Hee hee... just be sure to eat with others, or you don't get the bonding/contentment aspect connected with a real human. And it's a grand reason to never, ever eat while watching the shopping channel or browsing on-line stores!!!

"un-coffee" is a caffeine free beverage made from roasted malt barley, roasted barley and chicory and sometimes rye (depending on the brand)that tastes much like instant coffee.

Interesting the studies also showed that when people were told they were playing against a computer (as opposed to a real person in cyber space) that their oxytocin levels did not go up.

I'm trying to focus on being full of the good stuff. My theory is that if I'm full of the good stuff I will be more apt to keep the treats a treat.

I wouldn't be surprised if I have strep throat... Not much appetite today. I had an avocado for lunch... which reminded me that one of the reasons I love avocados is that they have the same texture as a chocolate brownie...

Do you have any tricks for crunchy/texture/etc where you can subs something healthy for something that is unhealthy?

Yes... air-popped or olive-oil popped popcorn with honey drizzled very lightly on, and salt. If I have it with a small glass of milk, it will satisfy the salty/crunchy/sweet/creamy cravings just perfectly!

I also love fresh apples (crunch!) sliced neatly on a plate, and sliced oranges or grapefruit. And cauliflower with a sour-cream ranch dip and a dash of cumin... I could nosh on that any day of the week. We also try to keep nuts (almonds, walnuts, peanuts) in the house, for healthier snacking.

I can't imagine wanting to waste my mealtime on watching a shopping channel or while surfing the net. I don't like having food around equipment, for fear I'll spill on it and damage it, get it greasy, etc.

I confess to often reading while eating, if I am alone (when I was working, that's when I read the paper), but otherwise, I like to eat with people, or while listening to music, etc.

I have been known to eat in front of the TV, such as when we order pizza - veggie only - or a snack of some kind. But I don't tend to think of that as a real meal. Certainly anything I go to the trouble to fix, I want people to pay attention to. I don't believe that even family meals (interesting about the chemistry - it doesnt' surprise me) should be just "refueling."

This brings to mind a poem I've read, and sorry I can't at the moment think of the title or the author, but the first two lines are thought-provoking: "Music I heard with you was more than music, Bread I ate with you was more than bread."

When we went out to eat last Sunday, we enjoyed the meal because it was at Red Lobster, a treat for us - but also because we were with favorite cousins.

I had been planning on participating in our town's 5K race this year, after running in it in 2009. I would have run last year, but it conflicted with a milestone college reunion, so I went to that instead.

I found out the date this year is not following the pattern of previous years - it's earlier! I'd carefully saved the date (3rd Saturday of April) it has been for 9 years. Now it's the preceding week, and I will miss it because of needing to work at ACT testing (which will pay me $118), money I can't afford not to earn, and a part-time slot I want to keep; if I can't do it, they will get someone else, who might get the slots for the rest of the year. Bummer!

I confess I was motivated to train for this event, and feel much less like "training" when I have nothing to prepare for.

I've been looking online to try to find another 5K. What I've found so far is races too far away, or much greater distances. I'm not ready for a 10K, for instance. I got a flyer in the mail, including a race in Washington, D.C., but it turns out to be a marathon over an entire weekend! I surely am not ready for that, either.

SOOO, I need to start walking and biking whether or not I have a race, but it definitely would be easier if I had one to look forward to.

It's not always easy to stay in shape. I think I'll get an exercise logbook to have something to "work" on.

Thanks Liz ~ I'll have to try the popcorn with honey ~ sounds very yummy.. I tend to eat too many nuts... And I love veggies all by themselves...

simplicity: Maybe you could run the 5K on the day your were planning any way? Our town did one last year and I know the route ~ I could do a practice run *with* you on that day if you like

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We are in our 4th week of the New Year. What new healthy habit have you incorporated into your life or are working at incorporating into your life?

I've been doing pilates 3+ times per week. I'm much more conscious of my body positioning throughout the day and I feel myself becoming stronger and more flexible.

Well, Canadagirl, I suppose I could follow the same route the runners did the week before. The map should be available to print out. I could walk it several times so I would know it, even without faster runners ahead of me to lead the way.

The date of the actual race is April 9. I could run it on the 16th (as of now; I'd have to confirm the date later to make sure it still was free). If you care to run "with" me on that date, feel free to do so.

My time in the first race was very slow - something like 46 minutes. As a 60-year-old who had never done that before, I was trying to be careful and not overdo - just to run and live to tell the tale. Each year, I can try to beat my old time by a few seconds or minutes, without trying to set any records.

Anyway, I can train for "our" race, and let you know later how I did. If I find another race, I'll let you know about that, too. Thanks! This is helping my morale.

I volunteer myself as a cheerer! I'll stand on the sidewalk and cheer you both as you run! That's as close to participating in a "run" as you are going to get me!

You're on simplicity And you better show up bless to cheer us on

I walked the first half of ours last year. Then, at about the 1/2 way mark DD (6yrs) grabbed her bike as the route went by our house. At that point I started to run to keep up with her. (she had to cross 3 railroad tracks and a highway ~ so I wasn't letting her out of my sight). My time was just over 49 min ~ we'll keep each other company for sure