Smell the Coffee and Wake Up

Coffee is part of the morning wake-up ritual for millions of people worldwide. But recent research by South Korean scientists indicates you might not have to drink it to get that "pick-me-up" effect.

When sleep-deprived rats were exposed to coffee aromas, researchers found activity of some genes in the rats' brains changed, reducing the effects of sleeplessness.

I can't testify to rat brain gene activity. What I do know is this: Programming my Cuisinart Grind and Brew Coffee Maker to deliver a fresh pot of joe 10 minutes before my alarm sounds allows just enough time for the delectable aroma to reach my bedroom.

The promise of a fresh cup of coffee is often just the motivation I need to get out of bed 45 minutes early to squeeze in a morning jog before the workday officially begins.

What tricks to you use to motivate yourself?


(Source: Live Science)

Sweet Sunshine News

Last week, while much of the Midwest endured tornadoes and flooding, the weather in Michigan's thumb provided a string of mild, sunny days. Friday morning, we enjoyed these early morning rays while eating a healthy breakfast on the back porch of Inn the Garden Bed & Breakfast in Lexington, Mich.

Surprisingly, "The People's Chemist" Shane Ellison crosses the grain of prevailing medical advice, saying that
sunshine is actually good for you.

Furthermore, he poo-poos popular sunscreens , calling them
cancer-causing agents:

1. Sunscreen blocks the production of melanin (pigment causing a protective tan to form) resulting in higher risk of skin cancer.

2. Sunscreen blocks the production of vitamin D. A deficiency of vitamin D weakens the immune system and increases the risk of heart disease and cancer. In children especially, vitamin D deficiency is also correlated with tooth decay and crooked teeth.

3. Many of the chemicals found in sunscreens are actually carcinogenic (cancer causing) and estrogenic. If you see any of the following ingredients, steer clear: Benzophenones (dixoybenzone, oxybenzone), PABA and PABA esters (ethyl dihydroxy propyl PAB, glyceryl PABA, p-aminobenzoic acid, padimate-O or octyl dimethyl PABA), Cinnamates (cinoxate, ethylhexyl p-methoxycinnamate, octocrylene, octyl methoxycinnamate), Salicylates (ethylhexyl salicylate, homosalate, octyl salicylate), Digalloyl trioleate, Menthyl anthranilate, and Avobenzone.

Contrary to what sunscreen manufacturers wish you to believe, sunshine is not a death ray. It is a healing ray.

Ellison cites four main benefits of sun exposure:

1. It boosts neuropeptides that boost our mood and regulate appetite.

2. It reduces risk of the deadly skin cancer melanoma and 16 other types of cancer.

3. It reduces the risk of osteoporosis and increases bone density courtesy of enhanced "mineralization."

4. It increases sex drive. Not that I want my kids libido to be rockin’ but this is good info for the Dad who needs to get his bedroom energy back.

Note that he's not suggesting that you or your kids should ever get sunburned. You can definitely get too much of a good thing. Use clothing to block the sun or go indoors if your skin is getting pink.

His advice is to use a natural sunscreen like UV Naturals. Not only does it protect your skin from excess sun exposure, it also helps your skin look and feel younger with "youthanizers." They include green tea extract, bees wax, vitamin E and grape seed oil.

My plans later this week include deep-sea fishing and kayaking trips in Jacksonville, N.C. I'll be looking for UV Naturals before I leave Tuesday.

It's Got a Ring to It!

Okay, am I the only one who, on any given day, walks an extra thousand steps because I can't find my cell phone?

My DH sometimes shakes his head and calls me Poor Thing because I also tend to leave drawers open, forget where I parked my car...um, you get the point.

That may be the reason I'm part geek - always on the prowl for a good tip how to make my life easier, faster or more efficient. Give me a new gadget, and I'm a happy girl!

(Drumroll, please!) Welcome to PhoneMyPhone.com, a new free internet service that will call your number so that you can find your phone...assuming you didn't leave it on Vibrate.
In that case, you'll have to listen really carefully for the quiet hum! This is a lifesaver for folks like me with a kazillion cell phone minutes, but no land line.

And while we're talking cell phones, check out Billshrink.
Tech blogger Lifehacker says the service allows you to compare cell phone plans and find the perfect plan to fit your usage needs. (Sorry, U.S. only, and no pre-paid plans.)

Just enter some information about how you use your phone, along with your current monthly bills, and BillShrink will offer you an alternative plan that could save you a ton of cash. Currently BillShrink is focused on cell plans only, but they appear to be working towards offering more comparisons for cable and internet bills in the future. BillShrink doesn't take phone availability into account, so if you want an iPhone, for example, you're stuck with AT&T (unless you unlock it).

I'm checking it out now. What about you?

Happy Trails

Well, it's that time again. Tomorrow begins another culinary press trip back to Louisiana - this time to the northern portion of the state.

Today virtually slipped through my fingers, beginning at 3 a.m. here at the computer to finish a story for Sunday's paper. After teaching a ladies' devotional class later in the morning, I spent the rest of the day getting ready to leave town. One project included having my jeans taken up and buying one new dress in my smaller size!

Keep holding good thoughts as I travel. I'll keep you posted how we adapt on this trip.

On Your Feet? Ready, Dance!

Yesterday, I admitted Brad and Matt's opening spiel might be a little intense for some viewers, but the Gratitude Dance is appropriate anytime!
Especially today. I'm in the 160's!!

More and more, people are asking, "What sort of diet are you on?" I'm learning most people ask that sort of question
for a variety of reasons:
1) They genuinely want to know, perhaps for themselves or someone they love.
2) They really don't know what else to say.
3) They're actually a little uncomfortable with your success, and are hoping you're so miserable you can't possibly stick with the program.

Generally, I've found it's best to keep the answer short and sweet. Mine goes something like this:

"I've changed my lifestyle to incorporate five basic changes:

1) I make exercise a daily priority.
2) I eat a nutritious breakfast every morning.
3) I eat moderate portions to satisfy hunger.
4) I stop eating by 7 p.m. when I'm at home, or at least two hours before bedtime when I'm traveling.
5) I drink at least eight glasses of water every day."

So far, my HYC blogger friends, this plan has resulted in the loss of two more pounds this week (even though my aerobic exercise was limited to pushing the baby stroller two miles a day!) for a total of
42 pounds and 37 inches since January 15.

Today, I'm DOIN' THE DANCE!

Evangelists and Ambassadors

As a young mother, I homeschooled my son - an only child - as well as six other preschoolers. When the other children grew into kindergarten age, they left and were replaced by new preschoolers; however, we continued to homeschool Wayne until the sixth grade.

As teaching parents, one of the first lessons we learned was how much a child's behavior is influenced by the early training he receives at home. We found that most parents innocently waited too late to begin disciplining their precious ones - thinking that "until they can understand words," the process is premature.

Can I brag for a minute? Having had our 14-month old grandson in the house all week for his first stay-alone visit, we could tell within the first few hours how well he has already been trained by his parents, Lauren and Wayne. One quiet command, "Hands off, please," and Trey obeys, period. Each time he finishes eating, he makes sounds (not words) similar to the inflection of 'thank you.' When it's to go to sleep, he lies down without a fuss. Every time.

My housekeeper was truly amazed, saying, "I can't wait to tell my daughter about this. She's been hesitant to have children because the only ones she's ever been around are curtain climbers."

How spectacular will it be when we see a generation of children who are not obese, but are genuinely healthy because parents and educators cooperate to train young children to prefer wholesome foods over fast food, and who prefer to be active over sitting around watching television?!

We who were once couch potato converts are now evangelists for active lifestyles, ambassadors for healthy living. Who is watching you?

Heavy Responsibility

Shhh! Don't tell Trey's parents, but my back is really complaining this morning.

When my mother stopped in for a visit yesterday, she picked up Trey and asked, "How much does this child weigh? He's heavier than a sack of potatoes!"

With that, DH received the child into his arms and headed to the scale, just to find out. We were not surprised: 27 pounds.

This week of caring for Trey - bending over to let him hold my finger, picking him up to play, lowering his sleeping body into the Pack-n-Play, putting him into and taking him out of the car seat, carrying him into stores - has been a terrific reminder exactly how much weight 40 pounds is...13 pounds more than I've been hauling around this week! In other words, a Trey-and-a-half. WHEW!

What physical reminders do you have how much weight you've lost?

Totally, Consciously In Charge

When 14-month old Trey heard the garage door open late yesterday afternoon, I wondered if he would be disappointed to learn it was Poppy instead of Daddy and Mommy, who have been away at a convention for three days - and not due back until late tomorrow night.

Au contraire! Squealing with delight, Trey jumped up and found comfort in his grandfather's arms for as long as he wanted. I'm not sure who was more content!

Learning to be content in new or unfamiliar environments is important for us who are developing new lifestyles. Exchanging self-defeating behavior with self-affirming habits makes dramatic changes in our weight, our health, our relationships and our lives.

To achieve permanent weight loss, however, Dr. Phil says we have to be totally, consciously in charge of ourselves and everything we do, think and feel. That's a pretty tall order for those of us who have lived unconsciously long enough and consistently enough to gain back the weight we once lost.

Caring for Trey while his parents are gone has been a good reminder how to care for myself: stay present, be in "the now," engineer the environment for desired outcomes, choose healthy foods and get enough exercise to make sleep come easy.

Quotes from The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom

A Healthy LIfestyle Loves Company

Before I quit smoking in 2000, it was uncomfortable to be around friends who had quit. Truthfully, they probably didn't like being around me as much anymore, either.

Dr. Phil says if we hope to keep our weight off, we have to live the motto that "a healthy lifestyle loves company." My company this week is my 14-month old grandson - a precious example of a healthy lifestyle. Hats off to all you moms who are still chasing youngsters! But, wow! It's SO much more fun when I'm not out of breath every few minutes.

As we transform our lives (which is a lot different than "going on a diet"), there is a noticeable difference in how we engage the world. We have changed our momentum to create a life of energy, meaning and purpose - according to Dr. Phil.

"There really are no limits to what we can now achieve, nothing to push us down, because we look better, and live better," he says. "Continue to press on with an optimistic spirit."

Have a great week, everybody, and thanks for all your comments yesterday. I was overwhelmed!

Quotes from The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom

Home Again

Saturday was my last day to travel in other parts of Arkansas. Highlights included the stunning views from the Lodge at Mount Magazine, Arkansas's highest mountain, rising dramatically over 2,700 feet above the broad valleys of the Petit Jean River to the south and the Arkansas River to its north.

At the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute on Petit Jean Mountain, we viewed the new President's Lodge accommodations and drooled at the opportunity to "get away from it all" in such a serene environment, where the biggest attraction is the lack of distraction. On the other hand, the facility is equipped with a broad range of outdoor and fitness activitiesthat once would have been off my radar completely, but which now look rather enticing!

Before I headed home, we visited Subiaco Monastery and Academy, where a group of Benedictine monks has lived for 130 years.

When I got home late Saturday afternoon, menacing weather made working on the computer an unwise choice. The good news is that by making healthy food choices and keeping exercise a priority, I still lost weight while I was on the road! BLING!

For Mother's Day, I got up before sun-up to practice the solo cello pieces I was scheduled to perform at my mother's church later in the morning. Following the service, DH and I joined mom and her husband for lunch. After a healthy meal, I spent the the rest of the day at their home, helping them plan a September driving vacation from San Francisco up the Pacific Coast Highway to Vancouver.

Back home with only enough time for a 30-minute walk around the neighborhood, I joined DH for supper out...after which, I crashed on the couch by 9 p.m. and slept until 9 a.m. this morning!

Tonight, my son and his wife arrive to spend the night and to drop off my 14-month old grandson for his first "stay-alone" visit while the parents - both new college graduates this week - attend a convention in Las Vegas. From now until Sunday, I'll be blogging on the fly!

To all my fellow HYC bloggers, my apologies for lack of comments last week. The schedule was grueling. I'll do my best to catch up this week while the baby is napping!

How Tweet!

Who would have dreamed how much I am enjoying the newly found freedom of exploring outdoors, now that I'm carrying around 38 fewer pounds?! On the phone yesterday, my mom reminded me how she hiked the Grand Canyon and rafted the Colorado River when she was
my age.

Yesterday's soft adventure included a birding expedition at Lorance Creek Natural Area, a deep swamp area that spreads out on both sides of Lorance Creek, just outside Little Rock, Ark. The entire system - owned by Nature Conservancy and the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission - is a diverse mosaic of open water, bald cypress-water tupelo trees, beaver ponds and sandy washes overlain with swamp blackgum. All the features are interconnected by a complex system of streams and seeps which support a rich aquatic flora.

Walking the half-mile boardwalk with Allan Mueller, alias "Professional Ivory-Billed Woodpecker Searcher," we listened to a chorus of birds singing their springtime arias. Overhead, a lush canopy of foliage whispered a welcome as we wandered through the swamp-inspired symphony.

For these new experiences, I am truly grateful. For others yet to come, I am eager...especially those that may include a new bicycle!

What new freedoms are you enjoying as a result of your increasing fitness level?

The Payoff

Ask anybody: Would Rebecca choose outdoor adventure as a press tour activity? Until yesterday, the answer would have been a resounding NO!

Instead, in the elevator on my way down to the hotel fitness center yesterday, one of the journalists rolled his eyes at me, saying, "Oh, you're one of THOSE people!"

And at dinner last night, while discussing MY HIKE at Pinnacle Mountain, somebody else commented, "Oh, Rebecca, I'm sorry you got stuck doing THAT sort of stuff. Was it boring?"

On the contrary! For the first time in my LIFE, I was eager to EXPLORE! Except for a few pesky gnats, I was thrilled to be thinking about something other than whether I could make it back up the mountain after I had hiked to the base. I actually felt strong and confident I can do more of this sort of thing from now on.

NOW I can say, "I have been to the mountaintop, and I have seen the light!"

Now, if I could just win that bike...

Having a Ball on Saturday

Weekends are for weddings...at least for me! Yesterday, I married a couple at the end of a windy pier at Butler Manor Bed & Breakfast.

This afternoon, our quartet will play for a wedding in the Anthony Chapel of Garvan Woodland Gardens.

Before I go to the wedding, I'm headed to the gym for an extended workout - which, beginning today, will include exercises specifically geared to improve my (novice) golf skills.

Today, I'll incorporate the Russian Twist on a Swiss Ball
• Lie on ball, with shoulder blades on ball and hips pushed up high off ground.
• Place hands together, as in the photo (or hold a single dumbbell when you advance in Swiss ball workouts).
• Keeping your hips up, turn your shoulders to the right so they are perpendicular to the ground.
• Twist back to the starting position, then twist to the other side.
• Do 10 twists to each side for a couple of sets.

Benefits to the Golf Swing include:
• Improved rotational strength and speed.
• Strengthened and better-protected spine
• Utilization of arms and core as one, similar to a golf swing.

After doing this exercise for just a short period of time, I should notice an increased ability to make a full and tension-free backswing as well as more power coming into impact during the downswing.

Actually, during that first position, I'll probably be praying, "Dear God, please don't let me make a fool out of myself by rolling off this ball. Besides, I've gotta play my cello this afternoon and can't afford to hurt my shoulder, okay?"

Green Initiatives

One of the advantages of living in Hot Springs, Ark., is being only 15 minutes away from Hot Springs Village, home to nine beautiful golf courses. What's even better is that property owners can play a round on several of the state's top 10 courses for less than $25 (including cart), plus monthly association dues of $37.

As part of my commitment to become more active this year, I agreed to learn to play golf - as long as my DH agreed to pay for a series of lessons from a professional golfer so that I could learn the fundamentals the right way the first time. DH agreed, and set me up with Steve Wheelis, a golf pro who lives in the Village.



I had my first lesson yesterday as an introduction to grip; alignment; set-up, ball position and athletic posture; and swing plane. WOW, was it ever fun! I may be hooked!

Golf may not burn as many calories as the treadmill, but it's a great way to spend time outdoors between workouts. Stay tuned for updates!

Inspiration: Our Gym Hero, Part II

A few days ago, I mentioned an interview with David Elmore, a Marine veteran wounded in Vietnam, who inspires many of us to work out, even when we don't feel like it.

I finally wrote the story yesterday for publication in the May issue of a local magazine. You can read it now by clicking here.

***In other news, it's weigh-in day for 2008 Healthy You Challenge participants. I am happy to report that after having lost only one pound each of the past two weeks, I dropped FIVE pounds and an additional 1.75 inches this week - bringing the totals since January 15 to 32 pounds and 28 inches lost.

Do I have an explanation? Not really. Calorie count still averaged right at 1300 a day, but I was able to put in more strength training this week, once I got off the road and back into my home gym.

A special thanks (which takes a few seconds to load) to everybody who encouraged me during the "slow weeks."

Reporting to you live from Happy Dance Hall...

Louisiana Culinary Tour - Day 4

First of all, you HYC gals are awesome! All through the day, your comments show up on my Blackberry email. And although I can't reply to let you know how much I appreciate your thoughtfulness at the time, I want you to know how grateful I am for such amazing encouragement.

Now, to the food. Breakfast at Hub City Diner in Lafayette, La. concluded with this plateful of aromatic comfort food. For appetizers, owner Jason Redmon prepared sweet potato biscuits, blueberry muffins and sweet potato pancakes - all accompanied by butter and syrup. (I ordered oatmeal.)

By lunchtime, we were on Avery Island, home of McIlhenny Co. and TABASCO brands, to attend a press conference to unveil the official Louisiana Culinary Trails Guide and to announce the new website.
The McIlhenny family treated us to this fabulous meal of fried shrimp, crawfish etouffe over rice, green beans and bread pudding. I ate two shrimp, all the crawfish - minus the rice and "sauce" - plus the green beans.

Our evening's exquisite wine dinner at Vic's Chop House in Baton Rouge was jointly sponsored by the restaurant and TABASCO chef Jason Gronlund, and was hosted by the Southern Breeze Wine and Culinary Festival - which we will attend tomorrow.

The five-course meal - each of which was paired with Australian Heath Wines - started with Duck Confit En Croute: tender duck with caramelized shallots, gouda and dill havarti cheese wrapped in puff pastry, served with pepper jelly. The soup course was a Deconstructed Oyster Rockafella Soup, consisting of tender baby spinach nested in a creamy broth, topped with crispy Louisiana oysters and crispy leeks with a dash of TABASCO habanera Pepper Sauce.

Our salad was Parma Chopped Shrimp Salad Cannoli-Style: mixed chopped greens in a light anchovy dressing with La. shrimp served in an aged Grana Pardano cannoli shell with a dash of TABASCO Green Pepper Sauce. (pictured above)

The entree was East-West Surf & Turf: miso-braised pork shank served with lobster eggroll, braised napa cabbage and fuikake mashed potatoes.

Finally, the dessert was a Brule Fruit Kabob with Greek mojito dipping yogurt accompanied by a spiced sangria martini.

I thoroughly enjoyed a bite of duck, a bite of soup, all the salad and about three ounces of pork shank and cabbage. Taking pictures and talking to the chef worked just as I had hoped it would to take the foucs off the fact I wasn't eating complete portions.

By day's end, the total calorie count was once again just under 1200. And the afternoon schedule was loose enough to squeeze in 35 minutes on the hotel's treadmill.

Another day, on the road, on plan. YESSS!

The Three B's

Some of the foods I let pass me by today were boudin (pronounced BOO-dan), backlava and bread pudding.

Some of foods I enjoyed were boiled shrimp, grilled tilapia and ahi tuna. I did try one fried jalapeno pepper stuffed with shrimp, crabmeat and Parmesan cheese. YUM!

Take a look at this pile of fresh cracklins our group sampled today with boudin from Billy's Boudin in Opelousas, Louisiana. (Click on the picture for a full-size idea of the fat content in each tasty morsel!) Most of the writers loved the local culinary specialties, which they had never tasted before.

Every place we visited, we met warm, friendly people who prepared lavish spreads of rich, Cajun food for us to enjoy.

At breakfast, I was fortunate to be able to order oatmeal and fruit; and our hosts had apples in the van for snacks this afternoon. At both lunch and dinner, the chefs were kind enough to prepare my entrees without cream sauces or butter, and to substitute fresh vegetables for starches.

Because I had eaten enough at each meal to feel totally satisfied, can you imagine my shock tonight when I saw the total number of calories I consumed today hovering just under 1200??! I almost passed out.

And even though I didn't get to do any cardio, we did walk over two miles today.

All in all, another good on-plan day on the road. Wahooooo!!

Saved by the Crawfish!

Greetings from Lafayette, LA!

Decent weather, a comfortable flight schedule and good crews made for pleasant travel yesterday. I navigated the airports with a meal replacement bar for breakfast and lunch, plus a large apple for a 3 p.m. snack.

By dinner last night, I was hungry - but not desperate - to eat. Perhaps the anticipation of getting to eat my first boiled crawfish of the season fueled the appetite. Nonetheless, I had already researched the nutrition info for the spicey protein bites, and was pleased to learn I could pinch three ounces of tails before I logged 70 calories. That, plus a green salad with lo-fat dressing was great!

Whatever I did eat, I definitely worked off on Randol's dance floor (click that link for MUSIC!)and on the treadmill back at the hotel!

Do You Compensate for Cardio?

Fitness expert Craig Ballantyne admits cardio exercise is perplexing. In theory, it should work the same for everyone, he says. But it doesn't. Some people do cardio six hours, nine hours, or more per week, and still have belly fat to burn. It works just fine for others.

To get some insight into the reason for this, British researchers studied 35 overweight men and women who weren't previously exercising. Subjects did cardio five times per week for 12 weeks. On average, they lost a respectable 8.2 pounds. However, the variance between individuals was huge. One of the 35 subjects lost a staggering 32.3 pounds, while one actually gained 3.74 pounds. The scientists think they know why.

They classified the subjects into two groups: those who lost the least amount of weight (the "Compensators") and those who lost the most (the "Non-Compensators"). Turns out the cardio exercise made the Compensators hungry. As a result, they wound up consuming more than 250 extra calories per day... all but wiping out their weight-loss efforts. The Non-Compensators, though, did not experience an increase in their appetites (and therefore, did not compensate for hunger by eating more).

If your cardio program is not working for you, Ballantyne suggests you check your post-exercise appetite level and calorie intake to see if you are a "Compensator." If you are, you might be better off with a program of high-intensity resistance and interval training.

(Craig Ballantyne is the creator of the Turbulence Training for Fat Loss system. For a free online source of information, motivation, and social support to help you improve your health, lose weight, and get fit, sign up for Early to Rise's free natural health e-letter.)

***Ding, ding, ding! HYC Tuesday check-in: All things considered, it was a good week. I did figure out one day last week I had miscalculated my inches lost. It WAS 22.7 (not 24.75); now, 24. Average daily calorie consumption was 1268. Still, I lost only one pound (What’s up with THAT?!), bringing my total weight loss since Jan 15 to 26 pounds.

Because I ate right and exercised six days, I’m choosing to believe that as I’m losing fat, I’m also building muscle, which weighs more; consequently, the apparent “mediocre” loss this week.

The good news is I’m still two weeks ahead of schedule toward my goal weight planned for August 12.

Run, Ready Maid, Run!

A couple of weeks ago, a few well-meaning folks who knew of my upcoming media trip to Brenham, Texas, said, "You're gonna hafta eat; so, you might as well prepare yourself.
Setbacks are inevitable."

Ummm, maybe not. In the first place, if I were to actually believe that, the entire universe would go to work
to create setbacks for me. Period.

Secondly, I believe that knowing ahead of time when you're going to be in challenging situations creates an opportunity to PREPARE and STRATEGIZE. To do otherwise is to digress into rationalizing irrational behavior, making food our "sweet poison," as Dr. Phil says. "This sort of payoff system, in which you reward yourself with food or overeating, is irrational, counterproductive and cannot be a plus in any sense of the word," he continues. "It undoes any good you've done to yourself and shifts into reverse any progress you've made toward your weight-loss goal. Stop justifying your behavior in that manner." That makes sense.

With that in mind, I'm writing this post in preparation for next week's media trip to south Louisiana to explore the state's new Culinary Trails program. (Deep breath.) "We will greet you at the airport with jalapeno sausage bread and follow that with boudin to hold you over until our late lunch at 1:30," the itinerary begins. (One peep at those nutrition labels will curb your appetite in a heartbeat!)

Here's how I will stay on-plan while I'm gone:
* Continue aerobic exercise by Cajun dancing at Randol's, using the treadmill in the hotel gyms and walking the B&B grounds.
* Continue strength training, using the ProGym I will pack in my suitcase.
* Order substitutes for high-fat, high-calorie items, when possible.
* Pack protein bars and purchase fruit to keep in my hotel room.
* Take my camera and notepad to every meal, so that when set menus dictate off-plan choices, I can spend time taking pictures (of uneaten food) and interviewing the chef. By the time I actually start eating, everybody else will be nearly finished - giving me an opportunity to "taste" food without being too obvious that I am not consuming full portions.
* Smile, smile, smile. Getting fit is a privilege, not a punishment.
My intent is to make no one who is aware of my goals feel that I am being deprived of anything.
* Blog each night I'm on the road. You folks are a tremendous support system for which I am most grateful.

Quotes from The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom