Grilled chicken and zucchini

Hi there! I had another recipe request this weekend, so here is my family's stand-by summer supper. You can easily adjust for more people by simply adding more chicken and zucchini to the mix, seasoning to taste. Voila!

• 2 4-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1T Mrs Dash Chicken Grilling Blend
• 1 large zucchini, ends removed and sliced lengthwise
  
• 2T good-quality extra-virgin olive oil (I prefer Morea unfiltered)
  
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat an outdoor gas grill to low. While the grill is heating up, sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts evenly with Mrs Dash, drizzle zucchini with oil and season it with salt and pepper.

Once your grill is hot, place the chicken and the zucchini directly on the source of heat. (If you have a vegetable rack or broiler pan, you can place the zucchini on that first, and then over the flame to avoid losing any stragglers in the fire.) Cook the chicken breasts for six to eight minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. The zucchini should cook until tender in about the same amount of time, but you can move it to the upper rack or flip the slices more frequently if you're noticing more char accumulating than you prefer.

Serve hot, right off the grill; serves two.

That's it! With farm-fresh zucchini and quick-cooking chicken breasts, this meal comes together quickly and affordably. Mrs Dash is a no-MSG seasoning, but of course you can substitute in your preferred spice blend or fresh herbs and citrus. A little garlic and fresh lemon juice would be another fast, simple preparation if you have the ingredients on hand.

I would suggest rounding out the meal with a whole-wheat roll and some fresh fruit for dessert. That way you're getting two servings of fruit and vegetables, a whole grain, healthy fat and some filling protein. Good food that's good for you. Enjoy!

My favorite day of the week

I can't believe I've been writing this blog for more than three months now and I've yet to dedicate an entire post to my all-time favorite Saturday ritual: farmer's market, Caribou Coffee, library.

I'm sure I've mentioned it in passing, but Saturday is my favorite day of the week not just because there's no work involved — not even the winding-down portion of Sunday can hold a candle to Saturday's free relief — it's the absolute best for me and my family because of our special weekend routine.

The whole morning I don't sleep well, waiting for 7:30 to arrive when I really should roll out of bed and take a shower (I refuse to set an alarm on the weekends). I do hair, make-up and a few wardrobe changes — the weather is rather unpredictable here in Chicago — all the while watching the clock, waiting again for a "decent" hour to call my mom and see what her status is. From there a sort of three-way phone tag ensues between us and my sister: Well, I'm ready if you're ready. Are you ready? I can be out of the house in about 15 minutes. Okay, we'll meet you there. A few last-minute preparations and I'm breezing happily out the door.

The Downtown Downers Grove Market specifically is what makes Saturday my favorite day of the week. To see so many people lazily strolling from stall to stall, supporting the local farmers and making healthy choices for themselves too, picking up fresh fruits and vegetables all in season and so flavorful and delicious — there's absolutely nothing I'd rather do on a Saturday morning.

I think farmers' markets in general get a bad rap and are unfairly categorized as overpriced and earthy-crunchy. But when was the last time you took home three baseball-bat sized zucchinis from your local chain grocery store? Can you get a cheddar-Parmesan blend that's soaked in raspberry ale at Jewel-Osco? How about farm-fresh eggs, laid yesterday? I highly doubt that.

It's not only about what you can and can't get in terms of flavor, freshness and quality. Supporting your local farmers also means giving back to the community, helping the environment and — of course — improving your health. How?

In simple terms, by making a weekly trip to a farmer's market you're putting money back into your home town and its surrounding communities. You're helping to keep these farms in business, and you're strengthening the local economy. Every head of broccoli you buy from them is one less you're buying from Wal-Mart. Wouldn't you rather hand your money over to the farmer himself than some nameless cashier in a blue smock?

By buying the strawberries at the market, you're also encouraging the reduction of our nation’s dependence on fossil fuels. Strawberries, used as an example here, often come from California or Mexico. Here in Illinois, the most delicious berries I've tasted come from right here in the southern part of the state or from nearby Michigan. Basic math, people. 2,000 miles or 200? The closer a farm is to you, the less fossil fuel is needed to transport these delicious fruits and veggies to your table. For more on why this is so important, click here.

In terms of your health, the farmer's market offers a multitude of benefits. First off, just going to the market is better than going to the grocery store for the bulk of your shopping because you aren't faced with as much temptation — you can't exactly pick up a pack of Oreos and buy-one-get-one-free potato chips at a green market. Second, lots of organic foods are sold at farmer's markets, and many studies show that organic foods contain up to 50% more vitamins and minerals than conventionally farmed produce. Not convinced yet? Try this once, and you'll be hooked: Go to your local farmer's market, pick out a soft plum with a sweet aroma (indicating ripeness), take a bite and let the sugary juices dribble right down your chin and onto the pavement below. You'll fall in love right then and there, and you'll never eat — or try to force feed anyone in your family — another drab, hard, tasteless plum again.

Last but not least, of course, the farmer's market for me has become a joyous time to reunite and catch up with family members. We set off together and often run into other friends and our extended family, and the smiling faces of The Cheese People and other purveyors bring us even more laughs. It's something we do for our physical health, but it also provides a great amount of mental and emotional relaxation and enjoyment.

I hope I've led you to consider making a weekly trip to your nearest farmer's market, and if there isn't one close by, consider the perks of a local CSA, a Community Supported Agriculture program. They're springing up all across the country, and in some cases you can even get the goodies delivered right to your door. It's a great way to eat and a great way to live — and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Hot child in the city

With the summer solstice finally bringing a blast of hot weather and humidity to Chicago this week, at last it feels like I remember from last year, my first full summer in the new house since we moved — steamy upstairs, refreshingly cool downstairs, fans and air conditioning and cold drinks aplenty. Ahhhh, summer.

The word itself instantly conjures up a multitude of images in my mind: Swimming pools, fireworks, flip flops and barbecues, to start. Hot and sunny vacations; traditional Fourth of July celebrations. Birthdays (lots in my family from May through July); long weekends; bathing suits and everything white that I couldn't wear before Memorial Day.

Come to think of it, it's actually kind of scary. Swimming pools, white and bathing suits all in the same sentence? God help me. Did it really happen again? Here I am, at the start of another fabulous party season, wishing I had tighter abs and miracle cellulite creams? Half-dreading an invite to the local pool? Guiltily shopping in a size I'd rather was missing a digit? Sigh. Yes, it really did happen again. I'm here, as another summer rolls around, wishing I'd eaten more cleanly during the winter, longing to run in marathons, hoping that I don't look as bad as I think I do in everything — from my tee shirt and shorts to my PJs to my (ack) bikini.

I know I'm overdramatizing — surprise, surprise — but I'd bet that 98% of women half-dread summer just like I do. (The other 2% are the models.) So now that time's up again, I figure it's all I can do to eat right and live well DURING summer, not just look back and wish I would have done it sooner. Writing this blog also gives me renewed motivation every day to practice what I preach, and it's definitely better to go into the summer party season with a plan than to come out on the other end even heavier. Here, below, are some tips on avoiding summer's top diet pitfalls.

• Hot weather — often leaves you with zero desire to create more heat by cooking in the kitchen. What to do? Don't be so quick to fall into the take-out trap! My number one tactic, of course, is to get my husband to cook outside on the grill. Turkey burgers, veggies, even fruit for dessert. If that's not an option and you can't stomach the thought of turning on the oven, try a chilled soup and sandwich combo, an oversized everything-but-the-kitchen-sink salad, breakfast for dinner (yogurt, fresh fruit, toast, juice) or pick up a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store on your way home from work. That's a "take-out" option that can take you in many directions — chicken salad, chicken tacos, you name it.
• Vacation — it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. You're having so much fun relaxing, traveling and acting the tourist that your lax attitude tends to carry over to the breakfast buffet and happy hour and every hour in between. What to do? Remember the idea of balance. A vacation is not a free pass to indulge all week long and ruin all the progress you've made up until then. So if you have a late night drinking one night, enjoy a light and healthy breakfast of fresh fruit and yogurt the next morning. If you're taking in more calories because at home you usually don't eat lunch out, order an appetizer and a side at dinner, not an entire entree. And, of course, don't ditch the idea of working out just because you're away. Do some quick crunches and push-ups in the hotel room before showering for dinner, or sign up for a yoga class at the fitness center — exercise CAN be relaxing, and it would compliment your vacation mentality well.
• Summer barbecues — you think grilling is healthy, but pile on the potato salad, roll, baked beans and ice cream and you've probably eaten three meals' worth of calories and fat in one sitting. What to do? Eyeball the offerings first, and pick the dishes that most resemble their original form in nature. Grilled chicken (preferably not slathered in barbecue sauce), corn on the cob (avoid real butter and margarine; opt for the trans fat-free kind) and salad — greens, fruit, whatever's available — should fill your plate. Dessert is fine, but if it's a larger portion be sure to share it with a friend. Either that or make fruit your dessert — in season, it'll be more sweet and satisfying than any store-bought sugar bomb.
• Baseball and apple pie — or, rather, leave the pie at Grandma's. Baseball games for me used to mean hot dogs and beer, but I've come a long way, baby! Most major parks these days offer an enormous selection in terms of both traditional American fare and international cuisine. What to do? Order a turkey sandwich. Usually near the hot dog stand you can also find a sandwich stand with basic offerings. While fruit is pretty much nonexistent at a ball game, if you need something to fill you up on the side go for the classic shelled peanuts. You'll take more time eating them from the shell, the salty goodness will calm your craving for fries or chips and you'll get a healthy dose of filling protein.
• Street festivals and art fairs and concerts, oh my! I could share with you my...umm..."fond" memories of the Taste of Chicago, but it probably wouldn't translate well on line. The point is, most festival food is hot, greasy and comes on a stick. No thanks! While I love Italian food, for example, you'll never find me at the fried ravioli and pizza stand. What to do? If you can't find anything even remotely resembling fruit (so cool and refreshing when the sun is beating down!), seek out a grill stand and look for a boneless, skinless chicken breast and grilled vegetables. Stay away from the lemonade loaded with sugar and stick to bottled water — you'll need it to stay hydrated in the heat.
• Tropical drinks galore! Summer is the season for daiquiris, coladas and anything pink and fruity. What to do? The best thing you can drink to stay in the low-cal range is white wine. Five ounces is an ideal size, and that should be a standard pour at a restaurant or bar. If white wine doesn't agree with you or isn't available, order a beverage with clear spirits rather than dark rum or whiskey. Clear liquor is better for you (not as heavy/will not leave you as foggy in the morning) and if you add real fruit juce as your mixer rather than soda, you'll avoid tons of sugar calories. Stick to a two-drink minimum — stretching your drinks out by sipping water or seltzer in between — and you'll never ruin your night by drinking rather than eating your calories.

With these tips you may actually even end up losing weight this summer! At the very least, they'll help you feel light and easy, not anxious every time you get invited to an event and guilty for overindulging. When it comes down to it, summer is a time to enjoy tastes and activities that you can't take advantage of during the rest of the year — so don't deprive yourself, but rather learn how to make equally delicious, healthy swaps such as these. It can change your whole outlook on pool parties, barbecues and — you never know — maybe even yourself. I know every time I make a good choice, I'm one step closer to feeling good about myself and one step farther from doing everything I can to avoid putting on a bathing suit! Remember: You've got to eat great to be great — and that's the truth no matter the season.

Navigating the supermarket

If there's one domestic task I love, it's grocery shopping. No matter the market, the time of day or the length of my list, don't rush me when I'm studying prices and smelling melons. I think it's the only place in the world where I actually relish the awful fluorescent lighting and horrible choice of music.

Grocery shopping can make or break your diet. After all, if the chocolate bar doesn't make it into your cart, you have zero chance of eating it after lunch. On the other hand, if you find a good purveyor of produce and dedicate yourself to shopping there religiously, your cart can turn into a veritable rainbow of colors, vitamins, nutrients and — of course! — sabor. Flavor. Taste. What lots of people think is absolutely nonexistent when you're "on a diet."

Because you have a limitless supply of good and evil on all the shelves that surround you at the supermarket, it's important to enter forewarned and well prepared. Here are some tried and true tips if, unlike me, the yellow lighting and Muzak leave you less than thrilled to make the weekly jaunt.

• Make a list. An obvious place to start, right? But how many times have you gone to the store for one or two things and ended up spending $50 on stuff you didn't really need? It's bad for your wallet and your waistline. Going to the store prepared not only keeps your trip quick, organized and streamlined but it also keeps you from branching out and filling your cart with extras — ice cream on sale in the freezer isle, candy bars at the checkout. Let's be honest here: I think you're more likely to impulse-buy junk than you are to say, "Oh wow! Would you just look at those grapes. Divine! Must. Have. Now." So make a list and stick to it.
• Know when to go. If you have the luxury of time and can arrange your shopping trip accordingly, try scoping out your local grocery store on Wednesday nights, preferably after 9 pm. Any night after 9 you'll find less shoppers and anxiety-inducing checkout lines, but on Wednesdays specifically, most grocers experience a midweek lull. Lots of shoppers tend to take care of business on the weekends (worst time ever!), making "hump day" a seriously slow day at the local Piggly Wiggly. Taking a leisurely stroll through the isles will allow you to keep your cool, stick to your list, use the self checkout calmly — all important points if you keep reading.
  
• Work the periphery. You've probably heard this before, and it's the best rule of all. All of the major food groups are around the edges of every grocery store: Produce, meat and dairy should form the bulk of what's in your cart each trip. The middle of the store is filled with packaged, processed foods, and although you'll have to peep in and out for basic staples like rice and pasta, for the most part you should stay away from these shelves, loaded with preservatives and unpronouncable ingredients.
• Hit the dairy isle last. When it comes to eggs, cheese and milk, we all know that freshness matters most. Come here last, and your perishables will spend less time at room temperature, will stay fresher longer and you'll be able to take advantage of the full life of all your products and the health benefits that go along with them — calcium, filling protein and vitamin D for strong bones and teeth. After all, the most expensive food in your fridge is the food you throw out — so keep it cool and don't let anything go to waste.
  
• Don't fall prey to weekly specials and coupons if what's advertised is less than healthy. End caps, towers and brightly colored signs will attract your attention — they're there to do precisely that — but just because something's on sale doesn't mean you should buy it. And unfortunately, packaged and processed foods are more likely to be buy-one-get-one-free than mangoes and organic packs of spinach. (Don't even get me started.) Do what I do: Avert your eyes — literally — and once you find what you're looking for, then you can determine whether or not it's on sale, or which comparable brand you can afford. Don't do the reverse, buying what's on sale and justifying a way to use it later.
• Start taking note of the prices of the products you most often purchase. I admit to struggling each month trying to meet my food budget (read: I always go over), and as a result there are times when I focus more on price than I do on nutrition. I hate it when that happens! But if you're able to eat affordably, you're able to eat better. If you suspect that your local chain may not be offering you the best prices, shop around. Never turn away from a produce aisle because you've already filled your cart and are nearing your budget. Rather, weed out the more expensive stores, and once you're there, fill your cart with the good stuff first. Only spend on treats if you have money left over. See? I'm saving you calories and cents.
  
• Limit your treats. I'd rather you not eliminate treats all together, but obviously if you're strapped for cash you should focus more on fueling your body than indulging your sweet tooth. However. If you set a limit to begin with — two is my personal favorite — you can often work that smaller number into both your budget and your diet. Plan out the two treats you want to have around for the week (low-fat frozen yogurt and Sun Chips, for example) and you won't be scrambling at the grocery store, faced with multiple temptations, unable to say no.
• Enlist a friend. Not sure if the yearly fee is worth it at the big-box stores? Try joining Costco or Sam's Club with a friend or sibling. Split the fee and make monthly trips together — you'll have an equal with you each time you go, and who wants to be the oddball, taking home three-pound boxes of Oreos while your smart, skinny friend is stocking up on organic apples and OJ? With someone there to keep you accountable, you're much less likely to slip up and end up with a three-month supply of artery-clogging fat and cholesterol.
• Read books... There are some great resources in the diet and exercise section of your local book store or library that can actually help you with your grocery shopping, believe it or not. My latest obsession? The Eat This, Not That Supermarket Survival Guide. You'll be shocked not only by what products you probably commonly buy that you can find better alternatives for but also by what the food industry lets slide in terms of quality control for a lot of packaged and processed foods. Want a teaser? Let's just say I bet you don't think you're eating rat hairs and insect pieces when you open up a can of pineapple slices or tomatoes. YUCK.
• ...and of course, read labels. You can let books and common sense do the work for you sometimes, but if you're trying to decide between two products, for example, check the list of ingredients. The better product is the item with a shorter list of pronouncable ingredients, not the one with mono- and trans- and hydrogenated whatevers. And don't think that just because something is organic means that it's good for you — even if it's in the "natural foods" isle, organic junk food is still junk food. If sugar's one of the top five ingredients, leave it on the shelf.
• Use the self checkout. This is another tactic that will help you stave off mindless purchases and mindless eating. After all, who wants to self check out 10 for $10 boxes of Lucky Charms? You may even prefer to use a basket rather than a cart when you're making a routine trip to replenish pantry items like canned beans, pasta sauce and spices. Being mindful when you're shopping can definitely help you follow through in order to be more mindful when you're making and eating your meals, too.

The next time you're headed out for groceries, remember these tips. Trying to pick the right thing doesn't have to be an anxiety-inducing ritual. Food shopping should be about picking the freshest, most nutritious and delicious ingredients that inspire you to cook and feed your body whole, healthy meals. There are lots of resources out there to help you pick the right items, of course, but it often comes down to your palate and common sense. Stick with the produce, stay away from the junk and you'll already be light-years ahead of where you may have once been. Remember — you've got to eat great to be great, and the pattern starts here.

Quick and healthy eats

I received a request today for some good, healthy recipe suggestions for young adults on the go (and we're all on the go these days)! So first of all, thanks for the request. Now, let's get to it!

I've chosen one recipe for each main category — breakfast, snack, lunch, dinner and, if you're entertaining at all, an appetizer recipe and an easy dessert to put together. If these go over well, I'd be happy to post more.

Breakfast
Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day, because it gets your metabolism revved up and ready to go. Why skip it when you can have something this delicious, fast and good for you?

English Muffin Sammie
Whole-wheat English muffins are a much better choice than a bagel (read: less calories), and when you put this together it's an infinitely healthier version than a McMuffin.

1 Thomas' 100% Whole Wheat English Muffin
1 egg
1 slice part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 slice tomato
1/4 ripe avocado, sliced

Pop the English muffin in the toaster. Crack the egg into a microwave-safe ramekin or small bowl, pierce the yolk with a fork and cover the dish with a paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds or until desired doneness. (If you have a little more time, you can also cook it on the stove with a little cooking spray — it fills out the muffin better that way.) While the egg is cooking/cooling, slice your tomato and avocado.

If you want your cheese a little more melted, stop cooking the egg at 30 seconds and, when the English muffin is toasted, plop the egg and cheese on it and nuke it in 15-second intervals, until the cheese is sufficiently gooey. Arrange the tomato and avocado atop your breakfast sammie, and you're good to go — you're getting a healthy dose of fiber, protein, carbs and good fat to set you on your way. Wrap in aluminum foil if transporting, to maintain deliciousness. If you want a fruit to go with it, grapes are great on the go. Enjoy!

Snack
Contrary to popular belief, snacking does not have to be bad for you — it's all about portion control and what you choose. For something easy and on the go, try grabbing two Wasa Light Rye crackers and a string cheese. If you don't have a fridge at work, check out Justin's Classic Almond Butter Squeeze Packs — so perfect for transport, and almond butter has more fiber than peanut butter. Good deal!

Lunch
One of my favorite things to eat for lunch is a salad — but one I can make at home, not some calorie bomb at the local all-you-can-eat. Chef's salads can be surprisingly healthy and filling, as long as you choose the right ingredients.

Chef's Salad
3c bagged salad greens of your choice (romaine, arugula and spinach beat iceberg any day)
1.5oz low-fat ham (Oscar Mayer Shaved Honey Ham is a healthy pick; just grab a few slices if you don't have a food scale), chopped
1.5oz sliced turkey breast (Hillshire Farms Deli Select Premium Hearty Slices Honey Roasted Turkey Breast is a winner), chopped
1 slice low-fat Swiss cheese, chopped
1/4c pre-chopped green peppers
1/4c pre-chopped onion
Oil and vinegar, salt and pepper for dressing

The only thing you need to chop for this recipe is the lunch meat and cheese, which you can always do ahead if you like the salad and want to eat it more than once a week. Put the lettuce at the bottom of a large to-go container (I like these). Top with meats, cheese, peppers and onions and, if you're taking it to work for the day, store the dressing in a separate container.

You can add any number of things to this salad, or mix and match — a slice of bacon wouldn't hurt, some chopped tomato, or a chopped hard-boiled egg in place of the turkey — just be sure you balance out any higher-calorie toppings with lots of dense, fibrous vegetables if you start to want to pile things on. Raw broccoli is also filling, crunchy and delicious in salads. And be sure you don't go overboard on the dressing — you can't get much healthier than oil and vinegar, but if you're just starting out trying to watch your portion sizes, you're better off measuring and learning as you go — for example, one tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil mixed with one teaspoon of red wine vinegar. A few grinds of pepper and a shake of salt should do you just fine.

I'd round out this meal with an apple and a square of 70% dark chocolate. Yum!

Dinner
Most of us tend to overeat at dinner time just because it's commonly perceived as normal for it to be the biggest meal of the day. I like the "Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper" philosophy, but I know it can be hard to get used to. This is a healthy dinner that should satisfy you without weighing you down.

Grilled Chicken with Asparagus
1 3-oz chicken breast, butterflied and pounded rather thin (alternatively, you could use something like Perdue Fit & Easy Thin Sliced Boneless Breasts)
No-MSG Greek seasoning
1c asparagus, tough ends snapped off
1t EVOO
Salt and pepper to season

Heat a grill pan over medium-high to high heat, until it sizzles when the meat touches the surface. Season the chicken with the Greek seasoning and drizzle the aspargus with the olive oil. Season the veg with salt and pepper and put it in the grill pan with the chicken (I prefer chicken toward the top half, veg at the bottom).

Cook the chicken for three to five minutes on each side, turning with tongs as it browns. Move the asparagus around frequently to ensure that all the spears get cooked evenly. When finished cooking, dress the asparagus with the oil and seasoning, and serve together, hot, with the cooked chicken. (Jazz it up with a little hot sauce if you must.)

If you don't have the time, space or inkling to cook on a grill pan, warehouse clubs like Costco and BJ's often sell precooked chicken breasts (just check the portion size and trim them down as necessary). Steam the asparagus in a Ziplock Zip'n Steam bag (instructions are right there on the package!), season and you're good to go.

This meal would be delicious served with a five-ounce glass of red wine (yea heart benefits!), a whole-wheat roll and some sliced strawberries for dessert. Voila!

Entertaining
Whether you're the host or hostess or just helping somebody out, no one wants to worry about whipping up an appetizer at the last minute, while you're simultaneously trying to find clean clothes, appropriate footwear and the car keys. My advice? Make an old standby.

Cheese Platter
Go to your local cheese shop or gourmet market and pick out an interesting assortment of different kinds of cheese — hard/sharp cheese (think Parmesan), soft creamy ones (goat) and blue cheese (Cambezola is fab). They'll let you taste the cheese first if you're worried about stink factor.

Arrange the cheeses on a platter or cutting-board type server with several small knives, and always cut a slice from each one first so that there are no "I don't want to be the first one" jitters from party guests.

Garnish the plate with red and green grapes, cherries, figs — whatever's in season — or perhaps some roasted nuts. That's it!! Don't worry about using full-fat cheeses — stick to eating one-ounce portions (about the size of your index finger) and you'll be fine. With good cheese, a little goes a long way.

Dessert
I thought we'd never get here! My fave. Easiest healthy/yummy dessert ever? I've got you covered.

Angel Food Cake with Raspberry Sauce
1 store-bought angel food cake
1/2pt raspberries
1/2c water
1/4c sugar

Make the raspberry sauce by simply combining all ingredients in a small sauce pan and bringing them to a boil. Cool the sauce and strain out the seeds (recommended).

Slice the cake and drizzle the sauce over each portion with a spoon. (Garnish with whipped cream and mint, if desired — NOT "whipped topping," which, believe it or not, has trans fats.) Angel food cake has only about 70 calories per serving, so you can feel good about this.

I hope you enjoy these ideas. Let me know how they work out!

Doubt

I'm really into one-word titles these days, aren't I? C'est la vie.

I'm also all about using multiple tools, support groups and strategies to develop and maintain an ever-healthier lifestyle (nice transition, right?). One day I stumbled across a great new-to-me website, Calorie Count, which offers a platform for blogs, group discussions and various diet "threads." I posted a message indicating that I wanted to create a group for women with nutritional goals similar to my own, and within minutes we had a new club — all of us friendly, excited and ready to take off down the path to better health. For most of us that included weight loss, be it anywhere from 10 to 30 pounds, and other goals crept in along the way: taking up yoga, developing more muscle tone, cutting out red meat.

Week after week we weigh in, for so long now that I think all of us have lost track of what week we're on...but it's likely in the 20s already. After the first week a couple members resigned themselves to the fact that this wasn't going to work out and promptly said their goodbyes and good lucks. As the weeks went on, it kept dwindling down to fewer and fewer of us. Finally, we're at less than half of our original membership.

Typical, I suppose. It's natural to feel a sort of eager anticipation when you're doing something for the first time — but often there's an equal resistance to that change, conscious or not, out of fear, habit or (the worst) an endless list of excuses.

Reading some great articles in all the back issues of Yoga Journal that I've been taking out of the library has helped me to better understand that there are lots of reasons why we feel like giving up sometimes — we have doubts, let's face it — but there are just as many ways to move past pesky roadblocks and achieve success, whether it's in dieting or a relationship or your career. Below is a list of common reasons and excuses that often make us heave a long sigh and give up on leading a healthier lifestyle — and ways to go around these obstacles and set off down the road toward finally becoming your best self.

• Fear. Fear is quite possibly the biggest obstacle along anyone's path to change, and although the word on its own may seem too vague and implausible when it comes to diet and weight loss, fear can manifest itself in many ways. Perhaps what's stopping you from setting (let alone achieving) goals is the ultimate fear of failure. You've failed yourself, or perhaps your spouse, or perhaps even your children. What to do about it? Tell them you're afraid. Confide in your loved ones that you need their support — even if they're going through their own struggles — and you just might feel better for having done so. Ask for specifics — don't buy any more chips at the gas station, please, honey; kids, let Mommy have some alone time every Thursday for her yoga session, 'kay? And if you're on your own? Don't ignore the power of positive self talk. You can do this. You are not a failure. There is no such thing as a "bad person." Do your best, try your hardest and when you hit a rough patch, rethink your goal, take a breath and refocus your energy. You don't have to lose steam and give up as an automatic reflex.
• Guilt. I've already written extensively about this topic on a recent post, but I'll mention here again that women generally carry around too much of this toxic emotion, and it's got to stop. Don't feel guilty because you're spending time meal-planning instead of dusting. Don't feel guilty that you're spending more money on organic chicken when you know your husband is silently criticizing you, wondering if it's really worth it. Don't feel guilty when someone looks at you enviously, asking how it is that you could have possibly lost so much weight. You are worth it! You earned it — now own it, sans guilt. There's no need for it.
  
• Money. This can tie into the first two points, of course, but it's important to realize that taking care of yourself doesn't always mean shelling out big bucks. I quit the gym to save money earlier this year. Go ahead, raise your eyebrows at that. I've never regretted it. I take out diet and fitness books, cookbooks and workout DVDs from the library each week, and little did I know it was probably boredom at the gym that also contributed to my desire to quit. Now I have at my disposal brand new tools to help me fight fat and build muscle week after week. Yes, organic food may cost more in some instances. But if you put a little elbow grease into your research, you can scout out the cheapest vendor at the farmer's market, the grocery store with the best specials and the products that slim your waist, not your wallet. This is all about eliminating excuses, so don't roll your eyes at these suggestions. Just keep at it if you really want to get healthy — and I'm sure you do, or you wouldn't be reading this.
  
• Boredom. Yes, another point that conveniently ties into my last one. Are you bored with your current fitness routine or diet? And I don't necessarily mean following some book or magazine article to the letter. Have you just lost your knack for cooking? You'd rather eat dirt than another piece of dry, overcooked chicken? Get on the internet! The web is full of diet and exercise tips — just stay away from the pages hawking speed (aka "diet") pills and ensuring a 14-lb weight loss in two days. Use your judgment here, people. Check out CookingLight.com for zillions of tasty, healthy recipes; Women's Health for exciting new workout routines; Oprah.com for a combination of the two and Reebok.com for running groups, playlists and inspiration. You can't POSSIBLY have an excuse to be bored now. I have a ton of other recommendations in this area, so if you want more, just ask.
  
• Time. (Or the lack thereof, obviously.) There's no arguing here, so I'll say it once and I won't say it again: You have to MAKE time. Don't shut your ears off at this one. People say it because it's true. If you can't exercise after work, get up a half hour earlier. (I'll be demonstrating this tactic in a few weeks — stay tuned!) If you absolutely 100% cannot do that, try walking around the neighborhood during your lunch break. I don't recommend eating at your desk, but if it's a tradeoff you have to make in order to move your body a little otherwise, so be it. For evening exercisers? Another revolutionary idea: Try going to sleep a half hour later. Of course, I know, sleep is important. But you never know how exercise will make you feel (read: LESS TIRED) until you establish a habit. Half an hour less sleep may have zero impact on your well-being, and yet the exercise will change your entire outlook on life. Please. Don't tell me you don't have time.
• Childcare. Okay, full disclosure: I do not have kids, so I may not be the best expert on this point. But I read. A lot. And I babysit for my neices and nephews. A lot. So learning through both literature and experience has taught me a few things. If you are a member of a gym, lots of facilities these days have built-in childcare at a reasonable price. It's worth the extra four bucks if it will get your butt to the gym, don't you agree? For non-gym-goers, try working out WITH your kids. Lift your baby up and down to do bicep curls. Engage your toddler in a game of tag out in the yard. Play some Wii tennis with your teen. If you get a little creative, you'll see that you can burn calories without putting in a traditional workout. Test the waters, see what works and stick with something that pleases the whole fam.

So please, even if it's just for one little soul out there (ME!), don't give up! Getting healthy by eating well and exercising doesn't have to be difficult, overwhelming or all-encompassing. Take baby steps along the way, make small but significant changes and remember all of these tips when you feel like throwing in the towel. Remember, too, that minor slip-ups are not get-out-of-diet free cards. A girl's night out or a holiday BBQ that put you over your calorie goal is not reason enough to say, "Oh, I can't do this. I'll never learn how to eat right. You only live once. I hate diets." You know what? I hate a lot of diets too. I hate unrealistic expectations, too-high standards and intimidating fitness plans. So after years of trying them all out and setting myself up for failure, this is the conclusion I've reached: Eating right and exercising IS my diet. And it's a diet I'm on for life. I do what I do to lower my triglycerides, increase my energy, lower my risk for cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's and high blood pressure and increase my life expectancy.

There is no end to this; there is no giving up. And it's a battle every day to make the right choices and say no to the wrong ones. Trust me on this — it sure feels good to win. You've got to eat great to be great — I don't know why you'd ever want to give up on that.

Guilt

On a recent outing with a friend I hadn't seen in quite some time, a few words kept spewing out of my mouth all night, as if I didn't have control over what I was saying. What were they? "I have a lot of guilt about that."

We talked about so much that I barely even remember why I kept uttering such spastic admissions of guilt, but it got to the point where it was so obvious and weird that my friend paused for a moment, looked at me, laughed and said, "You're not even Catholic!"

I laughed too, but I keep looking back on that evening and wondering why I had such an uncontrollable urge to tell all. Was it simply that it had been so long since we'd seen each other; we had a lot of catching up to do? If that was the case, what had the past three years been for me, full of shame and embarrassment? I haven't spent enough time thinking about it yet, but it's clear that I do carry a lot of guilt around every day — and I bet there are a lot of women out there like me.

We feel guilt that our houses aren't clean enough; guilt for having locked the keys inside the car. Guilty for not wanting to visit our in-laws; guilty for not paying attention when our loved ones explain to us the scintillating intricacies of the lines, HP and resale value of the new Camaro.

We even feel guilt for doing perfectly normal, everyday things — sleeping, watching TV, buying a new pair of shoes and, of course, EATING.

Stop for a minute with me here and put your head in your hands. Shake head in hands, back and forth, and repeat after me: What is wrong with us???

We can't even have a few bites of molten chocolate lava cake without thinking about it for the next two hours? We can't sleep past 7:30 on Saturday mornings (God forbid)? We can't read a few pages from the book that's been open to page 23 for the past four months because we should really be preparing lunches, doing laundry and vacuuming instead?

Maybe it's just me. Maybe these are my unique dilemmas, and I need to just CHILL OUT. But I honestly don't think so. Why else would we have zillions of magazine articles, websites, tweets and book clubs specifically designed to give us a break from our daily duties — some of that infamous "me time" — if we didn't crave it deep down within our souls?

I'm not sure if it's something that's been ingrained into our brains over time or if it's something we force upon ourselves unnecessarily (do you really think my house guest last week noticed that I scrubbed the quarter round under the breakfast bar on Friday?), but I do know, at least for me, that the guilt is sometimes too much, and something has to change. It's simply not healthy.

There are lots of ways to deal with food guilt, for example, the first being, of course, to not give in to temptation in the first place. I know that can be difficult (picturing apple pie), but it must be mentioned that prevention is key. Don't keep a lot of Malbec in the house if it's just going to encourage you to down half a bottle every night with dinner. Know your weaknesses and avoid them, within reason.

On the flip side, once you've already eaten two pieces of focaccia, veggies and dip, chips and salsa and a few chocolates, you're invariably packing your bags and heading out on a long guilt trip. Now what?

One of the keys is to start with your next bite. There is never, ever any reason to have the mentality that "Oh, I already went over my calorie budget for the day, so it really doesn't matter how much more I go over." Yes, it does! Every bite counts. If you're smart about it, you'll realize that it all needs to balance out at some point, and if you overdid it on appetizers you really shouldn't take that to mean that you can now continue to eat everything else in sight, all the way through dessert. Take a moment, take a breath, focus. Now does that second helping of pasta salad really seem necessary? Didn't think so.

Another tip I love is to just ignore the guilt — after you've given it its 15 seconds of fame, that is. Say it in your head or say it out loud: Man, I should not have eaten that third slice of pizza. Okay. It's a thought. It happened, it's done, it's over. Let it go. Guilt does not burn calories, my friends. Don't give it any more than the absolute minimum attention necessary to help you make your next decision a better one.

I also like the idea of focusing even farther ahead — on your next snack or meal, for example. Did you order the Belgian waffles at breakfast, and *oops* you forgot to ask for no whipped cream...so....you ate every last speck of it? (Couldn't resist, huh?) Well, alright then. But come lunch, don't go out and order ravioli, with garlic bread, tiramisu, cappuccino, blah blah blah. Just don't, okay? Make it your goal to eat one perfect snack or meal each day — whole-grain carbs, lean protein, a vegetable or fruit and a little healthy fat — and suddenly, realizing that you have more chances in the day (or the next day) to make up for it, ahhhh. Don't feel so guilty any more now, do you?

Anxious to take more proactive steps to counteract your guilty feelings? You may not like this, but don't ignore the obvious: WORK OUT. Go to the gym, hit that punching bag if you have to and imagine it's a bag of Doritos, go for a walk and let the evening breeze sweep away any feelings of resentment, or get on the floor and do a few restorative yoga poses. It's not the end of the world. We've all had these moments, and a little exercise will not only take your mind off of what just happened but will also obviously help you out with the balance you may need to keep your calories-in less than your calories-out.

To give another blatant exercise plug, it's important to realize, also, that workouts can help clear your mind no matter what's weighing you down. Let off some steam. Feel the strength and power of your body as you stretch, flex and burn. You'll feel such a sharp contrast between the two feelings — stuffed, bloated and guilty versus healthy, light and clean — that it might even stick around until the next time you're faced with temptation, and you'll have an automatic advantage going in. Score!

At the end of the day, it's really about eliminating guilt altogether. Whether that means cutting yourself some slack — having your cake and eating it too — or combating the aftershock with any number of calming, purposeful distractions, we women feel entirely too much guilt every day. Household duties, relationship troubles and work woes are undoubtedly higher on the list than that extra piece of angel food cake, but even a millisecond of food guilt is needless. It becomes wasted energy and feelings that we could be directing elsewhere, doing something productive and nurturing.

It doesn't have to be a lose-lose situation, an awkward dance between temptation or deprivation and becoming a control freak or wallowing in guilt. The middle road goes all the way around, and you can slowly put one foot in front of the other and make smart, focused decisions along the way. Enjoy that glass of wine with dinner tonight, or savor a square of delicious and healthy dark chocolate for dessert. Eat great to be great — there's absolutely no guilt in that.