A couple of weeks ago, I posted my top 10 resolutions for a healthier 2012 (read post).   Maybe you’re already doing many of the things on the list – in which case your list of resolutions will look a little different from mine.  But as you’re thinking about your own health and fitness goals for the upcoming year, I’d like to add a few words of encouragement – with some thoughts on how you can make promises to yourself that you can actually keep. Read more »

I would bet that for most of us, the last few weeks have been pretty busy – we’ve been running around like crazy, taking care of last minute errands and finishing up our holiday shopping. While I was out running my errands this past week, I noticed something that hadn’t really struck me before. It seemed to me that no matter where I went, there was food. It was everywhere. So I started taking notes. I wrote down every place I’d been and what food had been there. Because it got me to thinking – if I had actually eaten everything I’d seen, how much damage would I have done? Read more »

There’s something about a new year that drives us to wipe the slate clean, put our bad habits behind us, and start fresh.  We look back at the resolutions we managed to keep and those that eluded us, and we make promises to take better care of ourselves in the upcoming year.  I’m a big fan of resolutions – as long as they’re reasonable.  Resolutions don’t do you much good if they’re abandoned before Valentine’s Day.  You want to focus on the changes you can practice every day – since they’re more likely to stick with you –  and also on the ones that give you the most bang for your buck.  So here is my list of the top 10 best resolutions for a healthier 2012. Read more »

Some of the most challenging clients I have are the ones who have a lot of weight to lose, who need a complete diet and lifestyle overhaul…and who take me to task on every suggestion I make. Pack a lunch instead of going to the drive through once a week? “Can’t – no time in the morning”. Get up a half hour earlier to take a walk? “Nope – too tired”. Get rid of the ice cream in the freezer? “No can do – I keep it there for the kids”. Mind you, I’m not asking them to make all these changes all at once, but some people really resist even the smallest change. Sometimes they’re afraid to fail, or they feel the sacrifice is too much. Sometimes, the rewards aren’t readily apparent. So when someone has a lot of bad habits that need to be broken, the best thing I can do is to try to help them prioritize – and work on the easiest things first. Read more »