Life is Healthy

First of all, a big hello and welcome to new readers and delurkers who posted comments and sent emails regarding my recent blog post A Q&A With “Half-Assed” Author Jennette Fulda. You still have until Wednesday to leave a comment to win a copy of “Half-Assed.” The book is good stuff, I promise! (For the record, I corrected the misspelling in the original blog post title. I spelled “With” as “Wtih.” Talk about half-assed…)

--------------------------------
Thanks, also, for the ideas and links about how to exercise for the greater good (see post Exercise and the “Greater Good”).

Carla suggested people who eat right and exercise serve the greater good by not costing the National Health Service (Carla’s from the UK) a fortune on obesity/sedentary-lifestyle-related illnesses. The costs are staggering. A USA Today article quoted a Centers For Disease Control statistic that reported “Americans racked up about $75 billion in weight-related medical bills in 2003.” And that was six years ago. I can only imagine what that number is now.

Carla also doesn’t own a car and walks wherever she can.

Several of you mentioned playing with children. Definitely exercise for the greater good! Not only in terms of the emotional outlet and bonding fun, but modeling active behavior for children in this age of little or no recess or gym classes is vital.

Thanks, Zentient, for the link to Keep It Simple Bike-Blended Soap. The soap is literally made by people peddling a bike. I’d work for them for free!

Pamela shared a Mother Earth News story about how Ed Begley, Jr. uses a bike to generate energy around his house, like 10 minutes of peddling for a piece of toast. The caloric trade off would mean you could add some jelly or sugar and cinnamon! There are links in this article to other pedal-energy sites as well.

-----------------------
Next, if you happen to walk past a book store any time soon, go in and find Joy Bauer’s new book, “Joy’s LIFE Diet,” and turn to page 240. I think you’ll recognize the face J. I’m one of several people who have lost more than 100 pounds through diet and exercise Joy has featured throughout the book. Most of the people have been inducted into the Today show’s “Joy Fit Club,” and while I was asked to become a “member,” we haven’t been able to find a time that works for Today or me just yet. Stay tuned. I’ll let you know if/when that happens.

(As a side, one of the women who was on Oprah with me, Mandy Tidwell, is featured on page 234. Small world. Mandy lost 232 pounds and is a hardcore fitness guru. Very inspiring.)

LIFE stands for Look Incredible, Feel Extraordinary. Joy offers sound advice on eating and exercise. Pretty standard stuff. Nothing scary. It is definitely a diet I would have followed while losing. She also includes several tasty-looking recipes (I plan on trying the stuffed Portobello mushroom caps this week).

If you’re looking for a no-nonsense plan or just a slight change of pace from what you’re already doing, pick up a copy of “Joy’s LIFE Diet.” If anything, the stories will inspire you. I mean, 232 pounds? Holy wow. And there are several people like that in the book.

Leave a comment and win a copy of Joy’s book. I’ll announce a winner on Friday.

---------------------------------
Finally, smoothie love. My husband bought me a Cuisinart Hand Blender for Christmas, and I’ve been in smoothie heaven almost every morning.