…by Mary Pearsall I have heard it again and again – “I am exercising every day for an hour and I am just not getting the weight off like I was before. What is the problem?” Well, it could be a variety of things, but invariably I find that most people are doing the same kind of exercise every day with out varying any of the components – intensity, duration or mode. One of the fastest and easiest ways to remedy this is with introducing interval training one or two times a week. It works wonders. Why? The acceleration in intensity for brief spurts is good for your heart.... Read More

…Mary Pearsall It seems that many more people are eating out more frequently. You could be setting yourself up for weight gain if you are a frequent diner – but it need not happen. With a little effort you can have as much control over what you eat when you dine out as when you eat at home. The following tips give you the tools you need to win at the restaurant game 1. Get a Little Something on the Side. Salad dressing is not the only topping that can be served on the side. You can maek the same request with sour cream, sauces, cheese, any toppings and most seasonings. 2. Ask... Read More

…by Prill Boyle How does one discover a calling? The honest answer is, I\’m not sure. For the majority of us, I suspect, the seeds appear in childhood. (My interviews with late bloomers bear this out.) But other than that, I can\’t really say. What I have noticed, however, is that serendipity often plays a role. Take one of the first late bloomers I ever interviewed, Linda Bach, whose chance encounter with a medical student at a bar in the Cayman Islands changed her life. As Linda and the young man got to chatting, she confessed that she\’d always wanted to go to medical... Read More

What is Compulsive Spending? The holidays are a perfect time to discuss compulsive spending. Isn\’t everyone a compulsive spender when the holidays roll around? Doesn\’t our country encourage overspending at this time of year? Isn\’t racking up the credit cards the American way of life? Unfortunately, all of the above questions can be answered with a yes. But for most women (the gender most prone to compulsive spending problems; although men when they do overspend, tend to do so with big-ticket items), some sort of limit is kept and the compulsive spending is limited to the... Read More

…by Prill Boyle Seven years ago, when I first started writing about late bloomers, it was unusual for someone to go back to school in midlife or start a new business at sixty-five. Today, while such endeavors might still not be considered commonplace, they are no longer particularly newsworthy. Americans are gradually accepting the idea that so long as our minds are alert and our bodies able, we can continue living lives of passion and purpose. So in honor of Kathleen Casey-Kirschling, who next month becomes the first baby boomer to collect Social Security, here are some quick tips to... Read More

…by Suzanne Falter Barnes So podcasts have been around for a few years now, and I\’m only just now fully appreciating their power. Why? Because I\’ve discovered the perfect way to use them … and I\’m excited to share it! Here\’s how to make sure your podcast really builds platform for you. Determine a persona that breaks you out from the ranks. It could be a professional niche, or in my case, a fictitious character with a message. (See www.serenityhawkfire.com) Set up a blog that you can house the podcast on, and get some basic recording software set up on your... Read More

…by Mary Pearsall How many times have you vowed to lose weight, get fit, exercise, or eat healthy for the New Year? It is certainly true that January 1st is the traditional time to resolve to either kick a bad habit or start a good one. However, if you have attempted this unsuccessfully in the past, the chances are this year won\’t be any different. If the New Year is the traditional time of change and resolution, the holidays preceding this annual event are the catalyst that drives these good intentions. We look at the parties and celebrations as license to eat and drink whatever... Read More

…by Prill Boyle What do you really want? If you have no idea, you\’ve got lots of company. Researchers at the Institute for Happiness Studies estimate that only one in ten Americans ever bother to ask themselves that question, let alone act on it. Okay, so I made that statistic up. Heck, I even made the organization up. But look around. Does it seem all that far-fetched that only a tenth of your friends and neighbors have seriously asked themselves what they really want to do? I mean, if they had, would they be living their lives the way they are? Would you? Five years ago, I asked... Read More

…by Suzanne Falter-Barnes Got time to read a quick essay about how to find more time? Desperately need more time but you\’re not sure where to find it? I personally could REALLY use more time these days – way too many tasks for hours in a day. So that\’s when I turn to the trusted advice of others. I found these notes from a program I did a few years back with Rich Schefren. Other tips are ideas I\’ve added myself. I figured if I need to hear this, you might too, right? 1. Track your time. You will see where it goes, and then be able to clearly make choices based... Read More

What is Job Stress? Having a stressful job and experience job stress are two entirely separate things. A job which is stressful may mean that it is high intensity (such as an air traffic controller), that critical decisions have to be made (like a caseworker for social services), that long hours are involved (the 24-hour shifts of firefighters), or that quotas are set for output (a worker on a factory production line). But a well-trained worker, supported and praised by her superiors, and especially one who has a say in her own working conditions, may thoroughly enjoy her job and never feel that... Read More