snacking on sugary, high carbohydrate foods. What you are looking for is a healthy snack that adds interest, energy and protein to your diet.

5 Healthy Snacks

Healthy Snack #1
Apple Slices with a dab of Peanut Butter. Don’t over indulge on the peanut butter. This is a great tasting snack that will keep your body burning fat and keep you feeling full and satisfied. If you’re a peanut butter connoisseur – this snack is for you!

Healthy Snack#2
Fruit – especially berries. Fruit like blueberries, strawberries, cantaloupe and melon help ward off sugar cravings. These natural fruits have sugar, but your body metabolizes them in a natural state. High fructose like found in many processed snack foods is like a poison to the healthy state of the body.

Healthy Snack #3
Soy Chips. This is an effective way to add protein to your diet without sacrificing taste. If you like crunchy food, Soy Chips will provide the crunch along with good quality protein that fuels your body and helps you burn fat.

Healthy Snack #4
Yogurt – can be a great source of protein. You need to be sure to read the labels. Don’t choose the yogurt with fruit at the bottom. Usually this fruit is preserves that are loaded with sugar. Find yogurt that has natural bacteria and add fresh fruit to it.

Healthy Snack #5
Cheese Cubes. Keep these handy to eat throughout the day when your energy level goes down. There are many kinds of healthy cheeses that add protein and will give you a quick pick up. Try them all!

These healthy snacks will help you keep your body’s furnace fires going to burn fat and lose weight. Best of all you won’t feel deprived while dropping those unwanted pounds.

Snacking is a part of life. With a little preparation, you’ll always have a healthy snack on hand which will keep you from reaching for French fries or a Twinkie. You’ll be more energetic and feel better overall. Keeping healthy is worth the effort

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SlimKids Weight Loss Plan

SlimKids weight loss plan was conceived in 1995 by an overweight teenager. This program follows the USDA guidelines and the caloric intake ranges from 1500 to 1800 calories per day.

What makes this diet plan unique is that it allows 64 grams of fat per day. That means that a kid can eat a hamburger, hotdog, or baked fries that they desire so much. It is a ten week program and affords kids from eight and up to lose one to one and a half pounds per week.

Youth obesity is a pandemic in our society. It is affecting younger children and teens more than ever before. In fact, doctors who are solely researching the reasons behind child obesity have found that it may involve the hypothalamus gland, which controls eating habits.

One is immediately struck by the comprehensive information given when perusing the SlimKids weight loss plan. There are testimonials, diet tips, and information about its author. The site also promotes changes in kids’ lifestyles including exercise, portion control, and making healthy choices by getting rid of bad habits.

What stands out most about this program is that it allows obese teens and children to continue eating the foods they love. However it also gives parents the tools to introduce healthier choices leading to their kids having healthier lives.

Here is a sample of one day’s menu from the SlimKids site:

Breakfast: 1 large egg scrambled or fried (use a pan sprayed with oil spray), 1 slice whole-wheat toast with 1 teaspoon butter or reduced calorie or margarine, 1/2 grapefruit, and 1 cup skim or 1% milk.

Lunch: 1 chicken salad sandwich made with 3 ounces cooked chicken breast, celery, lettuce, 1 teaspoon mayonnaise, pita bread (or 2 slices whole-wheat or white bread), 1 apple (or other whole fruit), 1 cup mini fresh carrots (or large carrot cut up) with 2 teaspoons of non-fat dip on the side for dipping, and 1 juice pack drink.

For dinner: 3 ounces lean roast beef, broiled (or other lean protein source), 1/2 cup mushrooms (fresh or canned) served hot over beef, 2 cups tossed salad with 2 tablespoons reduced calorie salad dressing, 1 cup cooked broccoli, 1 cup skim or 1% milk.

Snacks would consist of: 2 cups popped light popcorn, 1 chocolate milkshake (recipe included in the program).

The approximate totals for the day would amount to: three milks, four breads, three fruits, two servings of protein, four vegetables, and three fats. In addition, you can substitute any of the foods on the menu with the same food types given in the program.

If you think the SlimKids weight loss program would be beneficial to your child, you can read more about it on their site.

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Warm Up Before Exercising

Skipping the warm up may save time, but it is not the best plan to stay safe. It’s tempting to go straight for the workout and skip the warm up, especially when we are pressed for time. And while it is logical to go as hard as you can for as long as you can, this is not a good or healthy way to treat your body.

Warming up does exactly what it sounds like, it warms your body up. A proper warm up will increase muscle flexibility which results in you being able to stretch farther and decreasing the chance of overextending during your regular workout. It increases blood flow, slowly raises your metabolism, and raises the temperature of your muscles. This ensures that they are prepared and ready for a hard workout. Your performance during the actual workout is improved when your muscles are ready to go. This means you are getting the most from your workout because your body is doing more and functioning more efficiently, which can also help you beat the competition!

A good warm up is usually best done by doing the activity you are planning on doing, only at a slower and slower pace. For example, if you plan to run, go at half speed for the first 5 minutes, then increase your speed to 3/4 for another 5 minutes, then allow yourself to work up to full speed. If you are playing a sport that you can’t “play slowly” for a few minutes, try doing a light workout with another activity. You can jog a few laps around the soccer field or basketball court and run drills slowly before a game or team practice. This will give your muscles some preparation for the coming activity.

We used to be told to stretch before each exercising session to keep ourselves more flexible and injury free. When our muscles are more stretched out, we are less likely to overextend and therefore injure them. While that theory is correct, we are generally taught to do static stretches which actually does very little before a workout. You should try to include dynamic stretches which involve movement and using momentum to stretch without going beyond your normal range of motion. Normal static stretches, like what you do in gym class, are great but should be done on a daily basis, not just when you work out.

You should be sure to add a cool down to your work out as well as a warm up. Just do the opposite of your warm up by slowly bringing yourself back down from extreme activity levels slowly. You can best accomplish this by performing your same activity at a slower pace, as you did with your warm up. Stretching exercises should be included in your cool down as well.

You may feel that you just don’t have the time to bother with a warm up, but if you do your hard workout a little less, and warm up a bit more it can actually give you more time to work out in the long run. A few minutes of warming up are a lot less inconvenient than having to skip workouts altogether because of injuries. A good, productive warm up is ALWAYS a good idea.

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Foods That Help Lower pH Levels in the Body

The pH levels in our bodies need to be kept in the correct range for us to be healthy. Although certain parts of our bodies, like our stomachs, produce acid; our pH should be slightly alkaline. If the pH levels in our blood are acidic, or not alkaline enough, it is known as acidosis. Acidosis is associated with fatigue and often accompanies chronic diseases.

If the pH levels in our blood are too high, that will also cause problems. It is known as alkalosis when this happens and is frequently associated with dehydration. Here are some foods that can help lower our pH levels and promote good health when faced with alkalosis:

~Slightly Acidic FoodsIt is usually best to start with foods that do not contain too much acid so you don’t end up on the opposite end of the spectrum. These foods are slightly acidic.
* Fresh Corn
* Honey
* Pork Chops
* Whole Wheat Bread
* Eggs
* Bacon
* Lamb Chops
* English Walnuts
* Wheat Bran
* White Bread
* Veal
* Barley
* Turkey
* Steak
* Salmon
* Brown Rice

~Foods With Medium Acidity
These foods are more acidic than the ones in the previous list. In the case of extreme alkalosis, they might provide faster relief.
* Wheat Germ
* Peanuts
* Chicken
* Peanut Butter
* Pasta
* Codfish
* Soda Crackers
* Haddock
* Shrimp
* Lobster
* Corned Beef
* Oatmeal

~Highly Acidic Foods
These foods have the highest acidity you can find in natural food sources. They can be helpful if your pH level is extremely high.
* Sardines
* Sausage
* Dried Lentils
* Oysters
* Scallops

There are many foods you can eat with higher alkaline content if you are suffering from acidosis which will help raise your pH. If that is the case, you should try to avoid the foods mentioned above until your blood pH is restored to healthier levels.

Even though it is possible to test your own pH levels at home, it is best to go to a doctor for the initial diagnosis. The doctor can give you a blood pH test while home tests use less reliable fluids such as saliva and urine. Depending upon the results, your doctor may want to test for other things as well.
You can use litmus strips at home to test your pH level after your doctor has determined where your pH stands. The results will be more variable but they will give you a general idea of which direction your pH is going. With that in mind, it will be easier for you to determine whether you need to include acidic or alkaline foods in your diet.

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