My Golden Gatsby!!

Health

Many of you may have wondered why I named my golden retriever Gatsby. After all, it’s not very traditional, but it suits him perfectly. As a high school teacher my all-time favorite novel to teach was The Great Gatsby, which truly illustrates the American dream, particularly the symbolic green light at the end of Daisy’s dock.

Health & Wellness: Beyond Diet and Exercise

Health Tips

You would be surprised (or maybe you wouldn’t) to know the amount of people who feel that the words “health” and “wellness” are synonymous with “diet” and “exercise.” Mention the words health and wellness to someone and watch their body language change, look for the eye-roll, and expect the conversation to change pretty quickly. Call me weird, but I love health and wellness because it is so much more than changing your eating habits and developing an exercise routine.

Reflections from My European Adventure

Health Tips

As many of you know I just returned home from a fabulous holiday. I hope you all enjoyed my travel posts from England and Italy. I’ve been doing some reflection and I thought I would share a few life lessons I learned along the way.

Unplugged: Disconnecting and Connecting in 3 Easy Steps

Health

Recently, a friend of mine was packing for a trip. Along with the usual necessities of clothing, shoes, and toiletries, she also had her carry-on bag. In her bag was her laptop, Kindle, iPod, tablet, and cell phone. Of course that also meant 3 different chargers and 2 sets of ear-buds. She was going to be gone for two weeks.

Stay Slim on Your Summer Vacation

Health, Health Tips

Summer is in full swing and the month of August is prime vacation time. If you’re getting ready to hit the road, you may be wondering how to keep your figure in check on your travels. I’m about to embark on a fun European adventure, but I’m still committed to keeping up with my lifestyle and you can too.

Past Its Expiration Date!!!

Health

As all of my family and friends will attest, I absolutely love my birthday!! As a child it revolved around presents and being the center of attention (ok that hasn’t exactly changed), but as I’ve gotten wiser I’ve discovered that each new year brings with it an exciting opportunity for new beginnings and adventures. During this season, I enjoy taking stock of my life and clearing out all of “my junk.”

The Food Diary: An Ultimate Weight Loss Tool

Nutrition

Keeping a Food Diary can be a great tool for achieving lasting weight loss. Countless studies have shown that a food diary encourages you to eat fewer calories and make healthier choices because it increases your awareness of what, how much, and why you’re eating. Food diaries also help identify the areas where you can seamlessly make changes to lose weight.

How to Flip the Switch When the Blues Hit

Health

This past week I’ve felt extremely dispirited. My beloved Gatsby, who has been in-and-out of the vet this past month, had surgery. I’ve also been dealing with some personal struggles and it all overwhelmed me.

How to Cope with “Diet Sabotagers”?

Health Tips

Choosing to embark on a new path toward optimal wellness takes a lot of dedication, hard work and breaking some of your old habits. But how do you cope when your friends, family and colleagues begin to sabotage your new lifestyle?