Five Health Reasons Not to Quit Coffee!

Yes, this is one from the archives, but with today being National Coffee Day, I thought it was worth resurrecting!

via


I love coffee! I consider it one of the creature comforts of life, even though I usually limit myself to two cups in the morning. So when I read  this article , I knew I had to blog about it.

I'm going to just hit the high points here...be sure and go to the original article for all the details!

1. It protects your heart: Moderate coffee drinkers (1 to 3 cups/day) have lower rates of stroke than noncoffee drinkers, an effect linked to coffee’s antioxidants. Coffee has more antioxidants per serving than blueberries, making it the biggest source of antioxidants in American diets.


via

2.It diverts diabetes: Those antioxidants (chlorogenic acid and quinides, specifically) play another role: boosting your cells’ sensitivity to insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar.

via


3. Your liver loves it: OK, so the research here is limited, but it looks like the more coffee people drink, the lower their incidence of cirrhosis and other liver diseases.

Isn't this the cutest ring??? You can get one here

4. It boosts your brain power: Drinking between 1 and 5 cups a day (admittedly a big range) may help reduce risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as Parkinson’s disease, studies suggest. T


5. It helps your headaches: And not just the withdrawal headaches caused by skipping your daily dose of caffeine! Studies show that 200 milligrams of caffeine—about the amount in 16 ounces of brewed coffee—provides relief from headaches, including migraines

via

Of course, coffee does have its pitfalls, and you can find out about those at the original article as well.

In the meantime, it's good to know that while I'm enjoying my morning cup of joe, I'm doing some good things for my health!

Gracefully Aging, Day 8: Using health and fitness to defy your age

77-yearold body builder Ernestine Shepherd
Photo Credit

First of all, a disclaimer: none of this series is meant to be a "do as I do" thing, as if I'm an expert on aging gracefully and that I've got everything together.

Instead, it's a culling together of things I've learned, women who ARE doing it right, and tips and knowledge that I'm at least trying to implement in my life, with varying degrees of success.

There's no doubt in my mind that proper eating and exercise is key to aging gracefully.

Ernestine Shepherd

We may not all be able to aspire to the level of fitness exhibited by  Ernestine Shepherd--pictured in the photo--but we can certainly be inspired.

Shepherd tells The Daily Mail that she gets up at 2.30am every day, prays, prepares her first meal of scrambled egg whites and a handful of walnuts, and then runs 10 miles before she has her second meal and hits the gym.

And I'm tired after a 45-minute bike ride! But you know what? It does definitely inspire me that someone old enough to be my mom has reached that level of fitness.

10 Natural Ways to Defy Your Age

Health and wellness coach Ellen Goldman has come up with 10 Natural Way to Defy Your Age. (I'm just going to hit the high points here, but feel free to read the entire article here.)

• Adjust Your Mindset: YOU Control How You Will Age 
• Exercise: The Fountain of Youth (Cardio, Weight Training, and Lifestyle Activities)
• You are what you eat, so feed your face (focus on foods containing vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and polyphenols)
• Get Your Beauty Sleep (work on getting 7-8 hours a night)
• Calm the Years Away: Deep Breathing, Meditation and Yoga (prayer is a great option as well)
• Take Care of Your Smile (the health of your mouth can also affect the health of your body)
• Protect Your Skin (and Eyes) from the Sun
• Don't Neglect Your Ears (By all means, enjoy listening to music--but turn down the volume)
• Stop Smoking and Limit Alcohol
• Your Brain: Use It or Lose It ( Many habits, such as exercise and healthy eating, can keep our brain cells functioning well into our elderly years

I'm participating in "31 Days: A Writing Challenge,"  in which I 'll be blogging on the subject of Gracefully Aging every day during the month of October.  Click the button below for more information and links to each post as they become available!

Five Things I'm Loving on My Fitness Journey!

With spring finally in place and summer just around the corner, my husband and I are making a conscious effort to eat less, exercise more, and devote ourselves to healthy living more than ever.

The stunning flowering tree in my neighbor's back yard--a herald of springtime

Several products/items/practices have really helped us in our journey so far.  First of all, we've taken up bike riding--my husband with unbridled enthusiasm, myself more tentatively.

Biking

I love the used bicycle my husband bought me.  It's no-frills, although it does have three-speeds...it doesn't make me have to lean way forward and put all my weight on the handlebars.

However, our first ride together was a near-disaster for me.  I hadn't been on a bike in years.  I felt awkward, un-confident, and at times, downright scared.  On top of that, he took me on a 50 minute trek that wore me out.

That was this past Saturday.  I'm happy to say I haven't given up.  In an effort to gain confidence and get better acquainted with my bike, I've taken it out around our neighborhood for 20 minute spins every day this week.

Each day I gain more confidence and less awkwardness.  I plan to build my endurance and sureness to the point where I can accompany him on lengthier treks...Rockford has great bike paths!  Baby steps, you know.

My Fitness Pal

I've tried the My Fitness Pal app with some success before.  This time, I got my husband hooked too. His health and weight were really starting to concern me.

The logic and basic math of the calorie-counting app really appeals to him.  I've developed a new appreciation for it too.  One of my favorite features? The bar code scanner.  Anything with a bar code can be instantly scanned into your My Fitness Pal database.

Yasso Frozen Greek Yogurt Bars

Everyone needs ice cream, or at least something like it, in the summer time! At only 100 calories and 7 grams of protein (!), these delicious bars are definitely a guilt-free treat.  They're not as sweet as your average ice cream bar, but that doesn't bother me a bit.  

I pick these up at my local Walmart.  So far they only carry two flavors--chocolate fudge and sea salt caramel.  Both are yummy, but I see on their website that other flavors are available.

Popcorn Indiana

I stumbled on these delicious products at Walgreen's, but was happy to find them at Walmart too.  So far I've only tried the Kettlecorn, which has a lightly sweet flavor, and the Aged White Cheddar flavor.  Both taste great, and are a good calorie investment, at only about 130 calories for two cups.

These are just great when you crave a crunchier texture.

Add caption

Aunt Millie's English Muffins (Multi-grain or Sourdough)

I've put myself on a bit of a hiatus from breakfast cereal, because frankly, I tend to overeat it, and not just at breakfast.

I found Aunt Millie's Muffins at Walmart after I had been eating the Thomas brand for a while.  I found out that Aunt Millie's is much better, thicker and more satisfying, and costs less than half of the Thomas brand!

The varieties I eat are only 100 calories per muffin, so I can add some of my favorite all-fruit spread without guilt.  I try to have some protein as well, usually in the form of an egg or peanut butter.

Other...

There are lots of other things that are helping...abundant fresh fruit, cucumbers, squash, Skinny Cow products, and more.

Are there any health/fitness products you've been loving? Let me know in my comments section!

Miscellany Monday...

Today I'm participating in Miscellany Monday, hosted by Lowercase Letters

I've often mentioned on this blog that I spent a couple of years in Beirut, Lebanon when I was a little girl (my parents were missionaries.) One of my favorite links to that era in my life is Edgar Feghaly and now his wife Roseann.  Edgar, or Eddie as we called him, was a teen-ager when I was a little girl in Lebanon.  Now he heads up an amazing ministry to people in Arab countries.  He was the special speaker at our church's missions conference this past week, so my husband and I were able to spend time with him and Roseann.  It was a wonderful time of reminiscing about two years that made a lasting impression on my life.  Edgar and Roseann have literally risked their lives to bring the good news of Christ's love to the Middle East.  I love and respect them deeply!

Edgar and Roseann Feghaly, me and my husband Doug

I believe I've found the best tea-bag tea I've ever tasted!  Doug and I were at Olive Garden one night when I decided to have a cup of tea.  It was Tetley Orange Peach tea, and it was incredible.  It only took one sip for me to realize that this tea was in a class by itself.  I looked in almost every Rockford grocery store to find it, and couldn't. So I ordered it online, and I don't regret it for a moment.  A cup of this tea is like a treat!

November is special for many things, but one of them is the birthday of my precious little grandson, Josiah. (We call him JD most of the time.)  He turned 3 on November 9th.  I wish I could have been at him Thomas the Tank-themed party, but I console myself that we're going to spend Thanksgiving with him and his family.

He is such a sunny little fellow...I love so much! Happy birthday, JD!

I love this little boy so much!

The last time I went to my doctor and had my A1C (a 3 month test of how my blood sugar is doing--I'm a Type 2 Diabetic), I did NOT like the trend I was seeing.  My blood sugar was still in the safe zone, but it was definitely rising.  While diabetes is a degenerative disease, I realized there were things I could do better in the areas of managing my eating and increasing my exercise.  

I resolved to do both, and a key component was joining the site, My Fitness Pal.  I've always kept track of what I was eating..but what I didn't realize was just how many calories I was consuming! My Fitness Pal has made me accountable in both eating and exercise.  I've lost 8 pounds so far (it's taken about a month, so I'm losing slowly and safely) and hope to lose a total of 20 by the time I visit my doc again in January. I can't say enough good things about this site.  What's great is that you can also use it as an app on your smartphone. I recommend it highly!

Happy Monday, everyone!

Click the icon to take part in Miscellany Monday

Is fast food from the devil?

Quick answer: it doesn't have to be.

Today is National Fast Food Day...and despite the (often deservedly) bad rap that fast food restaurants have garnered, there's still a lot of good things to say about the concept. From the website punchbowl.com:

The concept of ready-cooked food for sale can be attributed to the Ancient Romans. In many cities, street stands or "thermopoliums" (small pub-like shops) offered hot sausages, bread, and wine to patrons on-the-go.

Thousands of years later, in 1867, the first American fast food restaurant opened in New York. It was a hotdog stand on Coney Island!

Today, fast food is an American staple. There are over 300,000 fast food restaurants in the United States alone, making it nearly impossible to drive down the road without going by at least one fast food chain restaurant.

BeefARoo's Summer Berry Salad

Pictured above is the Summer Berry Salad from a local fast food chain (northwestern Illinois) called Beefaroo.

Yep, kind of a goofy name...but would that there were Beefaroo's all over America.  Why?  Because along with all the other stuff that's terrible for you, Beefaroo boasts a varied menu of choices that are both healthy and delicious.  Witness the Summer Berry Salad's nutrition facts:

Nutrition Facts

Beef-A-Roo - Summerberry Salad

1. Servings:  1 salad

Calories	321	Sodium	608 mg
Total Fat	14 g	Potassium	0 mg
Saturated	0 g	Total Carbs	21 g
Polyunsaturated	0 g	Dietary Fiber	5 g
Monounsaturated	0 g	Sugars	0 g
Trans	0 g	Protein	24 g
Cholesterol	15 mg
Vitamin A	0%	Calcium	0%
Vitamin C	0%	Iron	0%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Not too shabby, eh?

But, you say mournfully, I don't have Beefaroo where I live.

I maintain that you can find healthy choices at almost every fast food outlet these days, even McDonald's.

And not just salad. Fast food "joints" (as my dad used to call hamburger places) now offer grilled chicken sandwiches, soups, veggies,yogurt parfaits, even oatmeal.

On most diets, even a small burger is OK if accompanied by a side salad instead of fries.

So...inquiring minds want to know.

Will you be celebrating National Fast Food Day with a visit to your favorite eatery?

Which one is your favorite, and why? What are your favorite fast food meal choices--healthy or not-so-healthy?

Let me know in my comments section!

From the Archives: Five Health Reasons Not to Quit Coffee

Note: This was originally posted March 3, 2011--but it's worth a second look!

via

I love coffee! I consider it one of the creature comforts of life, even though I usually limit myself to two cups in the morning. So when I heard my radio colleague Scot Bertram on News/Talk 144o WROK talk about this article this morning, I knew I had to blog about it.

I'm going to just hit the high points here...be sure and go to the original article for all the details!

1. It protects your heart: Moderate coffee drinkers (1 to 3 cups/day) have lower rates of stroke than noncoffee drinkers, an effect linked to coffee’s antioxidants. Coffee has more antioxidants per serving than blueberries, making it the biggest source of antioxidants in American diets.


via

2.It diverts diabetes: Those antioxidants (chlorogenic acid and quinides, specifically) play another role: boosting your cells’ sensitivity to insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar.

via


3. Your liver loves it: OK, so the research here is limited, but it looks like the more coffee people drink, the lower their incidence of cirrhosis and other liver diseases.

Isn't this the cutest ring??? You can get one here

4. It boosts your brain power: Drinking between 1 and 5 cups a day (admittedly a big range) may help reduce risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as Parkinson’s disease, studies suggest. T


5. It helps your headaches: And not just the withdrawal headaches caused by skipping your daily dose of caffeine! Studies show that 200 milligrams of caffeine—about the amount in 16 ounces of brewed coffee—provides relief from headaches, including migraines

via


Of course, coffee does have its pitfalls, and you can find out about those at the original article as well.

In the meantime, it's good to know that while I'm enjoying my morning cup of joe, I'm doing some good things for my health!

Speaking of coffee....

I have to share the cutest idea I found on Amber's blog, Life...Unscripted. Amber came up with the cutest, craftiest way to use those Starbucks coffee sleeves--make a little coffee recipe book out of them and give it to a coffee-loving friend!

I just had to pass that along!

Stuffed Cabbage Casserole: A Smashing Pinterest Success!

Source: skinnytaste.com via Cindy on Pinterest

One of the great things about Pinterest is the plethora of amazing recipes available. But although I have a "Food and Recipes" board chockfull of recipes I plan to try, I've actually gotten around to making just two of them.

Last night's Pinterest recipe endeavor was a SMASHING success. I made Kalyn's Stuffed Cabbage Casserole from Skinnytaste.com, a wonderful site that blogger Gina bills as "delicious low fat recipes from my family to yours."

As soon as I discovered this site on Pinterest, I immediately "followed" it and put the link on my sidebar.

2012 is the year of eating healthy for me and my husband. Recipes that fill his grown-man stomach but stick to our healthy mantra are, as my son would say, "money"!

Not only was this casserole delicious and filling, but judging by my blood sugar check this morning, it's very good for Type 2 diabetics as well.

Of course, you'll only like this recipe if you like cabbage...fortunately both my husband and I love it!

There is brown rice in the recipe, but some commenters at Skinnytaste say they substituted quinoa with excellent results. Others fiddled with the spices or made it with spicier or Italian-seasoned tomatoes or tomato sauce. There's lots of room for improvisation.

Some commenters also saved some valuable prep time by using bagged cole slaw, but I liked having the cabbage pieces a little bigger.

(The only way I had to modify it was that I couldn't find Sweet Hungarian Paprika at my local grocer, so had to use just regular paprika.)

Anyway, two thumbs up from both me and my hubby!

I'm linking up today to Company Girl Coffee, hosted by Home Sanctuary--click on the icon!

2012: The Year of the Healthy Lifestyle

This poem kind of says it all:

Twas the month after Christmas,
and all through the house,
Nothing would fit me,
not even a blouse.

The cookies I'd nibbled,
the eggnog I'd taste,
At the holiday parties,
had gone to my waist.

When I got on the scales,
there arose such a number!
When I walked to the store,
(less a walk than a lumber).

I'd remember the marvelous,
meals I'd prepared;
The gravies and sauces,
and beef nicely rared,

The wine and the rum balls,
the bread and the cheese,
And the way I'd never said,
"No, thank you, please."

As I dressed myself,
in my husband's old shirt,
And prepared once again,
to do battle with dirt,

I said to myself,
as I only can
"You can't spend a winter
disguised as a man!"

So-away with the last,
of the sour cream dip,
Get rid of the fruit cake,
every cracker and chip.

Every last bit of food,
that I like must be banished
Till all the additional,
ounces have vanished.

I won't have a cookie,
not even a lick.
I'll want only to chew,
on a long celery stick.

I won't have hot biscuits,
or corn bread, or pie,
I'll munch on a carrot,
and quietly cry.

I'm hungry, I'm lonesome,
and life is a bore-
But isn't that what,
January is for?

But...

It doesn't have to be that way! You don't have to be "hungry, lonesome and bored" with exchanging and unhealthy lifestyle for a healthy one.

In fact, I know by experience that it's much more rewarding and satisfying to make healthy food choices and exercise regularly!

As a Type 2 Diabetic, I've been lax for the past several weeks. That changed, as of New Year's Day. And you know what? I'm EXCITED about it!

You'll probably notice more posts on this blog encouraging and providing tips and info for health, weight loss and fitness.

Who's with me?

*photo credit

My Delicious Healthy Ginger-Spiced Pumpkin Muffin Recipe!

It's that time of year again...time to whip up a batch of delicious, diabetic-friendly Ginger-Spiced Pumpkin Muffins!

Ssh...don't tell anyone they're healthy, and they'll never know. Although they're not as richly sweet as other pumpkin muffins, they ARE very tasty--and a dollop of cool whip (sugar-free for me) on a warm one makes you feel like you're having a decadent treat.

I got this recipe out of a Prevention "Outsmart Diabetes" magazine a few years ago, when I first found out I was Type 2 Diabetic. Having some pumpkin treats that I could indulge in made me feel a lot better about going through pumpkin season as a diabetic!

My mom also loves this recipe, and usually adds nuts to the mix. They're delicious that way as well. (She makes them all year round.)

Of course, they're best straight out of the oven, but a few seconds in the microwave will bring them back to yummy warmth in no time. I've been know to freeze them to enjoy later.


Here you go!

Ginger-Spiced Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 tsp orange zest


Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray or use liners.

Stir flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a large mixing bowl.

Beat egg in a small bowl 30 seconds, until foamy. Add milk, pumpkin, oil and orange zest. Beat well. Add to flour mixture and stir until moistened.

Fill muffin cups 3/4 full with batter. Bake 15 to 17 minutes until tops spring back when touched with finger. Turn muffins out onto a rack to cool.


PER MUFFIN: 146 calories, 3 g protein, 22 g carb, 5 g fat, 0.5 sat fat, 18 mg chol, 2 g fiber, 189 g sodium

Biggest Loser Update: Those pesky donuts

(Note: My "update" of The Biggest Loser is really more about my impressions than an actual retelling of everything that happened in the show)

Listen to my 4 min 25 sec podcast, or just read the post below it!




Well, it's Week 2 of this season, and all the participants are slowly starting to come into focus for me.

Early standouts were Antone, the fearful former NFL player, and Ramon, the young tattoo artist with the handsome face and sweet spirit.

Now I'm also recognizing Sunny, the schoolteacher who (rightly) took such offense at Black Team-mate John calling her "dumb as a box of rocks"; Jennifer, the gorgeous brunette who found out last night that she has a ton of health problems looming; and Jessica, whose jealous boyfriend helped sabotage her into gaining over 100 pounds.

Some random thoughts:

--John apologized to Sunny for the obviously false slurs on her intelligence, but I'm not sure how I feel about him right now. I always cringe when BL contestants go ahead and eat like pigs to win a challenge. The 37 donuts he consumed ended up not hurting his weight loss, but...I'm going to have to see more of John being a nice guy.

--Bonnie. I like her--she seems like a sweet lady--but I have to question why the producers would let someone on the show who can barely get around, thanks to a bad knee. Maybe they're trying to make a point that there IS hope for weight loss after knee surgery?

I hate to say it (since I would actually be part of the "old" team if I was there), but the slowness of the old team just makes me sigh. (With the exception of Becky, who doesn't seem that old at all.)

I feel bad for Anna Kournikova, who was stuck with a very low-achieving team that is now dwindling in numbers. I like Anna--she's shown herself to be very caring and good-intentioned--but I'm still not convinced she's the caliber of trainer that needs to be on the show. We'll see.

The ghost of Jillian Michaels haunts the gym. (No, don't worry, she's not dead--but I fear her spirit is there feeling awfully frustrated because she can't take some of these people, royally kick their behinds and whip them into shape.)

Still loving Bob--he can pretty much do no wrong in my book.

Still loving Dolvett, whose brilliant smile and caring spirit go all Jillian once he hits the gym. Honestly, I think he's the best addition the show, when it comes to trainers, that I've seen since I've been watching--and I first starting watching when that obnoxious Kim was on.

Two-hour workouts

The premise of this week's episode was to allow each team only two hours of work-outs a day, with the idea that when they get back to "the real world," that's probably the maximum that most of them will be able to manage.

It was good to see that the participants still lost weight--and remember, the 2nd week is usually the time when they don't lose much, thanks to their often-huge first week loss.

Drama

The producers always try to stir up a little drama, which isn't necessary at all, because that's not what we watch the show for. We watch (or at least I do) to be inspired by a group of people who are transforming their lives.

The John vs. Sunny thing was quickly resolved, though, and as I said earlier, we'll have to see if John is on good behavior from here on out.

SPOILER ALERT!!!

I'm sorry, but I wasn't sad at all to see Boston Johnny go home. It annoys me like crazy when I see contestants get on the show--a chance thousands of people would give a LOT for--and whine and moan and constantly talk about quitting.

I'm truly glad that Johnny was able to successfully lose weight at home--I'm really happy for him. But I'm not going to miss him.

What did you think? Let me know in my comments!

Biggest Loser Update: Off and Running!

(Note: My "update" of The Biggest Loser is really more about my impressions than an actual retelling of everything that happened in the show)

So, one of my favorite shows ever is back! Here are some of my thoughts:

Dolvett (one of the new trainers)-I think I love him. Not only does he have a smile that would light up Dallas, he seems to be the perfect mixture of tough and caring. I'm looking for good things from him.

The age factor: I'm not sure how I feel about the teams being divided up according to age.

I know Survivor did this before, but I just don't see how older people can compete with younger ones...even morbidly obese younger ones. Maybe they'll prove me wrong. They didn't seem to slack off in the weight loss department last night.

And--I know this is terrible, because I would actually be IN the oldest group--the older ones just kind of bore me a little. Not necessarily because of their age, but their personalities just don't appeal to me very much, at least at this point.

And one more thing. It never ceases to amaze me that some people come on the show and are surprised by the intensity of the workouts. Do you not WATCH THE SHOW???? I can clearly see how hard the work-outs are, which is one reason I would never try to go on the show!

Anna--Put me in the jury's-still-out category. Sure, she's a great athlete, but possessing skills and abilities doesn't always equal being able to parlay them to others. She is definitely no Jillian.

She does seem sweet...but her attempts at being hard-nosed and tough came off a bit lame, at least for me.

Bob, of course, is still wonderful Bob--a mainstay of the show. His talk with Antone--the former NFL player--was classic Bob, clearly indicative of the way he can motivate people with a combination of tough love, genuine compassion, and belief in what they can accomplish. No wonder people love him so much.

Do you have a favorite yet? I don't...I think it's going to take at least one more show before everyone starts to gel and you really see what they're like. I must say, I'm rooting for Antone to succeed.

What do you think about the new season? Any thoughts on Anna and Dolvett? Let me know in my comments section!

Some practical ways to make your life less stressful...

We all talk about trying to cut down stress in our lives, but with today's fast-paced lifestyles, how in the world do you actually do that?

I found this "poster" that offers some concrete, practical, doable ways to do so. I would add one thing: make prayer a regular part of your life.

(Can I say, I really love "learn a new doodle"? I'm a chronic doodler, but my go-to doodle is bunches of little flowers. I do need a new one!)

Check this out:

Source: la-petite-duchesse.tumblr.com via Cindy on Pinterest

Thoughts on this season's Biggest Loser

via

Olivia Ward's amazing transformation

Listen to my 4-minute podcast, or just read the post below!





Well, I finally--belatedly--was able to watch the Biggest Loser season finale, and since I've been commenting on it all season long, I thought I'd wrap it up with my final thoughts.

First of all, I am really glad Olivia won! To be honest, the sisters--Hannah and Olivia--weren't my favorites from the beginning. Although I'm all about sisterhood, their giddy comments and "OMG!"s occasionally got on my nerves.

As the season progressed, though, I grew to really admire those two. Their all-out determination and gung-ho attitude and competitive spirits impressed me.

It eventually became clear to me, just in recent weeks, that it was actually Olivia that I wanted to win it all.

I'm sure Hannah is an awesome girl, and kudos to her for all she's accomplished. I think she looked lovely at the finale.

But it just seemed to me that Olivia was a bit more mature, her spirit and attitude a bit more seasoned and balanced. I just felt that she would be a terrific spokeswoman for The Biggest Loser. So I was truly delighted when she won it all.


Olivia on Access Hollywood

Now for just a few random comments about the finale...

...Congrats to Deni for winning the at-home competition! I always thought she was a sweet and lovely lady, and she certainly went the distance at home.

...I read that Rulon was invited to appear at the finale, despite the fact that he had left the show voluntarily and couldn't be part of the at-home competition, but the show's producers never heard back from him. Kinda weird. Rulon was never my favorite, but I would have liked to have seen him again.

...Is trainer Cara pregnant, or has she just been choosing clothes that really emphasize her slightly bulging tummy? My husband pointed it out on one of the last shows, and her dress really emphasized it at the finale, but nothing was said. In fact, it seemed Cara was rather slighted when it came to any attention given to the trainers.

...I've also read that Brett and Cara are not going to be back on the show. When they introducted Anna Kournakova, I assumed she would be replacing Jillian but that the new trainers would be back. Bummer. I really grew to like Brett and Cara.

...Random question...why do the returning female contestants feel the need to dress as skimpily as possible? I know they're proud to show off their new bodies, but some of them should realize that everything isn't worthy of being displayed. In fact, some of the dresses can be downright unflattering. (By the way, I'm not talking about Olivia or even Hannah here--they looked amazingly toned in their dresses.)

For example, some of them just don't have pretty legs--do you really need to display them in a miniskirt? And when trying on those strapless dresses, shouldn't the question "How is this going to make my arms look while I'm waving to the audience?" be one to consider?

Don't get me wrong, I totally applaud these women for accomplishing something that is VERY difficult, and I can understand their justifiable pride in their new bodies. I'm just saying, maybe they don't need to bare quite as much as they do. End of mini-rant. :)

Still one of my faves

All in all, despite its excesses, audience manipulation and sometimes manufactured drama, The Biggest Loser remains one of my very favorite shows. I love the transformations that take place. I get inspired by the hard work and dedication of the contestants. I end up truly caring about the participants.

I already can't wait until the next season!

5 Health Reasons Not to Quit Coffee

via

I love coffee! I consider it one of the creature comforts of life, even though I usually limit myself to two cups in the morning. So when I heard my radio colleague Scot Bertram on News/Talk 144o WROK talk about this article this morning, I knew I had to blog about it.

I'm going to just hit the high points here...be sure and go to the original article for all the details!

1. It protects your heart: Moderate coffee drinkers (1 to 3 cups/day) have lower rates of stroke than noncoffee drinkers, an effect linked to coffee’s antioxidants. Coffee has more antioxidants per serving than blueberries, making it the biggest source of antioxidants in American diets.


via

2.It diverts diabetes: Those antioxidants (chlorogenic acid and quinides, specifically) play another role: boosting your cells’ sensitivity to insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar.

via


3. Your liver loves it: OK, so the research here is limited, but it looks like the more coffee people drink, the lower their incidence of cirrhosis and other liver diseases.

Isn't this the cutest ring??? You can get one here

4. It boosts your brain power: Drinking between 1 and 5 cups a day (admittedly a big range) may help reduce risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as Parkinson’s disease, studies suggest. T

5. It helps your headaches: And not just the withdrawal headaches caused by skipping your daily dose of caffeine! Studies show that 200 milligrams of caffeine—about the amount in 16 ounces of brewed coffee—provides relief from headaches, including migraines

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Of course, coffee does have its pitfalls, and you can find out about those at the original article as well.

In the meantime, it's good to know that while I'm enjoying my morning cup of joe, I'm doing some good things for my health!

Speaking of coffee....

I have to share the cutest idea I found on Amber's blog, Life...Unscripted. Amber came up with the cutest, craftiest way to use those Starbucks coffee sleeves--make a little coffee recipe book out of them and give it to a coffee-loving friend!

I just had to pass that along!