I have now officially been a part of the TOPS crew for six months. And thanks to all of you, it’s been an overwhelmingly positive experience so far! I very much appreciate all the feedback and questions sent via email or posted weekly on the blog and social media. So keep the comments coming, because I read each one, plus…
Being fit and fabulous at any age requires being attentive to changes in spatial awareness and basic body mechanics. The importance of foot placement, hip mobility and range of motion also become increasingly vital as you age. So training yourself to notice whether you frequently shuffle rather than step, in addition to how your body subtly shifts while transitioning from…
Staying present is much easier for me to do when I’m physically active. The exact opposite is true in regard to when I’m eating. I often power through meal and snack times standing up—especially when I’m working from home and attempting to squeeze in a couple of bites between Zoom meetings, walking the dog and frantically typing on the computer…
I don’t know about you, but I’m certainly ready for some “fun in the sun”! Thankfully, my current travel plans in the months ahead involve going to a couple lakeside communities for writing assignments. This also means I’ll be dining out quite a bit. Being vegan, it’s a struggle sometimes to find a variety of plant-based options when I’m on…
Eating out frequently is often not an option when working on achieving health goals—and sticking to a budget. But it’s equally common to start to crave the ambiance of a café or restaurant, since dining at home day after day can become a solitary repetition that makes mealtimes far less enjoyable. If you’re bored by the idea of consuming yet…
Spring is here (or quickly approaching). This means there will be a steady increase in the variety of locally-grown and -produced foods that will be at local farmers markets and many grocery stores over the coming months. If you’ve got a little extra cash or free time to put to good use, consider stocking up on more produce, dairy, bread…
Like many of you, I try to incorporate active movement into my daily schedule. But as we all know, life happens. Which usually means, once or twice a week, my workout will get bumped to a different time than I originally planned. Sometimes, this is no big deal. But there are other days that then necessitate a shift in when…
Nourishment is natural. But it also comes in myriad forms. Too often, food is the ‘default’ reward we crave — or a quick source of comfort on a stressful day. Choices that, left unchecked, can trigger unhealthy behaviors and negative feelings if we over-indulge. The next time you’re craving a little TLC, try one of these nourishing activities instead of…
Sticking to wellness goals often goes quite well for the first few weeks of a new year. But it’s also equally common to start feeling less motivated as February gets underway. Take this proactive approach for staying on track over the weeks ahead: Remember that food affects mood. So avoid the trap of emotional eating as a short-term distraction from…