Mythology (for the fun of it)

Here are some remarks and wise-cracks about food and nutrition that we can only wish were true:

• If cookies break into several pieces, all the calories leak out. 
• Celery gives you negative calories:  it take more calories to chew it than you get out of it.
• Ice cream has fewer calories if you eat it right out of the carton - it all counts as one scoop.
• The secret to staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age. (Lucille Ball) 
• Chocolate is the ultimate brown vegetable.
• Dessert doesn't have any calories when you sample it off someone else's plate. 
• The four food groups are dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, and hot chocolate.

Kids Eat Right

++  Have you noticed the "Kids Eat Right" page at the top of this blog?  The American Dietetics Association Foundation has launched a new initiative to promote healthier family meals.  A full copy of one of their features is below.  A weekly sample of their suggestions is on my KER page.   article of the week

Did you know that your child can fight obesity by getting enough shut-eye? http://bit.ly/frLUYn

hot tip

Did you know avocados are fruit that have unheralded benefits? http://bit.ly/hkgrCT

recipe of the week

Try this red beans and rice dish for an easy, one-pot version of the famous New Orleans dish. http://bit.ly/fh8e34

featured video

Salt is necessary for your body, but some people may consume too much. Here are some tips on how to cut back. http://bit.ly/gk7V0z

Kudos to Kids Eat Right Campaign!

Are You Still Resolved?

Here it is, partway into February.  Holiday trappings are long since packed away.  We're back to a more normal routine.  And, in my part of the country, we're busy shoveling snow.  Now that the first flush of enthusiasm for New Year's Resolutions is fading, it's getting harder to stick with it for some people.  Are you one of them?

Experts say that it takes 2-3 weeks to get used to a new habit and 6-8 months for it to become automatic.  Now that we've had time to try our resolutions on for size, some of us are finding that they don't really fit very well.  Mostly, they're too big!  "lose 20 pounds" is big - and vague.  Instead, break it into chunks that will lead to the loss - or to whatever goal you set.  Write down the steps - they will be easier to remember, plus you can post the list where you run into it all the time.  Sometimes, "sub-steps" are also helpful.

Continuing the weight-loss theme (a common one this time of year), here is an example:
In Jan., I will increase my exercise level 10% by doing stretches and walking for my whole coffee break one afternoon/week.
In Feb., I will add another 5% by taking the stairs for one floor (getting off the elevator early).  I will also pack a snack for break one day/week - something better for me than a donut (saves money, too).
In March, I will continue these good habits, and try to get a friend to walk with me for one of my morning breaks.
And so on - you are adding one new thing at a time and/or increasing by a few percent at a time instead of all at once.  This is much easier for many people than to do it all at once and still stay the course.
Try it - you know you can do it. You'll be proud of yourself for sticking with it.