Losing weight can be a challenge for anyone. As a business person your schedule is packed. You may not have the time to attend meetings, prepare special meals, or the budget to buy into one of the prepackaged meal programs.

There are a few ways to painlessly lose a pound or two a week. One is to increase your exercise, but that doesn't have to mean hours in the gym. It can be as simple as parking your car at the far end of the lot at your place of work, taking the stairs instead of the elevator and going for a walk at lunch.

Drinking at least 8 glasses of water flushes toxins from your system. If those glasses are ice water so much the better. Your body will burn about 25 calories per glass of ice water to bring your body temperature back up to normal. That's 200 calories a day just for drinking ice water.

A diet program that seems attractive is the Cookie diet. No you don't have to subsist only on chocolate chip cookies. That could get tiring after awhile. The Cookie diet program
includes a medical checkup and the unique smart cookie. You eat the cookies as a replacement for breakfast and lunch and then have a low fat dinner, such as chicken and vegetables or fish and salad.

And speaking vegetables and salad, most of us don't get nearly enough in our daily diet. Instead of potatoes or rice, have another serving of vegetables. Instead of bread for a sandwich use a lettuce leaf to wrap up your sandwich filling.

Compare credit cards

Have you been receiving a number of credit card offers lately? You probably have if your credit rating is pretty reasonable. Don't just sign up for the first offer you receive. Take the time to compare credit cards.

Make sure you have enough credit but not too much. Even if the credit is unused it can count against you when you want to buy a new car, refinance your mortgage, or buy a house. The lender thinks that even if the credit isn't used now, you could use it in the future.

Don't get confused by all the bells and whistles. Credit card offers can have different late fees, interest rates, membership fees, annual fees, cash advance fees and separate cash advance interest rates and usage fees. Decide what you will be using the card for and how often, then decide which card is the best for you.

Compare apples to apples when an offer comes in. A lower rate interest or even 0% interest may sound like a great deal, just make sure that after an initial time period the interest rate won't go higher than your current card.

Credit is not the same thing as cash in the bank. Just because you have an unused credit line of several thousand dollars don't think you have to use it. Save your credit for when you need it.

Take the time to compare credit cards and you'll have a good chance of finding the one that's right for you.

Keeping track of time

Does time get away from you? In the beginning of the week it seems that there will be all the time in the world to get that to-do list finished. And then Friday comes and the realization hits you that you haven't even made a dent in that list.

If you don't have enough time in your day you might consider prioritizing your tasks. The most critical tasks are at the top of the list along with those that may not be quite as important but have a non negotiable deadline. Lesser tasks are toward the middle of the list and tasks which would be nice to complete but don't have much effect if they aren't completed are at the end of the list.

At the end of the day cross off the list the tasks that have been completed. Add the new tasks and re-prioritize. That's your to-do list for the next day. Of course you could also buy clocks and just set them ahead an hour. That way when it says 5:00 PM it's really only 4:00 PM and you have an extra hour on your hands.

Another way to buy a little time is to outsource or delegate those tasks that don't require your personal attention. If you spend several hours every week housecleaning, use a service to do the cleaning for you and use the extra hours to be more productive. Or to find some leisure time.

If all else fails consider purchasing a clock from Howard Miller grandfather clocks
It won't give you any more time but at least the passing of time will be more pleasant. And who knows it might take you back to a quieter time.

Drowning in Debt?

Debt can be a lifesaver in an emergency situation but many people are drowning in debt. Unfortunately some of us think that an available balance on a credit card is the same thing as cash in the bank. If there's enough credit to go on a cruise, buy those expensive shoes, or go out to an elegant restaurant,well why not, we all deserve it.

Breaking down a $6,999.99 set of new living room furniture into easy monthly payments of $249.00 makes it easier to swallow. And what about that new car you've had your eye on? Never mind the price tag of over $20,000, it's only $389.00 a month. And suddenly you're facing a credit crisis. Your paycheck will only stretch so far and those "easy" monthly payments are pushing you under water.

Don't try to ignore the problem. Recognize there is a problem and that a
debt management program may be your solution. Debt management is simply a way to take all those credit card balances, personal loans, monthly payments and refinance the total with a new loan and often lower monthly payment.

It's difficult to do this by yourself. Often your creditors won't take your efforts seriously and that's where a debt management company comes in. The company can negotiate with all your creditors develop a new loan and debt repayment schedule for you.

It's something to consider if you're drowning in debt.