What Am I Reading? - September 2021 - The Rural Diaires

 Is there life after starring on a teen drama? This book picks up in Hilarie Burton Morgan's life after she left the CW behind and went in search of a home, a husband, and a  small town to raise her children. This breathtaking work made me often weep. Burton Morgan, her husband Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and actor Paul Rudd went in on saving their local small business and bringing a treasured candy shop to success in upstate New York. Learn more about Samuel's Sweet Shop. 

What Am I Reading? - August 2021- Four Blondes - Summer Beach Read

 I have to give my book club friends full credit for this pick. We have gotten to know each other's individual interests so well that I was handed this book to read. I've long been a fan of Candace Bushnell's other books such as "Sex and the City" an "One Fifth Avenue," but this novella has 4 individual stories of 4 powerful blondes in NYC. I hope this book's salacious tales of Hamptons hobnobbing and mentally ill princesses lives up to the hype of the upcoming SATC reboot.

#CarrieBradshawIsBack 
 

Grey... I Quit

   In a recent post, I delved bravely into the world of 50 Shades of Grey. I have now finished all three books, and I can't help but think it's all overrated. Anastasia Steele is by far, one of the weakest female heroines in recent literature, tied for a very close first with Bella from Twilight. I don't want to read a story where the girl constantly complains about her rich boyfriend buying her extravagant gifts and giving her the business. Where is the story here? Is Christian's dark orphan child past really enough to make him a borderline sociopath?

   My friend recently raised a good point. She asked, if I ran into a guy like christian in the street, would I go anywhere with him, run off like Anastasia does... I her gave a firm, "Not more than a coffee,"on quirky gorgeous billionaires.Then she asked, what if he was an auto mechanic? On that thought, it became clear. (The answer was more of a hell to the no on that one).

   The only reason christian Grey is so alluring is because he's a billionaire. Yes, he's powerful, flies planes and looks like a Calvin Klein model, but he is rich. He can pay to make any nuisance go away,  throw money until you change your mind, and take you on fantasy dates that make The Bachelor look boring. Nobody in these books is really worry much about the normal things (losing a dry cleaner ticket, paying off the Visa bill, a friend who has a truly heinous haircut and does not want to hear she looks bad..). But maybe that's all 50 Shades is, a welcome escape from reality.

Give Your Heart to Weight Loss: Updated Diets and Tips (Part 4)

Other Diet Reads Reprinted:

Part 4 in a 4-Part Series.

   A third addition to the “Abs Diet” series by health editor David Zinczenko and Professor Ted Spiker, The New Abs Diet for Women: The Six-Week Plan to Flatten Your Stomach and Keep You Lean for Life (Rodale Books, 2011, $16.99) is available in paperback on April 10th with the addition of new research, exercises and recipes. Authors Zinczenko and Spiker both bring their health expertise from Men’s Health magazine, where Zinczenko is the SVP/Editor-in-Chief (and Editorial Director of Women’s Health), and Spiker is a contributing editor. In the style of their previous abs diets, Zinczenko and Spiker set out a 6-week plan complete with power foods, fat elimination tips, and of course, the ideal abdominal muscles.

   As a celebrity fitness expert and television host, Jackie Warner boldly proclaims, This is Why You’re Fat (And how to Get Thin Forever) (Grand Central Life & Style, Hardcover 2010) in her book, now available in paperback on March 12th. Warner’s no-nonsense style of fitness training focuses on improving the mind and body through direct tips and a variety of exercise routines and positive and confident thinking methods.  Her book has the same title of a popular website that features photos of indulgent food. Warner has produced several exercise DVD’s and hosted the Bravo television show Thintervention.

      Whether you’re struggling with planning low-calorie meals, getting your body jump started, those stubborn pounds, or a reliable fitness routine, there’s a book for you. Both the medical and fitness communities apply different methods to approach eating, working out, and weight management, but they are united in their desire to get women healthy, happy, and heart-conscious. 

3 Simple Meals from Diet Gurus

Teriyaki Salmon with Broccoli 
Trainer Jim Karas offers this is dinner for less than 500 calories with tangy pineapples and couscous. 

Ultrabroth
Dr. Mark Hyman’s soup snack does double duty as a detoxifier with a water base and adds  healthy superfoods such as including seaweed, winter squash, and root vegetables.

Coffee-Infused London Broil
Dr. Travis Stork provides a fresh take on coffee as a lean marinade for this lean meat. 

Most importantly, while diet and exercise will help to lower heart risks, women are still at a much greater risk for heart disease than men because of the presentation of symptoms. Here are 6 signs that you might be experiencing a heart attack. The Mayo Clinic recommends seeking medical attention immediately if these symptoms occur:

• Neck, shoulder, upper back or abdominal discomfort
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea or vomiting
• Sweating
• Lightheadedness or dizziness
• Unusual fatigue

Read the first, second and third posts in the series. 

Give Your Heart to Weight Loss: Building Up to Break it Down (Part 3)

Give Your Heart to Weight Loss: A Woman's Guide to New Diet Books for Spring 2012

Part 3 of a 4-Part Series

    A slim waist, tasty meals, and a healthier heart are all results promised to women by well-known weight loss gurus in spring’s new diet books. Women of all ages are looking to find eating and exercise plans that fit their schedule and mindset. In honor of this month’s American Heart Month, 3 new books promise to change your beliefs on eating, wellness, and prevention of heart disease, which is the leading killer of women. Here is the third book in in this 4-entry blog series:

Book 3: The Building Blocks Approach:  
   Your lingering belly fat (or those last five pounds) are addressed in the paperback premiere of The Lean Belly Prescription: The Fast and Foolproof Diet and Weight-Loss Plan from America’s Top Urgent-Care Doctor (Rodale Books, 2010, $15.99), available May 8th.  Dr. Stork is an author, emergency room doctor at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, and a co-host of the syndicated talk show The Doctors. Stork proclaims to have “the easiest weight loss plan ever” with the new Exclusive Edition, and the whole plan is can be achieved in six weeks. Stork’s breakdown consists of lean meal ideas, motivational strategies, and a promise that the reader will not have to count calories or be left feeling hungry. 

  Like Jim Karas, Dr. Stork reinforces a change in drinking habits (cutting out empty liquid calories) as one of his pillars. This “Pick 3 to Lean” system will modify eating behavior while not restricting the reader from eating foods she may want, similar to Weight Watchers. In a surprising turn, Stork doesn’t present an attitude that all fats are the enemy of women trying to lose weight. Healthy fats can contribute to weight loss, and achieving a slimmer waist. My takeaway from that is that a slice of avocado is good, but a bowl of guacamole will do more harm than good.

   Dr. Stork breaks down exercise routines into beginner, intermediate and advanced levels, giving first-time dieters confidence that they can catch on without too many complicated moved to learn at the onset of the plan. Stork also points out the importance of everyday activities as building blocks for cardio-inducing activity and stimulating belly fat reduction. Stork is also the author of The Doctor Is In: A 7-Step Prescription for Optimal Wellness (Gallery, 2010, $24.99) and Don't Be That Girl: A Guide to Finding the Confident, Rational Girl Within (Simon Spotlight Entertainment, 2008, $14.00), with contributor Leah Furman. 

   Whether you’re struggling with planning low-calorie meals, getting your body jump started, those stubborn pounds, or a reliable fitness routine, there’s a book for you. Both the medical and fitness communities apply different methods to approach eating, working out, and weight management, but they are united in their desire to get women healthy, happy, and heart-conscious. 

Read the previous post in the series here. 
Read the first post in the series here. 
Read tips and recipes here. 

Image from Amazon.com 

Give Your Heart to Weight Loss: The Past is Present (Part 2)

Give Your Heart to Weight Loss: A Woman’s Guide to New Diet Books for Spring 2012
Part 2 of a 4-Part Series

    A slim waist, tasty meals, and a healthier heart are all results promised to women by well-known weight loss gurus in spring’s new diet books. Women of all ages are looking to find eating and exercise plans that fit their schedule and mindset. In honor of this month’s American Heart Month, 3 new books promise to change your beliefs on eating, wellness, and prevention of heart disease, which is the leading killer of women. Here is the second book in in this 4-entry blog series:

Book 2: The Prevention Approach

   Dr. Mark Hyman, M.D., offers an internal approach to weight loss with The Blood Sugar Solution, (Hardcover, Little, Brown & Company) noted his practice as a family physician to detecting and treating chronic diseases. He focuses on a 7-step program including improving brain function, dispelling health myths, and focusing on hormones, all aiding in reaching optimal blood sugar composition. Caitlin Runne, 25, a graduate student in pharmacology from Iowa City, Iowa looks forward to reading Hyman’s approach. “I spend so much of my day studying chemical reactions, but I never considered that they play just as big a role in my body’s weight loss as eating healthy  and hitting the gym,” she says. Runne has lost over 10 pounds on diet and exercise alone, but knows her challenging schedule sometimes prevents her from sticking to a strict gym and preparing healthy meals regime.  

 
   Dr. Hyman’s book includes a focus on prevention and management and what he refers to “diabesity,” or diabetes caused by obesity and overeating. He identifies risk factors for pre-diabetes conditions and explains that there is no longer a traditional risk factor for diabetes in the American lifestyle. As a reader with a family history of Diabetes, I considered the average sweet snacks my parents and grandparents would keep around the house. It was always a post dinner treat of vanilla ice cream, apple pie and pound cake. although I have a sweet tooth, I have began swapping sweet nighttime treats for apples and Greek yogurt.

   One chapter delves into overeating and food addiction as key genetic factors contributing to fluctuation in insulin levels and weight management. Stork spends great detail explaining that weight loss is impacted significantly (both positively and negatively) by your body’s internal functions and your family history, which need to be addressed just as importantly as consuming lean foods and completing workouts. Hyman’s previous books include UltraMetabolism: The Simple Plan for Automatic Weight Loss (Atira Books, 2008, $16.00), and TheUltraMind Solution (Simon & Schuster, 2008, $17.00). 

   Whether you’re struggling with planning low-calorie meals, getting your body jump started, those stubborn pounds, or a reliable fitness routine, there’s a book for you. Both the medical and fitness communities apply different methods to approach eating, working out, and weight management, but they are united in their desire to get women healthy, happy, and heart-conscious.

Image from amazon.com. 

See the first entry in this series here. 
See the third entry in this series here. 
Read tips and recipes here. 

Give Your Heart to Weight Loss: Petite Eats (Part 1)

Give Your Heart to Weight Loss: A Woman’s Guide to New Diet Books for Spring 2012

Part 1 of a 4-Part Series

     A slim waist, tasty meals, and a healthier heart are all results promised to women by well-known weight loss gurus in spring’s new diet books. Women of all ages are looking to find eating and exercise plans that fit their schedule and mindset. In honor of this month’s American Heart Month, 3 new books promise to change your beliefs on eating, wellness, and prevention of heart disease, which is the leading killer of women. Here is the first book in in this 4-entry blog series:

Book 1: The Less is Less Approach:     

  
  
Personal trainer and lifestyle expert Jim Karas offers a specialized take on women’s dieting with The Petite Advantage Diet: Achieve That Long, Lean Look. The Specialized Plan for Women 5'4" and Under (Hardcover, HarperOne, 2011, $25.99), available in stores now. Karas uses a 21 day plan of calorie cycling that applies lean eating to two days of 1,100 calories and a third day of 1,600 calories. The USDA reports women ages 19 to 30 and 31 to 50 should consume 1,800 to 2,200 calories and 1,600 to 2,200 calories per day, respectively.  As a woman measuring at 5 feet, I found tips in this book truly eye opening.

     Karas’s plan recognizes that a woman who is 5’4” or smaller cannot consume the same amount of calories as the “average” sized women. As a woman measuring in at 5 feet, I found tips in this book truly eye opening. A new study in February’s American Journal of Clinical Nutrition supports his idea that reducing calories as a prime factor in stimulating weight loss. While the plan is created with petite women in mind, any woman can benefit from Karas’s recommendations for changing one’s mindset to weight loss.

     Karas devotes chapters to explaining metabolism, the best meal options when eating out, the importance of recognizing liquids as a diet saboteur, and the benefits of dieting as a team or group. In recognizing the importance of social activity and relaxation, Karas approves wine on his list of appropriate liquids (in moderation), and allows for a few glasses a week in his plan. His unorthodox approach to exercise focuses on strength training as a key to maintaining a lean shape, with minimal cardio activity to accompany an improved metabolism. Karas offers simple mantras to express his points such as, “Muscle down = metabolism down.” Karas’s previous books include The Cardio-Free Diet (Gallery, 2007, $28.99) and The 7-Day Energy Surge (Rodale Books, 2010, $15.99). 

     Whether you’re struggling with planning low-calorie meals, getting your body jump started, those stubborn pounds, or a reliable fitness routine, there’s a book for you. Both the medical and fitness communities apply different methods to approach eating, working out, and weight management, but they are united in their desire to get women healthy, happy, and heart-conscious. 

Image from amazon.com. 
Read the next post here. 
Read the third post in the series here. 
Read tips and recipes here.