It’s that wonderful time of year when we all sit back with a smile at the return of green grass, flowering trees and birds chirping and we seem to have a little more “oomph” in our step. That is, until we start to see the swimsuits, shorts and summer clothing popping up in the stores.

For many, the thought of standing in a bathing suit in front of a full-length mirror sends shivers down the spine.

I always think of springtime as a wake-up call for the healthy mind-set. Like many warm-blooded mammals, you’ve taken comfort behind your big warm sweaters and jackets for the last several months. What you didn’t think about was that by indulging in your favorite cold weather comfort foods, you have stored up some warm layers of your own. Now when you peel away those sweaters — Bam! — you’re waking up on the floor in the dressing room, having fainted at the sight of yourself in a swimsuit.

Good news: It’s early spring and we have a good month before we drag out the swimsuits and tank tops. If you start today — make a plan and stick to it — you can make significant progress by shedding a few pounds, improving your health and feeling a whole lot better as we enter the summer months.

Unfortunately, most of you think that to achieve this, a diet is in your future. Nonsense! I’m going to step on some toes here and say this with my head held high: Dieting is for lazy people who mean well but don’t want to make the effort to learn how to change their unhealthy behaviors.

Until we lose the quick-fix mentality, we will always yo-yo with our weight and have to “diet” every spring for the rest of our lives.

I could list about 100 things you could do to change your lifestyle, eat healthier and burn more calories. What I ask you to do right now is to make this the last spring that you have to be fearful of the smaller-clothing-coverage months ahead.

Do your healthy living homework, educate yourself on what healthy eating really means, and seek out a form of exercise that you enjoy instead of dieting a few pounds away only to gain them back (and then some) next winter.

You have the power to decide, and you have access to a wealth of knowledge via the Internet, magazines, books and local wellness professionals. You have the power to change your mind-set and lifestyle any time you want to. Now all you need to do is take action.

By summer you might just be admiring a healthier, happier and slimmer you in that mirror — one who plans on sticking around for good this time.

If you need help learning what food are healthy and how to make them teasty enough for your whole family to eat then check out… www.grocerytour.com

 Best of Health,

 Darlene

Really sheds some light on the “sabotagers” we come across in the day to day…info we all need to be aware of. Enjoy!

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2008/apr/07/beware-of-sabotage-as-you-dropthe-pounds/

Remember, if you aren’t sure what foods are best and which to stay away from then check out my Healthy Grocery Store Tour. It has everything you needs…healthy eating info, cooking info, exercise plan and much…much…more.

www.healthygrocerystoretour.com

Best of Health,

Darlene

I get many e-mails from frustrated readers asking how on earth they are supposed to fit exercise into their already busy lives. Many explain that gym memberships are not in their budget. Some say they just don’t have the time to dedicate to regular exercise because of work hours or other “more important” life commitments. Others say they can’t find a form of exercise they like or are physically capable of doing regularly, although I’m not sure I buy either of those.

I could tell them to think of solutions — get up earlier, walk at lunch or stop watching so much TV so they can find the time. But most people already know this, yet still can’t seem to get motivated to get up and move more often.

So instead, how about I give you a whole list of fun, new and super-healthy activities that you can do right here in the Tri-State? Now, keep in mind that you need to make a deficit of only 500 calories a day to lose 1 pound each week. So adding a couple of these to your weekly agenda could help you shed some pounds and create new healthy habits at the same time:

Saturday — Run of Luck 7K Run/Walk and Wee Folks Dash. Of all the race events in the Tri-State each year, this one is by far the most family-friendly — and it’s darn fun to boot. Dress up in your best St. Patrick’s Day attire and walk, jog or run your way to better health while supporting the Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center. After the event enjoy all the activities: crafts, Celtic music, a silent auction, food, drinks and the chance to win some awesome prizes.

Pick up a registration form at most local gyms or go to www.runofluck7k.com for all the details.

March 29 — Guided hike at Garden of the Gods. Put your hiking shoes on and join Top Spot Outdoors on a guided hike in Southern Illinois. And believe me, you’ll be having so much fun that you won’t even know you’re burning more than 443 calories per hour. Now, that’s my kind of exercise.

For more information on guided hiking excursions offered by Top Spot, call 476-8677 or go to www.topspotoutdoors.com.

April through November — Canoe Evansville’s Guided Tour of Pigeon Creek. Canoeing burns 258 calories per hour. And the best part is that it’s something that young and old, fit and “working on it” can do, plus it’s very affordable — only $15 for a three-hour quick-start class. Go to www.wesselmannaturesociety.org for class details and more information.

April 19 — Enjoy a beautiful walk (or run) around the Evansville State Hospital grounds to benefit the American Cancer Society. This two-mile run and relay or one-mile walk is sponsored by Colon Screening for Life and is perfect for individuals of any ability and fitness level. They even have a free kids’ dash. This is a great race for beginners, so set a goal to walk a little each day and you’ll be ready for this one in no time.

For more information, go to www.colonscreeningforlife.com.

Ideas for any time:

- Shake your booty and burn more than 332 calories per hour with the Evansville Swing Bop Club at The Icon. Those 21 and older can learn swing dancing for only $2 on specially scheduled evenings. Go to www.dancecrafters.com for more information on all the ballroom dance classes.

- Play catch with your kids and burn 185 calories per hour.

- Get your hands dirty and do yardwork. You’ll burn more than 369 calories per hour.

(All calorie calculations are for a 155-pound person for 60 minutes. To calculate your own calories burned for each activity, go to www.self.com/fitness/activity/calculators.)

Stop thinking that you must force yourself to endure long hours performing torturous exercises that you hate to do. Remember, you’re in this healthy living thing for the long haul, so cut this list out and place it on your fridge as a reminder.

Before you know it, you’ll flip that healthy lifestyle switch and get moving (and burning) your way to a fitter and happier new you.

I have lived in many wonderful cities — Dallas, Santa Monica, Hollywood — but there’s something about good ol’ Evansville you just can’t replace. I have wracked my brain trying to pinpoint what makes my corn-fed friends so much friendlier and why I choose to live here compared with the excitement I used to experience in the bigger cities.

In the end, I always come back to the people. Evansville to me is family. People here are focused on family, friendships and living a “good life” away from the crazy life that the larger cities bring. However, there is something we miss that could impede that quest for a good life.

We are so busy working hard for our families, running here and there trying to raise well-rounded kids, worrying about new stadiums and parks that we are losing sight of the one thing that allows us to enjoy it all — our health.

Indiana has an adult obesity rate of 26.8 percent, ranking it the ninth heaviest in the nation, according to a 2004-2006 study by the Trust for America’s Health. Even scarier is that our childhood obesity rates aren’t much better. Can you say, “Monkey see, monkey do”?

My Evansville-area friends, you simply must give yourself a reality check and ask some hard questions:

-Are you at a healthy weight?

-Are your blood pressure and cholesterol rates within the normal ranges?

-Are you raising your children to make healthy choices? Do they even know what healthy choices are?

If you answered “no” to any of these, you need to take a long hard look at what your future, and your family’s future, will look like if you don’t make some changes.

I don’t say this to scare you, but maybe that’s what you need. It’s what I call “a big fat kick in the pants to healthier choices.” We have this mentality of “oh, it’s only one Big Mac” or “it’s just a Pop-Tart — they are kids, you know.”

Come on — take a look around next time you’re at the mall. I think you’ll realize that those Big Macs and Pop-Tarts are adding up.

We are getting too comfortable in our laid-back Midwestern lifestyle. If we don’t do something, we will continue to climb that national obesity scale, and, folks, Hoosiers are better than that. We are not lazy people, but the numbers are indicating something a little different.

Let’s make some healthy changes together and help Indiana slide down the obesity scale. How? It all starts with choices.

You must choose to change. To help you here are a few great resources:

-I challenge you to go to www.in.gov/inshape/ and take a look at Gov. Mitch Daniels’ In Shape Indiana program. This is a top-notch free resource. Learn how to quit smoking, eat healthy and exercise, regardless of whether you are 8 or 80 years old. There’s also a way for you to e-mail questions to the site’s nutritionists and personal trainers.

-At www.sparkpeople.com you will find healthy living information as well as a support community. You can sign up for daily e-mails and join online support groups in the Evansville area.

-Need healthy recipe information? Look up www.foodfit.com for meal ideas.

-If you still have questions, come by my Web site, www.lifechanginghealthysolutions.com, and submit your questions. I would be honored to help my fellow Hoosiers and to see that No. 9 obesity ranking plummet.

Look - kids get sick, we all have busy schedules, and many of us have health battles (some much more serious than mine). Life’s crud happens! It’s up to you to do everything within your power to create the healthiest battleground possible. Take control by taking action – by exercising and eating healthy. That way, when life places one of those nasty, mystery cream filled bombs in your path you can simply spit it out in the trash and get back on your happy and healthy way!

Well, I may have met my match! I stink at skiing!

That’s right…skiing may just be the stinkin’ hardest thing I have tackled in recent years. I don’t know if it’s the fact that I could break my neck speeding downhill, out of control on two small, narrow strips of fiberglass. Or if it’s the frustration of having 3 year olds waving as they effortlessly pass me on the way down the run. Geeze.

Truth be known I have never been a sports player or all that great at taking instruction when learning something new. (Tennis didn’t go all that well for me either…but I’ll keep trying). However, this annual ski trip is important to me. It’s the one time of year we get to take time off away from the kids and enjoy the company of a couple who we consider to be the best friends ever. So learning to ski is a must.

I could just throw in the towel, give into my fears and say ‘the heck with it’ and stay in the lodge sipping on cocoa. Nah…not my style. Nope, I’m going to keep at it. Actually, this year as I lie, upside down, snow packed into my goggles and skis crossed from a very ungraceful wipeout I couldn’t help but compare it to many of the challenges we face in life.

We want to better our career so we’ll educate ourselves to get a better job. We have a illness then we go to the doctor to get to the bottom of it and treat it so it goes away. It’s really the same with weight loss and working towards a healthier lifestyle.

So many times we expect to just eat a few health meals and exercise when it’s convenient and then get angry and frustrated when we don’t see results. Truth is weight loss is just like skiing. You aren’t just going to jump on and immediately know how what to do. It’s a learning process. YOU WILL FALL DOWN! And you will eat snow from time to time. You may even need lessons on exactly how to eat, exercise and maybe even an istructor to really get you flying downhill with grace and ease.

So, don’t quit and keep on working at all this healthy living stuff. With consistency and persistence YOU WILL conquer this thing. For me, well, I’m definitely going to sign up for lessons next year. I obviously am not a natural and I’m humble enough to admit when I stink at something. But one thing is for sure…they have their work cut out for them. LOL

If weight loss for you is like skiing for me (you stink at it-lol) then get yourself a lesson…check out my Healthy Grocery Store Tour. It could be the thing that allows YOU to speed down the mountain and finally conquer this healthy lifestyle thing once and for all.

Good luck and…break a leg.

Darlene

Instead of spending $50 on the latest game for these zombie-creating machines, I was spending that cash on swim and drum lessons. I just couldn’t see encouraging my child to sit and not move for hours on end.

All of this changed on Christmas. We purchased our first family video game. Hold on a second — don’t get smug thinking I’ve given in to one of society’s unhealthy habits. Let me tell you what kind of video game. We purchased a Wii (pronounced “we”).

Heard of it? If you haven’t, it could be the one thing that gets your kiddos (and you, too) movin’ like never before.

The Nintendo Wii is the video game I have been longing for. No more kids parked in front of TVs for hours on end. With the Wii you have to stand, move, punch, jump and do all sorts of goofy moves in order to beat your opponents.

Can I just tell you how sore I was the day after playing boxing and tennis for the first time? All from a video game!

The Wii is an interactive video game that could be a key player in fighting our nation’s childhood obesity epidemic. Of course, it’s no substitute for good old exercise, but I have to admit that the Wii games are a pretty fun way for adults and children to burn a few extra calories.

The New York Times reports that in a recent British study of six boys and five girls ages 13 to 15, all team athletes who played video games at least two hours a week benefited greatly when moving from a stationary game such as Xbox to the more active Wii.

The study used monitoring devices that measured the children’s energy expenditure at rest and as they did 15-minute sessions with “Project Gotham Racing 3,” a sedentary Xbox game, and the active Wii versions of bowling, tennis and boxing.

At rest, the children burned an average of about 72 calories per hour. Playing the Xbox game increased the average to 107. Wii tennis consumed 179 calories per hour, and Wii boxing 174 — both significant increases over the sedentary Xbox game. But keep in mind that an actual game of doubles tennis in the real world burns about 318 calories per hour, and punching a boxing bag burns 382.

These new virtual exercise machines could be a solution for parents and schools concerned about the inactivity and rising weight of their children and teens. An added benefit: Our family discovered that playing and laughing together was something we just weren’t doing enough of.

I never thought I would be encouraging my friends, family and clients to go out and get a video game, but in this case it could be a way to get a sedentary child moving and to insert a bit of healthy family fun time into our busy lives.

In my book there is no substitute for real exercise and sports, since both improve health and encourage social interaction. But you may consider getting rid of most of your PlayStation and Xbox games, and get yourself a Wii. The technology is only going to get better, and as the companies catch on to the parents’ desire for more interactive games, I think these babies are going to get healthier and healthier. Just you wait and see. Wii love it!

But as we all know, resolutions can also be a not-so-serious attempt at healthy and positive changes (changes that we never really intended on keeping in the first place). Studies have found that 60 percent of people who set a New Year’s goal give up on it within three months. So what does take to be in that ever desirable 40 percent club?Here are some key strategies to make your new habit stick:

Have a positive attitude — By focusing on the “I wills” instead of the “will nots,” you put yourself in the right mental attitude for successful change. If you remind yourself of all the things you shouldn’t do or can’t do, it makes your effort a negative experience, which is not what you want to invite into your life.I recommend that you write a few of your “I wills” on a sticky note and post them on your fridge and car dashboard, in your wallet and on your computer monitor. This keeps the positive change ahead of you at the forefront of your mind and in focus throughout your day. When moments of weakness strike, you will be armed with a clear vision of what you want to accomplish, and that negative thought will be busted before it has a chance to ruin your new, healthy quest.

Gain control through learning — If weight loss is your goal, learn everything you can about healthy eating and exercise. Simply taking a diet pill or jumping on a fad diet is not going to teach you to live a healthier lifestyle or keep that weight off for a lifetime. There are many great online resources available to help educate you on the ins and outs of healthy eating and exercise.www.fitday.com — a free online diet journal and calorie counting tool.

www.foodnetwork.com — go to the healthy eating section for great recipes.

www.eatright.org — American Dietetic Association Web site that has great references and articles.

www.prevention.com — everything you want to know about exercise and healthy living.

www.lifechanginghealthysolutions.com — this is my own site. I have free healthy living information for you there.

Keep your eyes on the prize — It’s one thing to want to lose weight, but don’t make that your entire focus. Also remind yourself that if you lost weight you’d lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes and hypertension. You’d also increase your energy, boost your confidence, feel more attractive and fit easily into your clothes.If your goal is to stop smoking, you can add reducing your risk of lung cancer and heart attack to your list — not to mention that you will no longer have “smoker’s breath” (yuck!), your clothes won’t stink like smoke (you might not be aware of the smell the smoke in your clothes, but everyone around you notices — trust me) and you’ll save money by not having to buy cigarettes anymore.

Now, that’s what I call a life-changing prize.

When I had Spencer in 1999 (my now 8 years old) I developed a strange “rash” but due to the fact I was nursing no one could treat me. I dealt with the pain and itch and it eventually went away. Since then I have developed the same “rash” each and every year, mainly in the winter.

Last year was probably the worst bout and I was forced to see 4 different doctors, each telling me it was some sort of strange case of hives and I was treated with Steroids and Allergy meds. Funny that none of them tried to help me figure out where it was coming from but rather just treated my symptoms, like a band-aid really (but I’m not bitter).

It lasted for over 2 months last year and I have to say was the absolute worst thing I have EVER dealt with or experienced. Even having 2 babies without so much as a Tylenol was NOTHING compared to this! Last time we thought we had made a connection to my hormones and after going on a particular birth control that took away most of my periods it seemed to go away. Guess that was coincidence.

Well, like clock work, the hives have returned…with a vengeance. This time the pain and itch are ten fold. I just really don’t think I can put into words how difficult it is for a “healthy” person to struggle with doing even the smallest, most mundane job, like doing the laundry or grabbing the milk at the grocery store. I’m the do all person, the daily exerciser, the never sits her butt down type of gal. I literally spend most of my time lying flat on a Lazyboy chair covered with bags of frozen peas (don’t laugh, they work). The cooling pea packs are like a savior from the fire that brews under the skin surface, the hot, red, swarming effect that these histamines carry are just excruciating and at times relentless. At the moment the hives have grown to cover all of my stomach, from hip to hip and breast line to bikini line and now have started on my back. It’s crazy really and let me say not so attractive. LOL

The only breakthrough I have had was that I tested very high for a thyroid disorder called Hashimoto’s disease, an autoimmune disorder. Nice huh. It doesn’t explain the hives but it would explain why I have struggle with fatigue, “female issues” and a strange lump in my throat. Bad news is that I couldn’t get in to see the doc for this until January 7th. Geeze, can’t get a break.

My last hope is with an allergist this Thursday. The only connection we have made to this hives thing is the time of year. The last few years it has hit me almost exactly at the first of January and this year at the beginning of December. One connection…Christmas stuff. I got the hives a few days after putting it up and it would have been just after taking it all down in years past. LOL…Sounds like some CSI/ House episode huh. I did find several stories of mold and pollens that form on the Christmas stuff when in storage. It’s a long shot but enough we stripped most of the Christmas stuff down a few days ago. The kids understand but it’s been a little hard on us all.

It really has been very humbling and I have to say I WILL NEVER take my health for granted again. Not that I ever did but my heart really goes out to people who struggle with their health on an ongoing basis. It has sort of a snowball effect on your self-esteem, emotions and everything just feels WRONG! Let me tell you…that SUCKS! (sorry).

Well, I felt the need to fill you all in. I have received SOOOOOOO many emails and I appreciate each and every one of you. Many of you I have never met, but in a way, I consider you family. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers. It really has helped and this season too shall pass. I promise you I will lick this thing. There IS an explanation and we WILL get to the bottom of it. FOR SURE!

As for the New Year….You guys had better hold on to your seats. I have a lot in store and once I’m back on feet there won’t be ANYTHING gettin’ in my way of helping ALL of you reach ALL of your goals for 2008!

Best of Health and Merry Christmas!

PS. If you haven’t received your FREE copy of my “Surviving the Holidays: Your “‘No Fail’” Plan of Attack for Staying Healthy and Fit” be sure to go to www.lifechanginghealthysolutions.com and download it. It’s a goodie!

Gift: Great Harvest Bread

One of my favorite and most inexpensive gifts to give (and receive) is a healthy and wholesome loaf from Great Harvest Bread. There are many great local bread companies but I love Great Harvest because they use freshly-milled whole grain wheat flour and they have some of the healthiest breads in town. I suggest you go with their gift pack which gives your recipient little cards that they redeem for 1 honey loaf, 1 loaf of their choice and a jumbo cookie, all for only $12.

Gift: a Subscription to a Healthy Magazine.

Some of my favorites are Cooking Light, Prevention, Shape, Fitness, Health and Men’s Health. Most will be around $12-18 for a year’s subscription and it really is a gift that gives all year long.

Gift: Gaiam Walk Fit Kit Pedometer

This little gem keeps track of daily steps and calories, plus it includes a stop watch and distance counter. Anyone trying to improve their health and stay more active will love this easy to use pedometer available at www.target.com for only $24.99.

Gift: CalorieSmart

I always say that weight loss is all about calories in and calories out. This portable, pocket sized, handheld device will take all the work out of monitoring your calories taken in from food and spent during exercise. It contains nutritional info for over 35,000 foods and even includes menu items from over 250 restaurants. Plus it allows you to enter your daily workouts so you know exactly where you stand at the end of the day. This is a wonderful tool that will certainly help take the headaches out of weight loss and food monitoring. $80 at www.amazon.com.

Gift: Local Lessons/Classes

I met a man the other day whose wife bought him a “Tennis in No Time” beginner’s tennis class from a local tennis club four years ago. He’s played tennis regularly ever since. Why not give your active loved one tennis lessons, golf lessons, a Yoga or Pilates class, dance lessons or a healthy cooking class? Sometimes something unexpected can end up being the best and most memorable gift. For ideas and types of classes available call local a Yoga studio, any of the local gyms, tennis or golf clubs or try looking up cooking lessons in the yellow pages.  

Gift: Reebok Adjustable Weights

These are great for the home exerciser. They are space-saving, adjustable hand weights with 5 settings from 2.5 to 12.5 pounds each dumbbell. No more buying 3 or 4 sets of different hand weights - all you need is this one set and you are ready for any workout. $61.99 at Target or look for them online.