Give your family and yourself the gift of good health this holiday season by using strategies to incorporate exercise and good nutrition into the festivities. Holiday shopping, spending money, family obligations, wrapping gifts, children’s activities, church programs, decorating, cooking and traveling can all can be stressful and drain your energy. As Charlie Brown says, “AAAAAHHHHH!”…
There are 31 days in December. This year, try something new — and good for you — on every one of them with the Healthy & “Wise” Holiday Calendar from Mercy’s own Kathy Wise, registered dietitian nutritionist and director of employee health and wellness. Print out a copy of this calendar for easy reference every…
As autumn weather gets cooler, it’s tempting to load up on traditional comfort foods that often are not the healthiest choices. When you want a warm and toasty snack this fall, try these five perfect comfort foods that won’t add pounds. Plus, check out the recipes below for Heart-warming Vegetable Soup and Creamy White &…
Summer isn't over yet! Beat the August heat with cool, fruit-based recipes for Fresh Fruit Frozen Yogurt, Tropical Fruit Frosty and Banana-berry Pops from Kathy Wise, Mercy dietician and wellness director. Almost everyone loves ice cream on a warm summer day, but if you are not careful, those icy treats can provide more fat and…
Have you recently changed your diet and exercise routines but haven’t seen the results you would like? Patience and persistence are the keys to better health. Guest post by Angelina Ciraci, Mercy Health & Fitness intern When starting a new, healthier routine to achieve your wellness goals (weight loss, muscle building, increased stamina, etc.), you must…
Sunny summer days are perfect for outdoor picnics, barbecues and pool parties. However, warm weather also provides the right environment for bacteria and other pathogens in food to multiply rapidly, potentially causing foodborne illness. Keep the party happy with these five safe food-handling rules. While enjoying these lazy, laid-back days and warm weather, it is…
Even though you may recognize your slow weight gain, the problem might not be one you want to face or think about. However, this issue could be easier to fix than you think — if you are willing to take a serious look at the "junk in your trunk" (i.e., your current junk food intake)….
You're probably aware of the health benefits of losing weight, but did you know losing weight may also save you money? According to Barbara O’Neill, a professor and specialist in finance resource management at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ, and co-author of Small Steps to Health and Wealth, using a few simple strategies that…
The "bring a dish to share” request comes with just about every party or family gathering invitation you receive. But what if you’re consciously trying to watch what you eat and need a healthier alternative to the popular hors d’oeuvres loaded with fat and calories? Try these! One of my party favorites is my original…
How important can 250 calories be? That’s just one extra slice of cheese pizza, another small piece of cake or one regular-sized Snickers® bar. As it turns out, 250 calories can be pretty important. Burning 250 more calories per day can be the difference between losing one pound per week and maintaining your present weight. Eating…
We're already more than half-way through January. Did you set New Year's Resolutions for 2015? If yes, are you still in the game? Unfortunately, year after year we set ourselves up for failure by setting unobtainable and unreasonable goals. In fact, according to a study conducted by the University of Scranton, among Americans who make…
So, you’ve finally decided this is the time to lose some weight and get in shape, but where do you start? If you pick up a magazine or do an online search, you will find many different diets and suggestions on how to lose weight. Some say, “Cut out fat.” Some tell you, “No carbohydrates.”…
Many Americans have a love affair with fat and sugar for some obvious reasons, such as adding flavor and smoothness to foods. However, there is a growing concern over the health risks associated with a high-fat, high-sugar diet. Eating foods with added sugar and fat results in excess calories, which can increase body weight, blood…
One of my favorite Dr. Seuss books growing up was Hop on Pop. However, my dad hated the book with a passion — probably because I liked to act out the pictures. “We like to hop on top of Pop. STOP! You must not hop on Pop.” Twenty years later, I find myself using these rhymes…
Fresh herbs are a wonderful way to add flavor to foods without adding a lot of salt, sugar or fat. A small amount perks up the flavor in recipes while providing an excellent source of natural antioxidants and many anti-microbial substances that help keep our food safe. Some Ideas for Fresh Herbs Use fresh leaves…
How many times have you had the best of intentions and life gets in the way of your fitness routine? Work schedules and kid’s schedules push that exercise routine to the back burner. You may often say, “There’s always tomorrow." For many of us, those tomorrows have piled up, and now we’re not too happy…
I’ve talk before about how I’ve seen diet programs, products and fads come and go. Many of them make big promises to you. Just drink this or stop eating that and you’ll lose weight like never before. That’s an appealing message. But here are three truths about weight loss that you may not want to…
When trying to lose weight, most people monitor body weight. That just makes sense, right? Well, not always. When you undertake a nutrition and exercise program to get in shape, what you’re attempting to do is to “re-shape” your body. This often is accompanied by an actual loss of body weight, but sometimes not. Although body weight is…
If you’re one of the 108 million Americans on a diet or other weight-loss regimen and you’ve successfully lost all of your excess weight, congratulations! After working hard to accomplish this important goal, it is time to concentrate on part two: Keeping the weight off for good! As someone with more than 20 years experience…
Being active is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but it can be difficult to squeeze in exercise when you work full time and have a family to take care of. One of the best ways to ensure that physical activity part of your every day life is by exercising together as a family!…
Making the decision to lose weight is a big first step towards a healthier life. Instead of approaching your weight loss as a temporary diet that will be over when you reach your goal, make simple lifestyle changes that will last a lifetime and help you to live a happier and healthier life long-term. Here…
