Beach Buff

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Beach Buff

Beach sceneLast summer my dad gave us a scooter he’d had in storage for quite a while.  It’s a little bitty thing – think motorized bicycle versus high powered rocket – but man is it fun to ride.  We did some basic maintenance on it over the weekend, checking tire pressure, replacing gear box fluid, etc..  You could tell it had been idle for years by the black, sticky fluid that drained off.  Now it’s running like a champ.  It is amazing what the right fuel will do for a simple engine to help it perform at its peak.  If you’re looking for leaner abs and a carved physique this summer, maybe it’s time to give your muscles a tune up too. Continue reading →

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Posted on May 22, 2013 by torga

Banish Belly Fat, Seriously?

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Banish Belly Fat, Seriously?

concordnc.govOkay, I know exactly what you are thinking, “Here we go again, there’s something else I have to give up in order to lose weight.”  It’s no wonder the weight-loss industry is booming as fast as our collective bellies are growing – sucking you into the latest diet fad or weight-loss product promising to shrink your belly once and for all.  Gismos, gadgets, pills, and powders may have caused more harm than good.  They are that “something shiny” that distracts our attention away from a common sense approach to losing belly fat.  Let’s see if we can bust a few myths along with a few unwanted inches. Continue reading →

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Posted on May 16, 2013 by torga

Bikinis or Briefs

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Bikinis or Briefs

oceancitymdAs a teenager, I had my share of traumatic moments…haven’t we all?  My most devastating moment came was when I asked my mom for my first 2-piece swimsuit.  My ultra-conservative father would only agree to it with his prior approval.  There I stood in the glare of fluorescent department store lighting awaiting a thumbs up or down.  Finally, my over-inflated teenaged humiliation was replaced with jubilation when I was approved for my first bikini.  Unfortunately, for most of us, men and women alike, the burgeoning summer season creates its own grown-up trauma when a slip into our swimsuits reveals more belly than brawn.  This week, we’ll explore some surprising ways to banish our bellies.   Continue reading →

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Posted on May 14, 2013 by torga

Jump Start to Slim Down

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Jump Start to Slim Down

Good Morning!Are you one of those perky morning people who wakes up refreshed and ready to take on the day with a smile on your face, a head full of ambition, and a can-do attitude?  If you had met me several years ago, you would have agreed that I was the polar opposite: grumpy, crabby, sleepy, sneezy…my own little version of the seven dwarfs!  My family and co-workers knew to keep their distance until I came to life, which was usually around 10am.  If you make more enemies than friends in the morning, maybe it’s time to look at better ways to fuel your day which may lead to a sunnier disposition and a slimmer you.  Continue reading →

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Posted on May 9, 2013 by torga

Fat Burners

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Fat Burners

Whiteman AFBI’ve always been a fan of clever marketing – you know those commercials that get your attention with funny lines, edgy graphics or memorable characters?  My favorite spot lately is the guy who goes around telling people to feed their lawns.  The hook is that he’s got a really cool, thick Scottish accent that gets your attention when he says, “Feed you’re lawn, Feed et!”  Now, instead of the mundane spring task of seeding and fertilizing your lawn, you feel like Braveheart rallying his troops to slay the enemy in an epic battle of grass versus dandelions.  With that image in mind and summer weather on its way, maybe it’s time we “burn the fat…burn et!”  Continue reading →

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Posted on May 7, 2013 by torga

How Do I Look?

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How Do I Look?

Young Girl Playing By HerselfOne of my favorite classic skits from Saturday Night Live was when comedian, Billy Crystal, played Fernando, a superficial and overtly sexual latin night club performer who greeted everyone with the phrase, “Dahling, you look mahvelous.”  His character lived by a personal credo that it was always “better to look good than to feel good.”  Maybe we all have a little Fernando in each of us with our desire to look good.  While I don’t believe we are all vain and self-absorbed like Fernando, could it be that we put a bigger price tag on our outward appearance than our inner health?  This month, let’s focus on ways to feel good from the inside out starting with our body composition. Continue reading →

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Posted on May 3, 2013 by torga

The A’s of April: Are You Worth It?

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The A’s of April: Are You Worth It?

Money forkI’ve been working on a number of home improvement projects lately.  This weekend I tackled the kitchen, walk-in pantry and guest bathroom – Ugh!  What astonished me in cleaning out cabinets was all of the stuff I’ve accumulated from wedding gifts, to inherited treasures, to just plain junk.  The hardest part of de-cluttering for me is letting go of things.  It is a family characteristic to keep things if they pass two basic tests:  could it be worth money or will I potentially need it someday.  Forget the fact that just a minute ago I didn’t even know I owned it!  Maybe you’re guilty of the same behavior especially when it comes to your health.  You may not know what your health is worth until you lose it.  As we close out April, let’s do some spring cleaning of our own and find out what your health is worth, now and later. Continue reading →

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Posted on April 30, 2013 by torga

The A’s of April: Attitude

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The A’s of April: Attitude

Tysen OberTysen Ober is a 23 year old soldier who recently returned from an overseas deployment to Kuwait.  With no job, no school, and no relationship awaiting his return, Tysen knew this was his moment to do something big.  And boy is it big!  Tysen will be running 3,500 miles from California to Maine to raise money for wounded warriors.  His hope is to inspire others to “get out, get active and get involved in giving back to this country.”  His drive and vision inspired me to talk about how far we can all go with the right attitude (see the bottom of this article for ways to support Tysen’s quest). Continue reading →

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Posted on April 25, 2013 by torga

The A’s of April: Apples

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The A’s of April: Apples

apple eaterIt must be a right of passage for most kids, watching classic Disney films like Cinderella, Snow White, Dumbo, and Pinocchio, just to name a few.  In true Disney form, there is always a hero or heroine who must overcome his or her fears to defeat the evil witch, monster or various inanimate objects brought to life by overzealous animators.  To this day I can’t tell you everything that happened in those movies as my view was inevitably obstructed by the clever hands-over-eyes technique employed whenever something scary was about to happen like the Evil Queen who tempts innocent Snow White to bite into a poisonous apple.  “This is no ordinary apple.  It’s a magic wishing apple,” says the queen, enticingly.  Fortunately, for us, our apple crunching outcome is far more positive.  As apple trees begin to blossom, check out the amazing health benefits of apples. Continue reading →

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Posted on April 22, 2013 by torga

The A’s of April: Acupuncture

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The A’s of April: Acupuncture

health.state.tn.usWith four rambunctious children in the house, my parents always found creative ways to burn off our endless energy/wear us down in the evening.  One of my favorite memories was going to the old fashioned drive-in movie theatre in town possibly because it was the only time we were allowed to dress in our pajamas in public!  We cuddled under blankets and watched The Jungle Book.  Big old  Baloo was my favorite character, a lumbering bear who didn’t have a care in the world and yet was full of wisdom for a wide-eyed jungle boy named Mowgli.  One  thing for sure about Baloo was his ability to enjoy the “simple bare necessities of life” from back scratches on the bark of a tree to picking “a pawpaw or a prickly pear.”  Maybe Baloo was onto something -  the right prick can be painless and may just heal what ails you…”You better believe it baby.” Continue reading →

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Posted on April 18, 2013 by torga