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Live Mindfully

Love me; love my dog. Dogs welcomed; humans tolerated. It’s call FURniture for a reason in my house. Wipe your paws. Yes, you’ve seen the signs for those of us who are proudly dog people. One may often underestimate my adoration for canines, but that would be a true mistake if you’re trying to get to know the authentic Greg. Thus, this is the first time I’ve ever written the words: TJ has died. Oh, it’s easier to say TJ… Continue reading »

Being a caregiver (new phrase in life’s cycle ) has proven to be stressful beyond anything I could have possibly imagined prior to 2016. I wrote candidly last year for Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less about physical activity with my parents, not realizing that this physical activity would become even more minimal at the onset of this year. Deteriorating health amidst family is never easy—those who know, know. Those who have yet to know shall one day know exactly… Continue reading »

There are no good foods or bad foods. You have no doubt heard this for years. I contend that there are bad foods. We all know there are foods that we should not eat or at least should not eat very often. Would that not constitute a bad food? Why can’t we say that a coffee drink made with whole milk, chocolate syrup, and whipped cream that has 900 calories is bad? Because it has calcium from the milk? Come… Continue reading »

Sometimes I get to the end of my workday and realize how little water I have drunk. I have good intentions, with bottled water in my office, beautiful water bottles, and even access to a water cooler – however, the pace of the day gets going and it just doesn’t always happen. Something I have tried that works for me is taking a 20-ounce bottle of water with me on my ride to work. I drink it on my commute,… Continue reading »

I didn’t want to title this blog “How to Start a Garden” because that already sounds too complicated. I don’t have time. I don’t know how to “garden”. I don’t have a green thumb. But I know vegetables need soil, water and sunlight. So let’s start there. Two years ago, I started with a small basil plant from the Farmer’s Market. This was my test run. Could I keep a single basil plant alive? Turns out, yes! I kept it… Continue reading »

I came across an article in New York Times about ‘Mindful Eating’… Although I am already aware of this concept and its importance in weight management, I really like how it describes a mindful eating experience – ‘to meditate with food, expanding consciousness by paying close attention to the sensation and purpose of each morsel’. This article has made me think again about how much of my own eating throughout the day is truly ‘mindful’ and can I do better? I… Continue reading »

Like many people battling with weight and healthy living, I struggle with saying “no” to unhealthy foods that simply look and sound delicious. Making wise and healthy food choices is a constant battle. Changing the desire of eating unhealthy food is difficult when there is temptation to eat unhealthy things everywhere you look. By seeing food for what it is designed to provide, my desire and urge to eat unhealthy has completely changed. I have been able to change my mindset by adapting two main… Continue reading »

Reducing the amount of screen time we get every day is an important strategy for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. Screen time includes time spent looking at a computer, TV, or any mobile device including phones and tablets. This is important because time spent in front of a screen is mostly inactive. Most of us who have a regular office/desk job, cannot always control the amount of time spent working at a computer while at work. However, we can… Continue reading »

Okay, here it goes. I struggle with comparison. It is not something that I am proud of, but I know that I can work on this area of my life. Recently it’s been very apparent when I look at images of “perfect young 20-somethings” plastered all over social media and they all seem to have it all together. The perfect hair, nails, meals, birthday parties, and weddings- it can be overwhelming. Is anyone with me? It’s all so easy to… Continue reading »

It all happened one Sunday morning in 2015 before church. De’s daughter tried to wake her up when she was having her second stroke. Her daughter tried to get her mom up, putting her hands on De’s face asking “Mama, are you having another stroke?!” When De lethargically said “No, my head doesn’t even hurt” she said her daughter’s gut instinct told her otherwise. Since this was De’s second stroke, she thought she knew the symptoms from her first one… Continue reading »