I Dare You To Go To Bed Hungry

One of my biggest downfalls over the years has been late night snacking. I am a night owl and when I am up late I get the munchies! If I added up the extra calories I have eaten after 9 p.m. I am sure it would be surprising.

The best time to be hungry is when you are sleeping because you don't realize you are hungry.

A recent study published in the journal Obesity found that mice that were fed a high-fat diet during the time they'd normally eat gained 20 percent in weight over six weeks. But mice fed the same high-fat diet during hours they should have been sleeping put on 48 percent compared to the weight they started with.

"How or why a person gains weight is very complicated, but it clearly is not just calories in and calories out," said study leader Fred Turek, professor of neurobiology and physiology at Northwestern University. "We think some factors are under circadian control. Better timing of meals, which would require a change in behavior, could be a critical element in slowing the ever-increasing incidence of obesity.

It is thought that our body clocks could control the release of appetite hormones. This means that making an effort to eat earlier in the day could be pivotal to weight loss.

Make a goal to not eat after 8 or 9 p.m. every night. When I was young my mom used to announce that after 9 p.m. "the kitchen was closed." If you stay up late and begin to get hungry, don't worry - you won't starve in your sleep.

I Dare You To Go To Bed Hungry!

Written by Dan Davidson, from his Dare Diet blog

I Dare You To Have Habits Like Rabbits

The only fat rabbit I have ever seen was one who was cooped up in a cage. Otherwise rabbits seems to always be hopping and running around - except when they take a short break to much on some plants.

Salads with lots of veggies are often called "rabbit food" which is always good for healthy dieting! Can there be a more perfect health snack than those mini carrots?

I don't think rabbits sit down very often for a huge meal at the end of the day and gorge themselves. Instead they nibble and graze eating less - more often. Research has shown that this is much healthier and more beneficial when dieting, because the body doesn't go into starvation mode when meals are skipped.

Hmmmmm .... let's review.

1) Rabbits exercise all through the day - hopping here and there.

2) Rabbits eat lots of veggies with good nutrition and low in calories.

3) Rabbits graze and eat smaller portions more often in the day.

Yes, it sounds like following the health habits of rabbits is no magic trick - just good common sense.

Friends of Amanda and Paul have told them that "they eat like a rabbit." They grew up vegetarian and have continued throughout their marriage. They have a blog website EatLikeARabbit.net. Here is a link from their site which highlights some of their favorite vegetarian cookbooks - you know recipes for rabbits!

I dare you to have healthy habits - just like rabbits!

Written by Dan Davidson, from his Dare Diet blog

I Dare You To Track Your Calories

One of the most powerful things to do is to measure and monitor your calorie intake and expenditure each day. If you're not keeping track, you'll be more likely to slip back-into old habits.

When you keep track of your calories it's often quite an eye-opener. We really don't realize how many calories we are consuming until we write down everything we eat each day. The small snacks throughout the day and the second and third helpings at meal time can really add up quickly.

When you commit to tracking your calories, you become accountable to yourself. Be honest and always write down everything you eat. It is senseless to not be honest, because if you cheat on your calories you're only cheating yourself.

It's just as important to write down how much physical exercise you do each day. Weight loss is nothing more than a mathematical formula - we need to consume less calories than we expend each day to be able to lose weight.

I've started using a great free online tool at LoseIt.com. This is an amazing program which allows you to keep track of your daily calories and exercise with a complete database of thousands of foods including brand names and even popular restaurant chains. You can enter your own foods and even recipes.

I am using the free iPhone application which makes it even easier for me throughout the day. Click here to download the iPhone app for free! I created a free account which now allows me to sync my data from the iPhone app and the online site. This allows me to enter information, track my progress and generate reports from either my iPhone or the website.

I can do daily weekly and monthly reports and measure my progress based on the goals I have set. The program automatically takes your personal information including weight, height, age etc. along with your weekly weight loss goal and calculates a daily calorie budget for you to work with. As long as you stay within your daily calorie budget you should achieve great results.

My weekly weight loss goal is to lose 2 pounds per week. My starting weight is 347 and based on my height of 6 feet, I was given a daily calorie budget of 2571 calories. That is a higher calorie budget than most, but it's because of my level of obesity.

I have dared myself to keep track of my calories for 365 days in a row. This is day three and so far I've been able to do it.

I realize that if I can do it for a day I can do it for a week. If I can do it for a week, I can do it for a month. And if I can do it for a month, I can do it for a year. It's all a matter of breaking down my Dream Dare goal of losing 100 pounds this year into smaller "doable dares."

I heard a powerful quote years ago, "Whatever you measure and monitor you improve."

I dare you to track your calories starting today!

Written by Dan Davidson, from his Dare Diet blog

Share The Dare Is Born!

We all have dreams and goals for our life. We all have a God-given purpose that is unique. Are you stuck in life? Do you need encouragement?

We Dare You To Live Your Dreams!

We want to motivate, inspire and encourage you to follow your dreams, to discover your gifts and passions. The time for complacency and mediocrity is over. Dare to be great and to do great things!

Life is very short. We dare you today to become devoted to your dream and take an action step in the next 24 hours.

Dare To Do Your Dream To The Extreme!

Remember also to pass encouragement on to your family and friends - Share The Dare!

Written by Dan & Dave Davidson, from their Share The Dare blog

I Dare You To Make A Diet Goal

Making a diet goal is an important key to your success. Without a goal and plan to reach that goal you are much more likely to fail to get fit.

Stephen Brennan once said, "Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success."

Make a goal today. Be specific and purposeful. My Dream Dare Goal is to lose 100 lbs in 2011. With that as my foundation I am breaking down that goal into smaller "doable dares." My doable dare goal is to lose two pounds each week.

That is my plan and my focus. Here is another quote that inspires me -

"Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination." ~ Fitzhugh Dodson

What's your destination? Where will you set sail today. I dare you to make a Diet Goal today!

Written by Dan Davidson, from his Dare Diet blog

I Dare You To Get Fit Not Fat In The New Year!

It's January 1st and time for New Year's resolutions!

I have been overweight most of my life. It started in middle school when my Mom could only buy clothes for me in the "husky" section at Sears. Over the years I kept gradually adding to my waistline topping out at 357 last year.

My doctor ordered a treadmill test as part of a physical but the machine only had a warranty for people weighing 350 or less so I couldn't take the test! I tried to work out on the Wii fit gaming platform, but its weight limit was 330. I was actually too fat to get fit for awhile.

Then last August my oldest son Jacob did something that no one had ever done before. He dared me to diet, exercise and lose weight. Well for some reason that helped provide some motivation and incentive to lose 20 lbs. I gained 5 back through the holidays, but now I am ready to pick back up on that dare. This time I am daring myself.

I am daring myself to lose 100 lbs in 2011. I am calling it the "Dare Diet" and this blog will chronicle my journey.

Each day I will share a dare. It will be for me, but also for you. Today's dare is simple -

I Dare You To Get Fit Not Fat In The New Year!

Will you accept my challenge and join me? I Dare You!

Written by Dan Davidson, from his Dare Diet blog

Free Ebooks For The Kindle / Kindle PC App

Amazon Kindle sales reached 10 million in 2010. Ebook reading is hitting the masses and is near the tipping point. Even if you don't have a Kindle you can download free applications for iPhone, Android devices and even for your PC.

You can start reading ebooks without a Kindle on eight different devices - Click here for links to download free apps for the iPhone, iPad, iTouch, Android, Blackberry, Windows 7 Phone, PC and Mac.

I just downloaded the app for my laptop and I am surprised what a nice interface it is. You can now download a free Kindle app for your PC and sync to all other Kindle apps or devices. Click here for the link for the PC Kindle app.

A great site for Free Kindle books is http://freekindlebooks.org/

I do not have a Kindle device yet, but I am using the Kindle iPhone app and the PC app. I have purchased several ebooks and am enjoying the ebook experience.

Written by Dan Davidson, from his blog at WordSketching.com