More than ever, restaurants are accommodating regarding the dietary needs of their patrons. Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and other options appear on many menus. To paraphrase an old Burger King commercial, the theme at most restaurants these days has become, "Special orders don't upset us." Long before these options began to…
The big goal, “eating well,” which is part of the even bigger goal, “be healthy,” is challenging for most people. There are several reasons. First, unhealthy foods often taste delicious! So delicious, they are addictive. It’s true when they say in those commercials, “Bet you can’t eat just one.” You…
During a trip to Nashville for a speaking engagement, I was in a gym where each piece of aerobic exercise equipment had its own TV and there were no large screen TVs. Usually those big-screen TVs are blaring, and half the time they are on a channel I find unappealing…
Not long after I published Six Simple Rules for a Better Life, I read a book called Willpower, by Roy Baumeister & John Tierney, which had come out the same month. In my book’s introduction, I talk about how to make changes that stick. I knew my method worked, but…
I’ve worked in the insurance business for over 25 years, and one of the best developments during my time in the business has been wellness programs connected to corporate health insurance programs. For me, as a writer and speaker on topics along the wellness spectrum, the marriage of my vocation…
I’ve been working on a new habit. I’ve been trying to resist getting a second scoop of ice cream when I go into ice cream shops. I don’t go into ice cream shops often, but when I do I nearly always get two scoops, or some other “large” option. It…
I don’t believe in jinxes, but for some reason I still say, “I don’t want to jinx myself, but…,” and you might find me wearing a "lucky" shirt to help my favorite professional sports team win. I also “knock on wood”when I say something in front of someone else, so…
Last week, new healthy eating guidelines were released by the US departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services. The big message was to consume less sugar. Specifically, the recommendation is to limit to 10% the maximum daily calories from added sugars. In addition, less than 10% of calories should…
One of my daughters was telling me about a position she was considering running for at her sorority. She had already taken on a lot (and accomplished a great deal) during her college years—at her sorority and in general—and had, at times, been overextended. I wrote to her: "If you…
The following is a guest post by Stacey Marshall. As a child, I was always active. I was into competitive gymnastics for 10 years. I was into track and field, cheerleading, and basketball. I never watched what I ate. Weight loss or weight gain or anything of that nature were…
A bunch of years ago, when my company moved into the office building where we still reside, a number of people began using the stairs to get to our offices on the fifth floor. I had not been a part of that group until returning from a vacation in Positano,…
I almost never have a problem falling asleep. But, when I wake up in the middle of the night (which happens more, the older I get), I often have had a hard time falling back to sleep. I know the reason—too much on my mind. As soon as I start…