This month I finally got my breakfast right. I've found one that actually lasts, keeps me full, and provides the right amount of energy.I used to eat hot cereal or eggs. Today, I eat hot cereal and eggs, and I no longer get as distracted by the urge to snack.While I've lost weight this past year, I know I still have an issue with the temptation of food, which I have to eventually resolve. Currently, when I eat too many calories, I work out at the gym longer, so I don…[more]

As an avid believer of the important role that music can play in the maintenance and recovery of the mind, I was thoroughly intrigued by this book review.Authur Oliver Sacks, a physician and professor of neurology and psychiatry, writes about the musical oddities of the brain in "Musicophilia" (Vintage, 425 pp., $14.95 paper). Here is a link to the book review and many examples of the roles music can play.http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/2…[more]

Read online in the Wall Street Journal that "just 26 runners over 80 registered for this year's race." I think I just found new inspiration for fitness.Here's the link to the article:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122541525316986643.html

At the local Grocery Outlet, I recently found pure pumpkin back in stock, at about 70 cents a 15-ounce can. (That is a great price... for great pumpkin.) Pumpkin is considered a Super Nutrient, and I ate a lot of it when I was losing my first 20 pounds.It isn’t easy to find pumpkin at a good price, other than during the fall and Holidays, or early in the year at the outlets.According to The Super Foods RX Diet: Lose Weight with the Power of SuperNutrietns (page 31, ha…[more]

Yesterday I stocked up on 3-ounce, single-serving packages of tuna in water at Big Lots: 50 cents each!  (Sale price through November 1, with expiration dates ranging from 2010 to 2011.) That’s an unheard of price for the convenient 90-calorie pouches. So, I bought some for me, and then bought some more to put in winter handout bags for the homeless.I’m at about 60 packets right now. I may go back for more. I have a tiny kitc…[more]

Here's an article worth reading: The Oct. 26, 2008 issue of NYTimes.com ran this article, "The Evidence Gap: Quickly Vetted, Treatment is Offered to Patients," by Reed Abelson.  It discusses how the F.D.A. "lets onto the market each year after only cusory review and with no clear evidence that they help patients" thousands of devices. Here is the link:http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/27/health/policy/27device.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper&oref=slogin

Looking back, I am so glad I pushed ahead. I almost committed myself too early to a larger weight, because I really didn't want to give up my entire wardrobe (so I told myself). Like many gals, I love my clothes, and through the years I invested a great deal of time and money in my totally-me wardobe.So, it had seemed OK to decide to commit to a size 10. It was so much better than a size 14 and 12!  And as a size…[more]

We take weight-loss motivation where ever we can get it. I admit: I am addicted to The Biggest Loser TV show. In fact, The Biggest Loser helped me pinpoint many of the “smarter choices” I now incorporate into each meal. It helped me realize I didn’t need to make the smartest choices all the time, but consciously, deliberately make smarter choices every day, each meal.So, it really did help me lose 40 pounds this past year, dropping from a…[more]

This past month I went to a podiatrist who runs. I had never been to a podiatrist. I actually never imagined myself going to one. Me at a foot doctor?  You've got to be kidding. (You need to understand that my favorite doctor remains Dr. Seuss, since few doctors have done more for my health than the laughter-evoking Seuss.)But, at my physical I told my doc (not Seuss) that while I lost 40 pounds, I started to …[more]

Smiling and laughter are important to good health. Recently, the following link has become my backup source for making me smile:http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080722.htmlNASA showed a bit of whimsy when posting in July this video, "Happy People Dancing on Planet Earth" at the "Astronomy Picture of the Day" site.The astronomer writes as part of the caption of this 4.5 minute video, "Happiness is frequently contagious -- few people…[more]