take care everyone, here's my entry!! this was a very good exercise to organize all the thoughts I've been having lately!

http://www.steepingbeauty.com/take-some-things-off-your-plate-in-2008/

Best,
Delphine

beauty blog: http://steepingbeauty.com
mommy blog: http://pajamamom.com

I achieved my goal for last year, to lose the weight I had gained while recovering from an accident. I still have more to go, so in 2008 I plan to lose the rest of the weight by continuing my more organic eating and exercise plan. I also plan to get at least 25 people to the polls in November that have never voted before, regardless of who they support. It is my hope that in 2008 I give more than I take, and become a better me.

Leslie
smokeringsandcoffeestains.com

http://lauraleegardner.blogspot.com/2008/01/our-new-diet.html

I gave birth in late 07. As a breastfeeding mother, I haven't yet started a "diet" but I'm hoping to live healthier this year. I talk about, in the post below, needing the weather to warm up so I can get outside with both kids! My goal for the year, mentioned in the post, is to lose 20 pounds. If I can do it by LittleBrother's birthday, that would be FABULOUS. However, December 31st at midnight would also be acceptable. HA!

http://stopdropandblog.com/2008/01/14/waiting-the-weight-off-its-slow-go...

-
Jenna
Stop, Drop and Blog
Birth/First Parent Blog
The Chronicles of Munchkin Land

For a change I have vowed that this year I will put myself first. Mind, Body , and Spirit.. this is a change I have vowed to make in 2008. As a stay at home mom to a busy, busy special needs toddler... too often in the past I have put myself last in every way possible. I have prepared my daughter well rounded meals, but fed myself a handful of goldfish while folding laundry. My daughter is dressed to the nines for preschool, while I pull on a old pair of sweats to run errands. It's sad really.

I will take time for myself. I will soak in a bath, feed my body healthy foods and take care of myself.It may have taken some getting used to and may feel self indulgent at times... I remind myself that my family will benefit from having a healthier & happier Mama. I am fortunate that I have the support of my husband who encourages me in my goals.

I have started my plan off with a bang - been doing really well with working out & eating well. I have a well deserved massage, hair cut & shopping spree planned and you know.. it's empowering .I feel really good about myself. Maybe I will start a trend

http://ukraineadventure.blogspot.com/2008/01/new-year-new-attitude.html

I have decided to get and stay healthy. I for one have changed my meat intake from beef to boca burgers and anything with chicken and turkey. I have begun to walk almost daily 3-4 times a week for exercise and if I shed some pounds that will be a big benefit.
I work two jobs and raise 3 boys and finding time to walk, eat right and get the sleep and right nutrition has been a big stumbling block for me and now I know I have to take care of myself by making changes so that I have enough energy and strength and peace of mind to take care of myself and my family.

This is an excerpt of my News Years Eve post where I talked about the difference between goals and resolutions...

"By the end of this year WILL climb that steep incline wall at the gym, I WILL be able to do one unassisted pull up, and I will return to my personal goal of 140lbs. To accomplish these goals I WILL make working out a priority, I WILL continue to journal and watch my diet, choosing healthy foods that nourish me and my body."

http://weightwatchen.com/2008/01/resolutions-vs-goals.html

I have declared 2008 the year I take care of myself. I left a job at the end of December where I was underappreciated and overstressed. This has allowed me to show my young daughters that strong women make hard decisions. Since I have made that healthy change, I am exercising each day which makes our dog happy as he walks with me. I am working as a freelance writer and administrative support person. I also just started blogging. All of these changes are much needed as I am a wife, mom, daugther, sister, volunteer--the list goes on and on. I will not be able to be any of those things if I do not put myself first. A big wedding anniversary looms in May (20 years) and the best present I can give to my husband is a wife who is healthy and content.

My New Year's resolution is to exercise on a regular basis. I'm going to plan on attending StrollerFit 6 days a week with my two toddlers in the stroller watching their mommy exercise! I love being a great role model for them while I get my daily exercise. Regular exercise is the best way to keep me feeling strong, happy, and healthy! Not only is it good for my physical health, but my mental health too!

-Heather
http://freebies4mom.blogspot.com

To finally, once and for all, take off the last few pregnancy pounds that have stuck around. I've been rowing 5Ks about 5x a week since Thanksgiving, so that is helping! I really want to get my endurance back.

I also want to come back to yoga, which has dropped out of my life since our move last March. It's a struggle to fit everything in with three little boys, one of whom is a special needs child, and a husband who travels a lot, but somehow I need to make it work.

Andrea
Andrea's Recipes

I've gotten my Cholesterol down quite a bit and that's something I'm very proud of! I've been watching what I've been eating and trying not to overeat. Also, I've been staying away from junk food and that's been a HUGE help in my weight I believe. I'm on my way to a healthier lifestyle!!

I've started to take long walks in the Scottish countryside. I was spending so much time sitting at the computer that I was becoming really unfit. Now the whole family has been climbing the hillsides, walking round lochs and following nature trails. A much healthier way to spend the day than glued to the internet!
Amy
http://liveslessordinary.wordpress.com

Like the others here, my goal is to increase my activity level.

I want to be able to set an example for my daughter. I don't want her to see me sitting around all day doing nothing so it is my goal to get active and eat healthier this year.

Inspired by my son who moved into the vegan world last year, I've set my goal on eating less of the kind of things that vegans avoid (meat, dairy, etc.) and more of the foods they enbrace (legumes, nuts, vegetables, soy products, fruits, etc.)

My son is counting on a vegan lifestyle to help him avoid some of the health issues his dad and I have encountered. And I think that's smart. Every day we hear of some product being recalled, some ingredient becoming suspect or some drug causing more problems than it cures. He wants to bypass the processed, hormone-enriched foods that may be cause for concern.

So why shouldn't I take a more preventative path in my life? Certainly more exercise -- riding a recumbent bike every day, using my Ab-Lounger and walking. I'm committed to the benefits exercise will provide.

But I've also changed our menu at home. Fish once or twice a week. A meat-free meal at least once a week -- even though my husband is not thrilled. Small portions of meat the rest of the week. More whole grains -- I've started making whole grain, nut and dried berry granola to snack on at work. I've experimented with some vegan dishes like adzuki bean loaf or a stir-fried pasta dish with fresh tomatoes, parsley, and pinenuts. You just have to do some recipe research and creative thinking about how you approach cooking. Oh yes, and I drink 2-3 cups of Japanese green tea each day with fresh lemon -- the tea is packed with antioxidants.

Now mind you, I'm not becoming a vegan. I really do like meat and dairy. But moderation is an absolute must. I don't want my breast cancer to recur. I don't want my husband's digestive system problems to get worse. But I do want to maintain my high energy level, resistance to colds and flu, and my active lifestyle for a long, long time.

If I don't take action, who will?

tish

Travels with Tish -- Girlfriends' Getaway Guide

E-mail tish at girlfriends-getaway@midwestairlines.com
travelswithtish.com

Here's my entry: http://fondofsnape.com/?p=1493 I'm inspired, committed and dedicated towards my goal of having a healthier and happy 2008!

Janet

http://www.fondofsnape.com
http://whatisitwednesday.blogspot.com
http://fridayfillins.blogspot.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fondofelves/
http://www.agirlmustshop.com

I've been very conscious of everything I eat or drink lately, as my husband and I are trying to have a baby. The healthier we are, the better our chances, and the healthier our baby will be!

Dawn
of DawnsRecipes.com

This is my "mantra" for '08. I had a baby in March and didn't like the fact that before I was even pregnant I was up 20 pounds from when I'd gotten married. Last fall I started walking at the park with some friends (and babies in strollers). We went one day a week, but it was so fun.
The snow is on the ground now, but as soon as it starts melting you can bet that I'll be out walking again. I even have more mommy friends now that aren't working so hopefully I can walk multiple days with different groups.
I'm blessed because we have some awesome paved walking paths in parks in our city. However they get really hot in the summer so we have to go early in the morning. Double bonus, this means I have to get up and get moving in the morning. When I've done something productive before 10am I seem to get so much more done in my day.
So here's to walking off the extra baby weight AND getting more things accomplished in my days!

My resolutions:
1. Work less.
2. Compete in more athletic events.
3. Beat an eating disorder.
4. Enjoy life, be more social and go to BlogHer.

My blog entry on this topic

I try to achieve two to three big goals a year. This doesn’t mean this is the only time that I create goals.The opportunity presented itself to develop a blog in June 2007 and it transformed the rest of my year. Go Workout Mom wasn’t even in my radar last January.
Here are my health and fitness goals for 2008:
1. I resolve to run 10 miles of the Country Music City Half Marathon in April 2008.
2. I will incorporate four vegetable and three fruit servings into my family’s daily diet.
3. Lose 20lb by the first day of Spring (March 20th) and maintain for the rest of the year!
True to my multi-tasking ways, I am part of three distinct challenges. The first is Healthy You Challenge, a one year commitment to give and receive support for a healthier lifestyle. I love it! Spring Into Weight Loss a WW Challenge goes well with my mid-term goals. The idea is to achieve a 20 lb loss by the first day of Spring. I must come to terms with my diet and make changes. Exercising is starting to click. My food choices are not! I am currently using MyPyramid to focus on the food groups. Finally, I change my weekly goals in Goal Call Monday to focus on a specific diet or exercise shortfall. It’s a great tool to keep all of us motivated.

After giving up the big salary, big bonuses, and big trips in exchange for big hugs, lots of love, and 24/7 caretaking as a new SAHM for the past year, I have already decided to make 2008 the year of "Go-Go Mommy"! After all, "if mama ain't happy, then ain't nobody happy."

Being a little offended and at the same time somewhat inspired by Oprah's show with Elizabeth Gilbert, author of "Eat, Pray, Love...", I decided to document my own journey of self-discovery this year and prove to eveyone that you CAN find "inner peace" without traveling across the world and leaving your entire family for a year - which, for must of us, is not only not an option but would be a heartbreak as well.

So far I've signed up for on-line meditation courses, I've picked up the beautifully photographed book "The Day-to-Day Life of Albert Hastings" which visually feeds my soul and reminds me to see the beauty in everyday living, and I'm attending local yoga/meditation retreats individually as well as taking my two girls (almost 4 years and 15 months) to a weekly family yoga class. The connections abound! In addition, I'm coming up with a whole list of options for moms/parents who feel that they need to have time for personal growth but don't know where to look or how to fit it into a busy day.

In other words, I'm discovering that once you open yourself to those around you and open yourself to your personal goals/desires which are buried deep in your heart, you somehow find a way to "make it work" (as in the immortal words of my beloved Tim Gunn).

Professionally, I am taking my new-found energy and channeling it into creating my own business venture. I will be a moving from SAHM to WAHM/Mompreneur in 2008 - I am so geeked!

Here's my personal blog which will document my undertakings:
http://gogoma.typepad.com/go_go_mommy/

Cheers!
Go-Go Mommy

My husband has a kidney disorder, the side effects of which cause him to have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, so it is very important for us to eat healthy. I have our standard, healthy recipes that I cook often, but we get tired of them so stray into unhealthier fare out of boredom. I have a ton of great, healthy recipes, but I never use them because they are unorganized and unsearchable. This year, I am organizing all of my recipes electronically into Microsoft OneNote so that I will actually use them.

http://3boysundermyroof.blogspot.com
Heather Stork

Best of luck with all of your goals! You can check mine out here:

http://www.crankmama.com/2008/01/09/getting-in-the-habit/

-CrankMama
http://www.CrankMama.com

Rosanne Morrison
I think it's a good idea to start as low on the food chain as possible. Eating fresh organic fruits and vegetables and well as grains, sea greens, etc are one way. Being near a body of water and in nature while exercising sure beats being in a gym-efreshing for mind would and body. Fill your mind with good positive things-spiritual and postivie. Havea good bely laugh every day.

I've made a pledge on my blog to bake my own bread this winter instead of buying it from the grocery store. You can find my pledge in the following link.

http://analisfirstamendment.blogspot.com/2007/12/my-homemade-bread-pledg...

My blood pressure was bordering on high and instead of taking medication, I changed my eating habits and lowered it back to normal. I'm trying to maintain it and encourage others to think more about the foods that they put in their bodies.

Anali

The United Nations Climate Change Report states that Animal Agriculture causes more greenhouse gases than transportation. The source is in the url below:
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000448/index.html

I recently became a Vegan, and I'm eating many more vegetables and fruits than I ever had. I also have ground flaxseed with my morning cereal which provides omega 3s and many other essential nutrients. Since I've become Vegan, I receive so many comments about how healthy I look.

In order to help new vegetarians and vegans, I've started a Facebook page with many great resources. Enjoy!
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5535528618

Mary

I will limit my intake of restaurant foods; I already have eliminated fast foods, many years ago. I love to cook, so it is easy for me to make meals "from scratch". This year I have an herbal garden and also grow a lot of my own vegetables. I am semi-retired, so I usually have the time to do healthy cooking. So far, this year, I have kept to my plan. Also, I am a cardiac nurse, so I keep to anti cancer, anti cholesterol foods. It must be working; I have no health conditions and take no prescription medications. (I am 66 years young)

My plan is posted here: http://compostermom.blogspot.com/2008/01/smart-goals-or-something-to-tak...

Daisy

I was so very excited about this contest until I checked out the rules and saw that the contest was open to US residents only.

My heart sank.

I would love to come to BlogHer this year. I have also embraced the Good Health-a-Thon, and, in particular, Kristy's post about making S.M.A.R.T. goals. Every goal I've made this year has been put through that filter. And it's working!

I am certainly benefitting from all the great health writing on BlogHer, so I really can't complain too much.

But I do wish Canadians were eligible to enter the contest.

laurie
www.notjustaboutcancer.blogspot.com

Forty years and 165 pounds ago I entered into an unplanned marriage at age sixteen to a man who systematically and deliberately crushed my self-esteem over the next 22 years. It has taken 18 years and a suicide attempt last spring to bring me to a point where I accept I have a right to be happy.

I have been blessed to have relatively good health for a 56 year old, grossly obese woman who smoked over a pack of cigarettes a day and seldom made an effort towards physical activity. A nutritious meal consisted of having only one starchy vegetable and one dessert serving. But . . . that was then and this is now.

In July of 2007, I began my quest to change my unhealthy lifestyle due to being involved in a community wellness coalition. In the process of writing a business plan for our group, my research gave me insight into the causes of, the effects of, and actions to overcome unhealthy lifestyles. I made the decision to quit smoking and took steps to achieve this goal. I have been smoke-free since August 27, 2007. I have recently decided I can lose this morbid shell of fat I have created to “protect” me. I have done my research. I know my plan of action. You are welcome to follow my success at http://cricket51.wordpress.com.

My ex-husband’s class motto was “We were Great in 68.”
That was then and this is now. I will be Great in ’08.

I was very ambitious with my goals this year. And I'm proud to say that at 3 weeks into the new year, I'm still going strong. I actually posted them in a public display of resolve (for full post, head here: http://genplus.blogspot.com/2007/12/goodbye-2007-and-hello-2008.html)

And here are the Cole's notes version of my goals/resolutions for 2008:

Resolution #1:
Eat a lot of chocolate.

Resolution #2:
Find creative ways to burn off more calories throughout the day in order to eat more chocolate (for e.g., I sit on a yoga ball while at the computer, which makes me believe that I'm burning calories, while strengthening my core, and ergo, an extra 350 calories per day to indulge. Frankly, I think I'm only burning 5 extra calories for all the balancing, but what's 345 calories difference anyway?)

Resolution #3:
Eat chocolate in smaller amounts to allow for a higher frequency of consumption.

Resolution #4:
Make many more friends who love chocolate so we can indulge in our guilty pleasures guilt-free.

Resolution #5:
What the heck...just eat chocolate.

Wendy Spiegel
Founder, Gen Plus
www.genplususa.com
http://genplus.blogspot.com

For the last few years I've been struggling with my identity. I spent a lot of time in school and practicing health care in a way I didn't like. It was way too focused on tertiary care -- cleaning up the trainwreck after it happened instead of preventing it in the first place. And yet it was hard for me to let go because I had so much invested, both time-wise and financially.

This year I am devoting myself not only to my own personal body overhaul -- I have a goal of five one-armed pushups by the end of the year, but I am also going to become a personal trainer to work with those who need to exercise as rehab -- either to overcome obesity or to get back on track after a heart attack, and to push prevention of obesity. A huge part of this is eating right -- and I plan to practice what I plan to preach.

Stylefool

Last week I found out that I have Osteoporisis.
It is called a "silent" disease because bone loss occurs often without your knowing it. It seems 28 million Americans are at risk and women make up 80% of cases.

If you are postmenopausal, Thin framed, Caucasian or Asian, Eating a diet low in calcium and vitamin D and getting little or no exercise, you are at risk.
I am all of the above.

With the death of my mother in 2004, I went into menopause, found out I had hypothryoidism and now bone loss from Osteoporisis.

I am adopting a Healthy lifestyle that includes taking calcium and Vit. D supplements. I am on a Drug called Forteo which involves a daily injection to help rebuild bone loss.

I have a daily routine now of T'ai Chi exercises, and I plan to start Yoga next week.
Most important, I pray and Praise God daily.

I have more than 250 words to talk about but I will end with this.
Ask your physician if you are at risk. Take care, and God Bless

I have spent twenty long years miserable in my own skin allowing my weight to control me day after day. Then last year I began an amazing life changing fitness journey. Sixty pounds lost and I'm soaring. I have so much to share and it's only the beginning of the healthier me. It is utterly liberating to control food rather than allowing food to control me. Food is fuel and when when you supply your body with good fuel, it functions better. Drinking plenty of plain water cleanses the body and dampens the appetite. Working out with friends at our free community gym Monday, Wednesday, and Friday has replaced mindless eating and helped sustain the changes. I have energy to share quality time with my daughters and husband. Eating at home provides my husband and me time to together in the kitchen preparing dishes made of fresh Vegetables, Fruit, Whole Grains, Fish, and Chicken. When people stop me demanding to know how I lost the weight, I tell them you have to "WEN" to loose, Water-Exercise-Nutrition. I also remind them that loosing is only half the battle. To be truly fit and healthy you have to make it a lifestyle change, fully integrated into your daily routine. You only have one body, make it great in 08. Ladies we can do it together!

"Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow." -Ronald E Osborn-

I've set 2008 as the year for both mental, physical, and life changes. I'm working on becoming the person I want to be instead of stying on the "treadmill" of life and getting nowhere but unhappy and unhealthy. You can check it our at my blog...

http://celticbuffy.blogspot.com/2008/01/realizations-choices.html

My healthier me plans for 2008? Well, let's see...

1. Drink more water. Water is beneficial in so many ways, and I understand that drinking enough even raises your BMR (basal metabolism rate), which means it is harder to get fat. That can't hurt.

2. Walk daily and breath deeply of the fresh air to invigorate my body and refresh my spirit.

3. Make sure my intake is well-balanced by the end of the day.

4. Look at my plate when I fill it and make sure at least half of it is colorful vegetables.

5. Refrain from taking second helpings.

6. Blatantly contradict my upbringing by NOT eating everything on my plate, just leaving a bite or two to remind myself that I don't need more.

7. If I get the munchies between meals, I'll drink a glass of water instead.

That's it, in brief.

P.S. Thank you, Boca, for being in my freezer during the recent four-day power outage. Meat I would have had to throw away, but my Boca Burgers are just as tasty and safe as ever.

P.P.S. No, Boca did not pay me to say that.

I posted this in response to the Good Health A-thon challenge. We are now three weeks into it and I am happy to report that this going "Public" with resolutions is a great way to guilt me into keeping my promises!
So here is my good health a thon story.
As an American living in China I have become obsessed with the large-ness of me. In my life I cannot remember a time when I was more self-conscious than I am now. Those awkward pre-teen tom-boy years when my sisters used to ridicule me for having a flat chest and scraped knees, the teen years when having been rejected for the cheerleading squad I sported a pixie haircut and joined the softball team, the college years where the freshman fifteen was 35 and by senior year I was back to the size of my eighth grade self... None of those years have had the impact on my self esteem that moving to Shanghai has had.

Three and a half years ago my husband called me at work and said "What would you think of moving to China?" Being the adventurer I was (meaning: I didn't have a passport and leaving the country was tied with visiting the world's largest bucket of vomit on my vacation to-do list) I immediately replied "sure lets move to China". He was serious and a month an a half later our family was on a plane over the Bering Straight headed for Shanghai.

When we arrived it was August and truly hotter than anything I have ever experienced. After shlepping two kids and ten bags through customs we passed through the "green channel" and came into the "entrance hall" where we were faced with at least 500 Chinese stares. Even though Shanghai is a very International city, the "Wei gou ren" are still quite a novelty and Chinese manners are not Western manners. So from my arrival to my first shopping experience where a kind Chinese student explained that "hun da da" means "very big", I have been faced daily with not so subtle reminders that I am a "very big foreigner".

So, that being said, my resolutions are as follows:
(I hope they are measurable, keepable, attainable,acceptable etc.)

1. I will spend 30 minutes a day doing an aerobic activity (biking, walking,ellipticalling?) starting January 8th.
2. I will attend Pilates (cant seem to get into yoga) class three times per week.
3. I will have tasty Chinese dumplings no more than once every two weeks and I will limit myself to ten very small dumplings.
4. I will stop telling myself how fat I am and I will think of something that I am good at everytime a "fat thought" enters my head.
5. By December of 2008 I will be known as just "foreigner" instead of "fat foreigner".

Thank you for the motivation to get this in writing.
After one visit to Blogher I am now hooked and you are now added to my favorites bar.
Best to all in 2008

As part of my plan for living healthier in 2008, I'm working on drinking more water. Here's a link to my entry here:
http://lepetitchic.typepad.com/le_petit_chic/2008/01/my-2008-to-dos.html

www.lepetitchic.typepad.com

Houseonahill
www.Houseonahillorg.blogspot.com

Last July 2007, I made a commitment to myself that I would be a healthier, happier person. Immediately I began to work on my diet and overall health. Research led me to the realization that the products we use everyday are contributors in our slow demise. The chemicals, preservatives and ingredients are just not condusive to our systems! This can be overwhelming, but I have learned that you just take a deep breath! Exhale, and get to work!

I am not strict on myself or my wonderful 11 year old. We both decided that we wanted to be happy and so we made a pact to ENJOY LIFE. We eat as many organic fruits and vegetables as possible. If he drinks soda, its organic with no HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP! We excercise together and have even included our dog! I also don't yell anymore unless there is a football game on!

Employment as a law enforcement officer had taken its toll on me, but ultimately creativity has returned and writing my blog has given new meaning to my life!! I have met so many wonderful inspiring people and have featured them on my blog. I use Shaklee products in my home and stay upbeat as possible and would just love to give everyone alive a hug! Love has finally taken over. Love of life, love of the universe and love of myself~

As a little girl, I watched Gramma exercise in front of the tube with her Jack La Lane “glamour stretcher,” the 60s version of today's stretch band thingies. I begged to join. Gramma enjoyed life until her death at 95. I want to be just like Gramma plus10. Those on line aging tests estimate I'll live to be 104. (I didn't really lie-- much.) I gotta figure out how to add that year and subtract those 15 pounds of me I do not want.

So I began thinkin’. Now I’m the person who was reading labels before it was fashionable-- when there was very little to read. I am a great detective with fat, calories, portions, and carbs, but what else. Got it!

Like sands through the hourglass, flows the sodium into our lives. For 2008, I'm taking an hourglass approach to sodium to gain that year on my life. I’ll watch the sodium hourglass. Turn it sideways when the grains hit 1500-2000mg. But I still felt the need to forge ahead with more! I took a second health stand.

I made my Declaration of NORM Days on 01-01-08. I will eat NO Red Meat on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday--- every week!

This past 4 weeks wasn’t easy. I've messed up accidentally and twinged with the guilt of old Catholic Fridays. My husband has joined in my declaration (sort of).

But I am in tune with my new habits. Ban the shaker and break out the vegetarian, poultry, and seafood!

The end of 2007 found me on my couch in horrible pain (a pinched nerve) and drugged beyond belief (to alleviate the pinched nerve) and a sky rocketing high blood pressure. I had spent the whole year of 2007 taking care of everyone else but me. It's easy to do when you have two young kids who play 2 sports and a husband who was recently laid off and is now working 2 hours away and spends half the week staying at his parents to reduce his commute. There are a million things that need to be tended to in my life but up until the 1st day of 2008, that list did not include ME. So this year, this year of 2008, is THE YEAR OF ME. I'm meeting with a dietician to work on loosing weight and reducing sodium in my diet to not only reduce my blood pressure but to also....take care of me. I have hired a babysitter to come to my house two nights a week so that I can get out and get some exercise to not only help me in my efforts to lose weight but to also....take care of me. I've hired a cleaning crew to come once a month to help reduce my stress in hopes of reducing my blood pressure and.....you guessed it, take care of me. I've got my books all piled up and ready to read and each night make myself go to bed a half hour early so I can read .....to take care of me. I can't wait to see how I turn out! I do know this for sure though, that I will be living a healthier life in 2008 by taking care of ME.

A MIDLIFE CRISIS THIS SURELY IS NOT;
BUT TURNING 40 HAS ME IN A NEW SPOT.
A CHANCE TO LOOK BACK AT ALL THAT I’VE DONE;
LIFE’S UPHILL CHALLENGES AND BATTLES I’VE WON.
ALSO TO LOOK AHEAD TO A FUTURE UNKNOWN;
CHILDREN GROWING UP AND LIVING LIVES OF THEIR OWN.
A NEW COMMITMENT TO ME IS WHAT LIES AHEAD;
NO LONGER MY REFLECTION IN THE MIRROR I WILL DREAD.
A NEW COMMITMENT TO EXERCISE WILL HELP ME RESHAPE;
A BRAND NEW 40 YEAR OLD BODY FOR THE YEAR 2008.
BUT MY NEW COMMITMENT TO ME GOES WELL BEYOND THE MAT;
A RENEWED SPIRIT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN A TUMMY THAT IS FLAT.
IMPROVED ENGERY WILL ALLOW ME TO GIVE MORE;
A BETTER WIFE AND A BETTER MOM TO THOSE I ADORE.
BUT WHAT ARE THE SPECIFICS, WHAT EXACTLY WILL I DO;
A DAILY WALK ON THE TREADMILL WALKING UP A HILL OR TWO.
LESS TELEVISION AND MORE TIME OUTDOORS;
TEACHING MY CHILDREN THAT EVEN IN THE CITY THERE IS NATURE TO EXPLORE.
TIME ALONE EACH WEEK FOR A SOAK IN THE TUB.
AND EVERY NOW AND THEN A GOOD MASSAGE AND BACK RUB.
TIMES HAVE HIT HARD AND OUR FINANCES ARE TIGHT;
THE STRESS OF IT ALL HAS CAUSED MANY A FIGHT.
IN 2008 A RENEWED SPIRIT WILL LESSEN FEARS;
AND GIVE MY HUSBAND SUPPORT INSTEAD OF MY TEARS.
SO IN CLOSING I OFFER THIS PRAYER OF GRATITUDE;
THANK YOU GOD FOR THIS NEW YEAR AND MY NEW ATTITUDE!

Several years ago I read that you should give 5 sincere compliments every day. This would make me feel better and the person receiving the compliment feel better. I have done this almost every day since I read that. The smiles I receive in return are priceless. When I don't see 5 people in one day, I compliment my husband or even myself. That works too.

The final nail in my veganism’s coffin was a bad veggie burger in an Austin café. When ordering, I’d forgotten to ask what kind of burger I was in for: a patty, or the kind that’s a pile of mush on the bun that oozes out the sides. Unfortunately, I got the latter.

“This is bullshit.” I said. I was tired of eating fake stuff; and how healthy had that “burger” been, anyway?

The opportunity for change arose January 1st in New York, when a friend served us Jewish holiday foods. With encouragement from friends, I tentatively sampled the sable: my first fish in over a decade. It was real food that nourished my brain. I was newly engaged, it was a new year, and it was the beginning of a new era.

Back home, our neighbors invited us to dinner—pan-fried trout. It was spicy and wonderful. Although it was fried, the fact that they’d caught the fish themselves seemed like the most natural thing possible, the way people have always eaten, before Americans became so removed from their food and started eating processed junk.

My healthy diet plan is to eat sustainably (mostly plants), and to paraphrase Michael Pollan, it should be mostly foods my grandparents would recognize as edible.

Life’s too short to rule out ingredients like sweet cream butter, or trying delicious new cheeses, or sampling foreign cuisines. Happiness is integral to health, and the visceral pleasure of eating good, real food makes me happy.

I just have to pipe in for those of you considering becoming veg*n: you can choose to eat poorly no matter your food lifestyle. Or you can choose to eat fresh, healthy, tasty food.

Life IS too short...not just, obviously, for the animals (and the truth is that most of those eaten in this country are raised in factory farms of horrific conditions) but also for the many people who end up suffering from various conditions that we know to be diet-related.

I too am happy when I eat my meals...happy from eating good, real food, happy to try vegetarian offerings from foreign cuisines (since almost every culture is less meat-centric than the American one) and happy with my ethical choice as well.

Just want to make sure it's clear that good, real, fresh food is not synonymous only with animal products.

Elisa Camahort
BlogHer
elisa@blogher.org

Seconding Elisa here.

Vegan food is not "fake stuff." And even if it were, I'd prefer "fake stuff" to "dead stuff." I had many more unpleasant eating experiences in my years as an omnivore than I've had as a vegan. The vegan food I eat is more "real" than just about anything from an animal I used to eat. And it's certainly healthier.

You can have terrible eating habits as a vegan just as you can have terrible eating habits as an omnivore. If someone is an unhealthy vegan or a vegan who never gets to eat interesting, varied, tasty food, it's because that person has chosen that; it's not a result of being vegan.

The variety in my diet has grown tenfold since I went vegan from vegetarian. My eyes, mind, and tastebuds were suddenly open to whole new worlds. And when I'm eating healthy vegan foods, I--like every other vegan I know--feel worlds better physically and emotionally both.

The solution to bad experiences isn't swearing off veganism--it's buying a few cool cookbooks, learning to make yourself some great dishes, and frequenting only the restaurants that do have healthy, tasty options.

Life's too short indeed. It's too short to fill my body with the remnants of once-living, breathing, thinking, feeling, terrified, tortured, and slaughtered individual beings--beings who longed to live and live happily and without pain--just because I like the way they taste. It's too short to walk around weighed down (both literally and ethically) by what I eat. My life's too short. But not as short as were the animals'.

Stephanie

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http://vidadepalabras.blogspot.com
A Vegan Editor's Life of Words (and animals and nature and politics and family and food)