Starting the year with a list of New Year’s Resolutions may be as commonplace as ending the year without them. Perhaps therein lies the problem – starting with a list of resolutions intead of just one specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-based (S.M.A.R.T.) goal . . .  but I digress.  Below are a few tricks to improve your chances [...]

Happy Heart Month!  What a blessing that just a few simple changes in your lifestyle can improve your chances of living a longer, healthier life.  The beauty is, anyone can make these changes, the steps are not expensive and even modest improvements will make a big difference.   The American Heart Association (AMA) calls them “The Simple 7″.  Seven [...]

Goodness knows it’s hard enough to keep your weight in check on any ’ol ho-hum day, let alone during the ho–ho–holidays.  Heck, I can gain a pound just looking at a slice of cheesecake.  Think about this, though.  If you put on  just 1 pound a year, what will you weigh when you’re 60, 70, 80 or 90?  Mind [...]

My high school reunion is coming up in June.  Needless to say I’m a-dither about looking good.  Here’s the problem:  When I put pressure on myself to lose weight, my body thinks it hears ‘Pack on the pounds!’ and voila, I gain instead.  Ahhh, the brain.  As I am quoted in the May 5, 2009 issue of [...]

I argue with my mom about this all the time.  She insists that the only way to lose weight is to expend more calories than you eat.  I tell her that there is an insulin component in there that regulates the way your body stores and uses fats and sugars.  If you know how your [...]

Todd and I have been reducing our carb intake over the past couple weeks (ugh) to coax those holiday pounds off.  One good thing is that we’ve stumbled on the perfect low carb breakfast for busy people.  It’s a variation of a recipe listed in the book for Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet.  (See “How [...]

  Amy Daggett, Allegro’s graphic designer, was the last person anyone could imagine ever having a weight problem.  I’ve worked with her for nearly 20 years and she’s always been thin, muscular and athletic.  Just goes to show you that given the right circumstances,  anyone can end up fighting the battle of the bulge.   Her 42 lb. [...]