Curiously Awesome

Military families have needs just like all other families do…but these families are likely experiencing greater stress and hardship as they make monumental sacrifices while serving our country. Children are left behind without one of their parents…spouses are left behind to wait, wonder, and worry…while having to continue with the daily life to keep their families functioning. I simply cannot imagine how difficult and stressful this must be for these families. Of course, we cannot forget the service person who is deployed as well! What an act of sacrifice and generosity! These families need all the help and support we can give them.

As I write this, Sears Heroes at Home has reached an amazing number. They have succeeded in collecting almost 1,400,000 contributions to their wildly successful Heroes at Home program. This is a program designed to help our heroes who are deployed and their families.

Note: Donations are NOT tax deductible and the proceeds are given to families in the form of gift cards.

Traditional holiday foods like pumpkin pie, fudge, and gingerbread cookies are a strong temptation for folks to overeat during this time of year. These aren’t the main source of traditional holiday binging, however. Holiday stress seems to be what leads people to gain weight during the holiday season.

Most sources of stress are increased during this time of year. Giving gifts, taking time off from work and traveling are particularly stressful. Add in time for shopping, deadlines for sending gifts and cards, and attending endless parties and this can mean definite expansion for the waistline.

Stress eating often increases during the holidays and usually takes the form of mindless binging. One simple method you can use to reduce this kind of eating is to pay more attention to what you’re eating and why you are eating it.

The next time you’re feeling stressed try taking a deep breath first. If possible step away from the immediate presence of food until you have a chance to regain your sense of control. Identify the cause of your stress and then make a conscious decision to let the stressful feelings go.

Unfortunately, stress doesn’t only cause one to overeat. It also causes more fat to be stored. Cortisol and epinephrine are released during periods of stress and these both encourage the storage of fat. These hormones are meant for short-term release but constant stress causes excessive cortisol release and therefore weight gain.

Exercise can counter holiday weight gain in more than one way. Staying active will help you burn off extra calories and it will also help reduce your stress levels.

Any time you can relax and unwind there will be a positive impact on stress levels. Listen to your favorite music, read for pleasure, or focus on the things in life that bring you happiness. Instead of drowning in your favorite comfort food, minimize your stress this holiday season and you’ll really be treating yourself.

There are some great deals to be had right now at Kmart. Specifically, many last minute gifts from Kmart…if there are still people out there who need a special something coming from you, even though the big holiday is past…you can still find some nice prices and special items at Kmart.

If you are looking for especially inexpensive gifts this year, then you should know that Kmart has lots of great holiday gifts for under $25. Here is a small sampling of some of the wonderful items that can be had for under $25.

• Craftsman hand tool box
• Martha Stewart nickel pillar candleholders
• Route 66 girls hoodies and embellished jeans
• Joe Boxer mens and womens sleep sets
• Just Kidz Deluxe 16 inch doll set with stroller
• LeapFrog Leapster Learning Games

Also, shoppers can sign up at Kmart.com so they will receive the latest Kmart news right in their inbox.  This includes special store hours, in-store deals, and online-only sales.  This will definitely help ensure that you find all of the very best deals available!

Kmart also has a layaway program and no payments, no interest for six months to help consumers afford the items they need and want.