Starting a new weight-loss plan is no small endeavor. It can be easy for questions like, “How many calories should I be eating?” “How often should I exercise?” “How do I stay motivated?” and “What if I fall off track?” to overwhelm us before we even take the first step. That’s why setting a SMART goal is a great tool…
I always enjoy curling up on the couch with my dog and watching year-in-review specials. They serve as a captivating reminder of the past year’s highlights, lowlights, and breakthroughs. They can be a heartfelt tribute to the people or things we said goodbye to. And it’s always entertaining to see what was trending in the past year (selfie sticks, anyone?),…
We’re often reminded to stop and appreciate the little things in life. Whether it’s a beautiful sunny day, a co-worker surprising you with coffee, or an unexpected compliment from a loved one, it’s these little things that get us through the day and give us something to smile about. It’s important to keep the little things in mind on our…
Here at TOPS, we’ve made a veggie skeleton, we’ve made “candy corn” by layering yellow and orange peppers with cauliflower on toothpicks, and now we’re at it again. We bring you, the Halloween vegetable tray! If you’re planning on heading to, or hosting, Halloween festivities this year make your veggie tray anything but ordinary in just a few simple steps:…
Pumpkin lattes, pumpkin-spiced ice cream, pumpkin cream cheese, pumpkin frosting, pumpkin candy…if you’ve been in a grocery store lately you’ve probably seen one of these treats. We are officially in the season of pumpkin-spiced everything. According to Registered Dietitian and nutrition expert for TOPS, Dena McDowell, these foods have one thing in common…and it has nothing to do with actual…
Working for a health and wellness organization, my team and I are often asked, “What’s the best form of exercise?” Well, swimming is an awesome way to burn calories and is easy on your joints…but what if you hate water? Running is a popular form of cardio and requires little more than a good pair of shoes…but what if you…
If you’ve read some of my past postings, you may have noticed that I kind of have a thing for veggies. And I don’t mean that in an “I-always-choose-carrot-sticks-over-potato chips kind of way.” Far from it. I still enjoy foods like chips and the occasional cheeseburger; I just love the versatility of vegetables. I love the endless list of nutritional…
Have you ever pored over a recipe, carefully planning every ingredient, only for it to turn out to be a big dud? If you’ve ever cooked or baked, chances are you may have made a flavorless side dish or cookies that could pass for hockey pucks. It happens. Throughout our weight-loss journeys, TOPS encourages us to keep trying and to…
A major natural food store chain took some flak last week for having bottles of water containing asparagus stalks on one of their store’s shelves. The asparagus water turned out to be a mistake and a big “oops” moment for the chain, but not drinking enough water shouldn’t be an “oops” for you. I’ve been paying more attention to this…