- We've got the low-down on gluten-free diets.
 
All Entries From Jen MuellerJen is known on SparkPeople.com as SPARK_COACH_JENJen Mueller left her first career in corporate finance to earn a master’s degree in health education. She is a busy mom and certified personal trainer who is passionate about helping people reach their health and fitness goals. In her spare time, Jen loves training for marathons (crazy, huh?) and spending time with her family. Jen blogs about the latest health news and research and how small behavior changes can impact your health and quality of life. Employee Benefits: The Less You Weigh, The Less You Pay?With health care costs rising more each day, employers are constantly looking for ways to lower their expenses and give employees incentives for healthy behaviors. Whole Foods has launched a new program for their employees called the Team Member Healthy Discount Incentive Program. All team members currently get a 20% discount on Whole Foods products. But now they will have the opportunity to get higher discounts (up to 30%) based on health measures like blood pressure and BMI. So the healthier you are, the more of a discount you'd be eligible to receive. Read More Kid Snacking: How Much Is Too Much?
I have a feeling that one day very soon, I’m going to become the complaining parent at my 3-year old's preschool. I've always been conscientious about her diet (I prefer that term over "strict" or "crazy") so I knew that I'd have a hard time sending her to school where she gets a snack that's not approved by me. I've tried to relax a little, looking at the bigger picture and telling myself that she's got to learn to make her own healthy choices at some point. She's only 3, so she's not really making those choices yet. But its good practice for the future, right?  Obesity Rates Level Off, But Can We Really Celebrate?More than two-thirds of adults and almost one third of children in the United States are overweight. As the upward trend continued, people started taking action. The government, schools and community organizations launched large campaigns to fight the battle of the bulge. Now some new figures from the Centers for Disease Control show the rates of obesity have leveled off over the last decade. So is it time to celebrate? Not really. Read More When Does Plastic Surgery Go Too Far?
Heidi Montag is an MTV reality star who has been in the news recently. She's on the cover of People magazine, discussing the 10 plastic surgery procedures she had (all in one day) a few months ago. She's been flooded with negative feedback from people who think it's excessive, unnecessary and even potentially dangerous. My opinion has always been that people should do what makes them happy. But is there a point where it becomes too much?  Could Your Weight-Loss Expenses Be Tax Deductible?Obesity and its medical complications are an expensive problem in the United States. Because the costs continue to rise, the government is offering tax incentives to entice people to lose weight. At this time of year when you're thinking about improving your health and also filing tax returns, why not do something that can benefit both? Read More Is It Time To Relax When It Comes To Your Health?
I see this scenario pretty frequently at this time of the year: A person decides it's time to get healthy. So they start reading about all of the foods they should and shouldn't eat, all of the habits they should and shouldn't have, and they are ready to completely change their life. There are so many different things they could focus on, so why choose just one? Right away they start drinking more water, eating lots of fruits and veggies, tracking how much fat they are consuming (and what kind it is), getting more sleep, burning exactly 325 calories per day through exercise, wearing sunscreen daily- whew! The list goes on and on….  Turn Up Your Activity By Turning Off The TVThe topic of TV is a constant battle in my house. I would be happy if we got rid of the TV completely (okay, except when it's the middle of a season of Top Chef.) My husband, on the other hand, was a little too excited when we got our new flat-screen, big-screen, too much-screen TV. There are lots of good reasons to watch less TV, especially since the average American spends 5 hours a DAY in front of the TV. It's easy to assume that less TV might lead to healthier habits, since you'd have more time to exercise or cook a healthy meal. A new study shows that less TV might not change your diet or increase your exercise, but it could lead to an increase in overall activity levels. Read More Would You Take Medical Advice From A Celebrity?We are a society that is fascinated with the lives of celebrities. We like to know what they eat for dinner, where they shop for toothpaste and the details of their medical history. Many celebrities have been very open about their struggles with various diseases, in the hopes that they can inspire and educate others through their experiences. But when does it cross the line from sharing experiences, to giving medical advice that they aren't qualified to be dispensing? Read More Improve Your Diet By Getting More SleepDo you find that it's easier to stick to your diet when you're well-rested? Is it difficult to stay on track when you're not? New research shows that not getting enough sleep can affect the food choices you make when you're awake. That's just one more reason to make sure you're getting enough shut-eye! Read More A Review Of My 2009 Resolutions
Happy New Year!  Biggest Loser Contestants Run a Marathon: Inspirational or Irresponsible?On a recent episode of NBC's "The Biggest Loser", the 4 remaining contestants were given their final challenge: run a marathon. They had 60 days to train, and although the episode doesn't discuss the details of their training program, we assume that they did most of the training on their own. Maybe some people found inspiration by watching the contestants struggle through the 26.2 mile race. But as I watched the episode, I just became more and more frustrated. Am I the only one? Read More A Younger Look May Mean Living LongerHave you ever had someone ask your age, and then be shocked at your response? "You look so young! I never would have guessed it!" I used to hear those comments all the time before I had kids, but I think the lack of sleep and stress of children has aged me a little. It's definitely been worth the tradeoff, but now a new study reveals that looking younger may mean you live longer. Read More When It Comes To Holiday Gifts, Don't Forget About Yourself!If you're like me, you've got a Christmas shopping list that you're slowly chipping away at as the 25th approaches. My planner has a list names with notes next to each one- what I've gotten already, what I still need to get, and a few with question marks (which means I have no clue what to get them.) But one person that's missing from the list is myself. It's easy to get so busy that we forget that we deserve a treat now and then, too. Read More Poll: Has Anyone Ever Sabotaged Your Weight Loss Efforts?The holidays are a tough time of year when it comes to weight loss. Holiday parties, baking, and the stress of the season make it easy to get off track. One thing that can help you stay focused and working toward your goals is a strong support system. It's important to have family and friends around you who will celebrate your successes and help pick you up when you fall. But what happens when someone in your life becomes more of a negative influence on your weight loss than a positive one? What do you do? Read More Are You Too Competitive With Yourself?Last week, I was talking to my co-workers about the 10K race I ran on Thanksgiving. Until recently, I always enjoyed races--the crowds cheering, meeting new people along the course, feeling good about my accomplishments, etc. But all of a sudden, I'm not experiencing those same positive feelings. I think I need to change my attitude about racing, but I'm just not sure how to go about it. Read More |
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