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December 19, 2024

Easy Holiday Baking and Cooking Substitutes

Holiday meals are about bringing people together, but when some guests have food sensitivities or allergies, it can feel like a challenge to make ever

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Christmas, Food, Health
December 12, 2024

Doorstep Dining Done Right

‘Tis the season of parties, buffets, Christmas cookies and oodles of joyful gatherings that include delicious, even healthy, food. At the same time,

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Christmas, Food, Health
December 5, 2024

Post-Thanksgiving Mini Reset

Thanksgiving may have left you feeling a little too much like the stuffed turkey centerpiece. If you’re ready to shake off the sluggishness before m

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Christmas, Food, Fun, Health
November 28, 2024

Savor, Stroll, and Stay Thankful

Thanksgiving. A time to enjoy the company of loved ones, share stories, and of course, indulge in delicious food. Here’s a tip to help you savor

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Family, Food, Fun, Health
November 19, 2024

Gobble Up These Thanksgiving Preparation Tips

Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude, gathering, and indulging in an amazing feast. However, hosting can sometimes feel more like a marathon than a ce

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Food
November 14, 2024

Mediterranean Feel-Good Soups for Fall

As we transition from fall into the holidays, staying mindful of our health goals can help us enjoy the season without feeling run down or overwhelmed

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Food, Health
November 7, 2024

Healthy Eating FAQs and Answers

Before I get into this week’s topic, I must first retract a statement that I made last week about Mr. Non-Compliant. I stand corrected, as he did NO

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Food, Health
October 31, 2024

Mr. Non-Compliant’s Birthday Fest

This week Mr. Non-Compliant (aka my dear hubby) celebrated a birthday. He flaunted his morning non-compliance by leaving the EMPTY cinnamon roll box o

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Family, Food, Fun, Health
October 24, 2024

Not a Vegetable Fan? Read This

It’s not just kids that wrinkle their nose at a plate of green stuff. Lots of fully-grown adults feel the same—inclined to hide their Brussels spr

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Food, Health
October 17, 2024

How Safe is Your Cinnamon?

I’m a huge cinnamon fan. I shake it in my coffee, smoothies, muffins, stewed apples, and of course, pumpkin pie. Years ago I mixed it with a little

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Food, Health

Birthday, Birth Month, Birth Year

February 7, 2019
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Family, Fun, Health, Love

Yes, friends, it is that time again. Another birthday is heading straight my way, and it’s a pretty big one. The BIG SIX-O.

It is my official duty to announce that I am now in full swing celebration of the BIRTH YEAR. For those of you who are new blog followers, a quick bit of history to get you up to speed.

For over a decade, it has been customary for me to celebrate the BIRTH MONTH. It has worked really well for me, except that February is always the shortest month. Even on a leap year.

In order to compensate, I have been celebrating 30 days before AND after my actual birth date, so as not to miss out on any fun—lunches with friends, presents, cake (gluten free) and ice cream, surprises, etc.     

I have decided that since I am blessed enough to still be here on this great planet earth, I’m going for the yearlong party.

I encourage you to join me, no matter where you are in the birthday cycle. Begin celebrating with me TODAY!

Are you living the life you daydream of? Do you have some awesome friends, family members, or a dog, that you enjoy time with on a regular basis?

Or are you living a life of “shoulds” and “somedays?”

My husband (Mr. Non-Compliant) and I are consciously choosing to do those activities we truly enjoy. And no, we are not retiring, at least not today.

He goes to his office and takes the dog. Some days the dog gets to stay with me. I roast far too many green beans for dinner, and he sneaks a HUGE bag of M&M’s home from the hardware store.

He likes chocolate syrup on his ice cream and I like mine plain. Some evenings we work late in our separate home offices and send each other emails. He’s taking a business class and I’m taking a few cooking classes.  

And sometimes we leave town on holiday.

The point is that everyday is an amazing gift. If you’re not playing the life game full out, it’s not too late to start.

SO, what will you do today to celebrate YOU?

Some ideas, if you need help:

*Get quiet and be still for 5 minutes (also known as meditating)

*Sing as loud as you can in the car and maybe roll down your window

*Make a lunch date with someone you’ve been meaning to and haven’t

*Sign up for a class or workshop that makes you happy

*Plan your next day off and do something that feels adventurous

If we don’t consciously live our lives, someone else will gladly do it for us.

Thanks for reading and allowing me to be part of your day.

Cheers to you,
Carol

“God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.”–Voltaire

High Fructose Corn Syrup

January 31, 2019
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Food, Health

The other day I was searching for ketchup without high fructose corn syrup, also known as HFCS. I bet I spent at least 10 minutes reading labels until I found one that was acceptable.

Why is this a big deal? Is HFCS any worse than cane sugar? Short answer: YES. It is sweeter and cheaper than regular sugar and is in every processed food and sugar-sweetened drink.

While all added sugar is a negative when it comes to health, HFCS promotes more adverse health conditions than regular sugar. The main reason: it is “hiding” in so many foods that it sneaks up on us.

In recent history, we’ve gone from 20 teaspoons of sugar per person per year to about 150 pounds of sugar per person per year.  That’s a half pound a day for every man, woman, and child in America.  

When you eat sugar in those doses, it becomes a toxin.

High fructose corn syrup contributes to: weight gain, cancer, fatty liver and liver stress, increased cholesterol levels, diabetes, high blood pressure, leaky gut, heart disease, and increased mercury intake.

HFCS is in a long list of food items. In fact, take a look at what’s in your kitchen. Go on, I’ll wait. Read a few labels. Check your ketchup, cereal, soda, bread, crackers, candy, juices, sweetened yogurt, frozen junk food, other condiments, granola bars, jams and jellies, powdered creamers, and salad dressings.

GASP! I know; shocking, isn’t it?

Items that you may believe to be healthy are loaded with sugar in the form of HFCS. Sneaky.

Foods containing HFCS are of poor quality and are highly processed—not REAL food.

Sugar is not healthy either, however we tend to be more aware that we are eating it. When I bake Mr. Non-Compliant his favorite cookies, I know exactly how much of everything is in them—including the sugar.

High quality homemade cookies that taste amazing sure beat a “healthy” (NOT) granola bar with HFCS.

Kicking HFCS (and artificial sweeteners) out of your life is a huge step on the road to improving every aspect of your health. It’s also the toughest, since sugar is as addictive as cocaine.

Today, take note of how many foods you eat that contain HFCS. Practice cutting back and eventually  eliminating those foods.

When you stop consuming high fructose corn syrup, you also eliminate many chemicals that have no business being part of your diet. Your body will thank you in surprising ways.

Need help getting your body back on the health track? If beginning this process is stressing you out, and you are sick and tired of being stuck, I’m here to help you move in the right direction. Let me know and we’ll create a plan for your most awesome life.

To your health,
Carol

“Take care of yourself as if you’re the most awesome person you’ve ever met.”
― Jen Sincero, “You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life”

No Excuses

January 24, 2019
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Health

You’ve made your plan to get to the gym. It’s important for many reasons.

Oh, but it’s been a long day and you remember that you need to run to the store and pick up a few items for dinner.

You pick up those items, look at the time, and think to yourself, “I don’t I have time to get to the gym today. By the time I get home, make dinner, eat, do the dishes, I’m done.”

You set your alarm so that you can get up early and get to the gym in the morning. That will work better, or so you think.

Not so much, when you hit snooze three times. Going now will make you late for everything all day. 

You plan to take a walk later. The weather doesn’t cooperate, so you bail on that idea.

Tomorrow is not much better. You have plans and no “free” time.

The weekend rolls around. Who wants to work out on the weekend when weekends are made for fun?

And so it goes.

You have spent how many hours and situations justifying why you simply cannot exercise? You’re tired, cranky, and have the “I haven’t been to the gym in a month” guilt.

Let me say this: You will expend much less energy and thinking by getting your workouts in. You will feel better mentally, physically, emotionally, and you may even have some fun.

A few tips for getting yourself moving and avoiding guilt:

*Stop making excuses. You have the time. It is not your priority, so you don’t do it.

*You’re tired because you have lots going on. Your brain could use a rest and physical movement is a wonderful diversion.

*Showing up at the gym or on the walking trail gives you the gumption to show up powerfully in other areas of your life. You’re overcoming self-sabotage, which is not always easy.

*Do things you enjoy. When you have fun moving, you’ll look forward to your workouts.

*Make it convenient. If you like to exercise at home, that’s great. However, it’s also easy to skip because other tasks pull at you. Be creative and figure out what works.

*The benefits of moving far outweigh the stories you tell yourself in order to avoid doing so.  

*If you have a spouse, consider doing something together: dancing lessons, yoga, walking.

*Be accountable to someone. Having friends at the gym make getting there a whole lot easier and fun.

If figuring out a plan seems like mission impossible, let me know. I love a challenge.

To your health,
Carol

“Think of your workouts as important meetings you’ve scheduled with yourself. Bosses don’t cancel.”

Now is Your Time

January 17, 2019
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Health, Personal Development

Are you waiting for the perfect time to deal with your nutrition, fitness, and health?

If so, when is that time?

Next week? Once you have a break in your busy schedule? When you clean out the pantry and buy some vegetables?

The truth is that there is no perfect time. Whether it’s starting a fitness routine, getting that dream job, learning a foreign language, or writing the book, the time to begin is today.

When we plan to eat smarter “someday,” or get to the gym when we “have time,” we end up doing nothing. Procrastination keeps us safe. If we do nothing, we don’t mess up.

Today, take a step. Do one small thing that moves you forward. If it isn’t the “perfect” time or seems insignificant, do it anyway.

Do the next right thing. It’s okay if you do it “badly.”    

Choose water over the soda. Park further away from your destination and walk at a rapid pace. Eat some protein for breakfast instead of only having coffee. Add an extra vegetable to your dinner.

Do one thing and build upon that. Do the best you can today, for tomorrow is not promised. Now is your time.

We sometimes look at others and think they have it all together. They have more time, more motivation, more talent.

YOU have it all together. Seize the day, seize the moment, and make your move.

If you have a feeling of overwhelm and aren’t sure where to begin, let me know. Overwhelm is a state of mind that we may choose to override by setting priorities. Sit quietly, close your eyes, and take some deep breaths for a couple minutes.

Now is your time.

Cheers to you,
Carol

 “If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.”—Lao Tzu

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