Holidays Healthy Days.........

With the festivities in full swing, parties at every turn, one cannot help but to be concerned about their health - we hope. 'Tis the season of waistline awareness ♬ fa la la la la ♬ la la la la ♬. Have you ditched the watch what you eat compass and traded it in for the not so reliable or good idea of "I'll begin working out in the New Year?"
Oh yes, we all know how that goes :-)

Some of us have actually taken on the head start of working out now so that we can enjoy the full on feast of the season. While others are maintaining their workout throughout the year, watching their intake at every turn. There has to be a balance.

Off to finding healthy choices for the holidays so that we can enjoy a guilt free celebration time. How about trying something new :-)

Let's see what we have here..........




Yummy, yum, yum --> Dessert

Coping with Illness & Loss During the Holidays...

♪♪Tis the season to be jolly♪♪ you know -- the songs, the smiling faces, the decorations, the gifts, the atmosphere is all in a festive mood yet not everyone is sharing in the joy of the season. There are families who are having a tough time sharing in the festive season.

This may be the first time that everyone is gathered to spend the day as they always do except that there is something different this time, someone is obviously missing. The loss may be from a divorce, separation, military deployment, illness or death. Whatever the reason, it can affect the mood of those who are facing the holidays without their loved one.
In the case where your loved one is in the hospital, nursing home or rehabilitation facility, perhaps a visit will cheer everyone up. It will definitely make your loved one feel better knowing that he/she is not forgotten.

Remembering the good times is key. Memories may deliver a mixture of emotions. One moment there may be tears as you wish that your loved one could be with you all, while the next moment may be filled with laughter as you recall the happy times. Laughter is the best medicine, I know, laughter has helped us through some very tough times during the holidays. It sure takes adjusting especially in the cases where there is a permanent loss.
There is a saying 'Time heals all wounds' which it does. However, it takes time - some longer than others. The best way to cope is to acknowledge your feelings then allow yourself to embrace the transition of understanding that while life will never be the same, your life must go on.

Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, Christmas Sales.....

All the media and businesses are a buzz with the special themed sales. Nothing new here except that it just seems to be a bit more intense this year. What's really going on? Are we out of a recession and no one sent an alert or a memo to those still unemployed or barely making ends meet - population.

The lines of people waiting for special deals often begin in the wee hours of the morning or in some cases, days in advance. Of course, some people may think that this is ridiculous while those on line believe that they are at an advantage of getting the items they need at a price that they could either afford or will never be able to get if not purchased at that price even if it means sacrificing their payments on other important bills.

Many people turn to their credit cards to splurge well beyond their means. They want to be a part of the celebration season exchanging gifts. No one wants to look as though they are a Scrooge, cheap skate or just too broke to participate. Well, if you are unemployed or working for a minimum wage or in a part time position, then you should not stress yourself.

So be honest with yourself. No need to go out shopping and impressing others. At this point, there is no need to keep up with the Joneses. The Joneses can no longer afford it either, many of them have also suffered quite a bit financially. Tell your family and friends that you wont be able to purchase gifts, perhaps you can bake a pie, cookies or something made with love. They will understand and if they don't - they're being inconsiderate and that's not your problem. If you get caught up and shop then you will most certainly be sorry later on. If you avoid spending money or using your credit cards (if you have any) you will be surprisingly richer and happy when the season is over. Don't stress yourself.

Surviving the Holdiay Feasting Season

It's a sad, sad reality but the fall/winter season is my least favorite time to work out - out doors. It's cold and I would much prefer the warm weather. My most favorite and most effective workout is jogging/running. I work out at my own pace. When I am on the track and I have not jogged in a while, I walk a lap or two then I run for four laps, walk a lap and run four more laps, walk another and run four more laps - ending the workout with walking a lap. As my jogging becomes consistent, I walk a lap or two then run the full 12 laps then I walk a lap to cool the body.

Thanksgiving Day has come and is now gone. We are full speed ahead to the feasting season. Holiday Parties are on a roll whether it is the much anticipated office party, get together with friends, networking events and mixers or just dining out after the constant shopping excursions - it's a good reason to eat.


The Saturday after Thanksgiving we headed out to the track to continue on our wellness workout. We have decided to work out more consistently rather than wait for the spring. It was a beautiful yet slightly windy day.

The foot ball teams were out, scattered pockets of people playing their own sports on the outskirts of the track - volley ball, tennis, touch foot ball, etc.

It was such a good sight to see the various people enjoying their work out choice. The cheers and vibrant encouragment for the organized foot ball game, the laughter from the touch football group, the wild chatter of the volley ball players - made each lap entertaining.

However, the track was quite clear only a few people were out. Perhaps many of the regulars decided to relax or maybe they were still taking advantages of the sales. Whatever the reason, it sure felt great to burn those calories.