A few days ago, my teenage daughter informed me that she was no longer going to eat processed food. According to her health teacher at school, processed food is “bad” for you and contributes to “fatness” (her term), cancer, and depression. Hmmm…very interesting. I looked at the apple she was slicing while telling me her …

Last night at dinner I almost choked on my pork roast because I looked over at my 12 year-old son…and he was dishing more asparagus onto his empty plate! For some of you, this may seem like an occasion that should be completely over-looked, but for me, I wanted to light fireworks in my backyard …

I just finished conducting my first ever Weight Loss Boot Camp.  I have to admit that when I started, I was a bit skeptical.  At our first kick off meeting I had 15 pair of eyes staring at me and waiting for me to transform their lives – YIKES – how in the world would …

When I was in college, my roommate decided to go on a diet. She loved chocolate and knew that she couldn’t live without it. She decided to create her own diet and call it “the chocolate diet.” She figured out she needed to eat around 1500 calories each day to lose weight, so she created …

MAGIC. People, myself included, often look for that magical “thing” that will transform their problem into something that is instantly solved. It would be awesome if there really were such a pill that was so magical, we wouldn’t have to put forth effort into the list of things we are trying to change about ourselves. …

When I was in college, I was a cheerleader and it seemed like those football games went on and on and on…. forever. Around hour three of standing on my feet and jumping around, I was TIRED. It wasn’t until later in college in my food science and nutrition classes that I discovered part of …

I have mentioned in my previous blogs that I tend to break one of my most cardinal rules of good nutrition by pushing back breakfast until it becomes lunch. I don’t do this intentionally, but more because of the crazy morning rush of life. As I evaluate my nutrition goals for the New Year, I …

I LOVE Diet Coke. If I thought it would go well with oatmeal, I might actually drink it with breakfast. I know I am a dietitian, and I should know better than to have such a vice, but if it’s my treat of the day, I’ll take it. The problem is, sometimes (well, a lot) …

I absolutely love Christmas—I love all holidays—but Christmas holds a sentimental magic that cannot be duplicated any other time of year. Along with Christmas lights, trees, presents, tinsel, and joy, come neighbors. Neighbors who bear gifts of calories. The kind of calories that come in shiny wrappers and colorful boxes and taunt us as they …

Every night before my eleven-year-old son goes to bed, my husband has him say to himself, “I am a great basketball player” three times. We have all heard of positive affirmations and saying nice things to ourselves, but it is not just a “mumbo jumbo” idea. The gravity of what we say to ourselves is …