Just over the halfway point, I’ve had a blast during this Blogathon with a dozen of my fellow authors and professional speakers. It has given me a reason to “virtually” move out of my surroundings to visit the sites of my fellow bloggers. Check them out and see what you discover on your expanded horizons!

Jackie Dishner, a travel writer, loves biking with “mental” components. Visit http://bikewithjackie.blogspot.com and her fabulous new travel blog, http://www/thephoenixtraveler.com

Susan Ratliff is a trade show expert who shares great ideas for entrepreneurs to increase their visibility at http://www.blingmybooth.com

Andrea Beaulieu teaches how to find your authentic voice and live life at its best at http://www.ConspiracyOfLove.net

Mimi Meredith inspires people to build better lives, workplaces, and communities at http://blog.thegoodnessgrows.com/

Beth Terry shares commonsense solutions to everyday work and life issues at http://corporatecowgirl.com

Vickie Mullins is a designer of logos and print collateral who shows her stuff at http://vickiemullins.wordpress.com

Stanley Bronstein, Mr. Achiever, motivates people to perform at their best. http://stanleybronstein.com

Suzanne Holman, a productivity coach, helps you earn the millions that you deserve at http://www.LessonsforYourMillionDollarLife.com

Suzy Graven, an inspiring speaker and life/business coach, offers a fresh perspective for women who feel stuck in their professional and personal lives at http://articles.secretsofthesavvywoman.com

Stephanie Angelo helps organizations raise productivity by reducing domestic violence at http://hressential.com/wordpress

Quinn McDonald is a trainer, speaker, and life/creativity coach who blogs at http://quinncreative.wordpress.com/

Arlene Rosenberg, a professional and personal development coach and consultant, provides tips and tools to help executives and entrepreneurs get to the next level in business at www.leadingachievers.com

Jean McFarland at http://bulliesamongus.blogspot.com does consulting and speaking on cross-cultural and conflict-oriented business behaviors

And of course, I’d love to have you come back here and visit regularly - better yet, tell me what you’d like to see me write about!

Michelle

Yesterday I promised you a quick and easy recipe for grilled vegetables for your Tuscan Salad so check it out. These are great this time of year - especially here in Phoenix, Arizona where nobody wants to cook inside!

Today I had leftover grilled veggies in a panini for lunch - just spread a little pesto and sprinkle some cheese for an amazing grown-up version of grilled cheese sandwiches. Tomorrow we’ll buy whatever veggies look fresh and beautiful for grilling and serve them as a side dish to our dinner guests.

In health, ENJOY! 

Michelle

Speaking of simple, we spent a lovely rainy day in the Hinterlands above Brisbane, Australia where we had a fabulous late lunch that has become a favorite at home now too.

Hungry and wet, we found a quaint Italian restaurant amid all the shops of trinkets, antiques, and art. Since it was only a few hours before dinner with my sister-in-law’s family, Owen and I decided to share a Tuscan salad. It was light yet satisfying and full of nutritious, delicious ingredients. In other words, perfect!

As foodies, my husband (who happens to be a chef, lucky me) and I have long urged people to keep simple ingredients on hand to throw together easy salads, pastas, stir frys, wraps, and other quick meals. When you know you can have a wonderful dinner within minutes by chopping a few veggies, opening a jar, tossing in some dressing or sauce, it’s a lot easier to drive right past the expensive, greasy, predictable fast food joint.

Try your own version of this salad by combining any of the following ingredients:

• Butter leaf lettuce
• Roasted red peppers
• Grilled eggplant (it looks like meat in the photo; I’ll post a link to an easy recipe for grilling vegetables tomorrow)
• White navy beans (just open a can and drain)
• Kalamata olives
• Toasted pine nuts - toss pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat, watching carefully
• Balsamic vinaigrette

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be bland, tasteless, or complicated. Just keep key ingredients on hand and be creative! For other simple, healthy recipes, visit http://www.amihungry.com/nutrition.shtml

Michelle (along with Chef Owen May)

While we were in Australia visiting my sister-in-law, I had the opportunity to observe her twin ten month old boys and three year old daughter. Here I am at a restaurant entertaining one of the twins who’d lost interest in eating once he was full:

The children affirmed my belief that the solution to resolving our weight problems is to go back to eating like we did when we were kids. Here are five things they did consistently:

1. They only ate when they were hungry. On the occasion when they were eating simply for fun (a taste of mum’s scone), one or two bites was plenty.
2. They stopped when they were full - even when mum tried to coax them into eating more.
3. They only ate what they liked - and they liked a surprising variety of foods. How much less food would adults eat if we skipped the so-so stuff?
4. They used up their energy playing, exploring, and growing. TV was just too boring to hold their attention compared to learning new things.
5. When they were tired, they slept.

We’re making weight management too hard! It’s time to get back to the basics.

Michelle

Today I need to take a quick side trip from my series on healthy eating while traveling. Over the weekend I read a blog about taking risks and it dawned on me that three years ago this week, I left my medical practice of 14 years. I loved my patients but I had developed a passion for helping people break free from yoyo dieting. This anniversary inspired me to look back at something I wrote right after I made that risky decision. I hope it will inspire you today.

It was scary to contemplate leaving the security of a successful career as a family physician to pursue my dream of creating resources for people done with dieting. Once I made the decision to step off into the unknown, I was flying! Instead of regret or fear, I felt grateful for the people and experiences I had to leave behind. Ahead of me I saw (and still see) infinite possibilities and the freedom to choose among them. As I soar (and sometimes drift), I continue to sense purpose and growth.

What is the view like from where you are flying—or standing? Are you content or afraid? Are you inspired or tired? Are you planning or paralyzed? Are you making a difference or making excuses?

These choices are yours to make. Whether it’s your health, your career, your environment, or your relationships, you cannot control everything that happens to you. But you can choose how you will respond. Fortunately most of your decisions won’t require you to leap from the security of your job or family. But they will require you to either change your attitude or take purposeful action to change your altitude.

Enough of the bird’s eye view. What will it take for you to make a change?

• First, take a look around. Perhaps your situation is good—but your attitude isn’t. It may be hard to tell the difference because what you expect is usually what you get. If you leave the circumstances but take your negative attitude with you, you won’t move forward. As trite as it may sound, when you look for the best in each person and each situation, you will usually find it. Perhaps you need to try that before you jump up and down in the same spot.
• Once you’re aware that you need to make a change, accept the path that brought you here. Getting lost in regret or stuck in the past will keep you from moving forward. Good or bad, every step along the way has meaning and significance.
• First consider your options. This is no time for “yeah buts.” Let your imagination explore the infinite possibilities, even those you wouldn’t ordinarily consider. As you look at each opportunity, what is the worst thing that could happen? What is the best thing that could happen? How do these outcomes line up with your values, your passions, and your purpose?
• Even when it’s necessary, change is difficult because there’s comfort and security in staying where you are. Beware of your internal resistance that will look for all of the reasons you should stay put. Remember the power of inertia. A body at rest stays at rest.
• If you choose change, empower yourself to take small meaningful steps. Do you want to rid yourself of a limiting habit or develop a new skill? Do you need to do some research or talk to an advisor?  Is it time to test the waters or chart your course? Any action, no matter how small, will energize more action. A body in motion stays in motion.
• Change won’t always come easily so be gentle with yourself. You are bound to have false starts and make many mistakes along the way. I do. Just remember that there are no failures, only lessons.

The hardest part for me was walking to the edge and looking out. After that, a little nudge was all it took. The risky leap has paid off in personal happiness and the ability to control my own destiny. Now I’m able to serve many others in a way that wasn’t possible while I stayed on deck. Risky - but well worth it!

When was the last time you looked beyond your comfort zone to see the possibilities? What are you waiting for?

Michelle
http://www.michellemaymd.com/

We flew to Brisbane, Australia then drove to Maroochy River where we rented a fully furnished apartment in the house next door to my sister-in-law’s home. It was great to have a kitchenette so we could fix our own breakfast and the snacks of our choice and a private space to relax between activities.

The houses were about halfway up a steep road with a “yield for kangaroos” sign at the bottom. Though I never saw a kangaroo on that road, my two+ mile morning walks revealed incredible views of the Maroochy River, the Pacific Ocean and the farmland far below.

Even when I’m staying at a hotel in the middle of a city for more than a day or two, I ask the concierge for a walking map. I have a lot of friends that hit the hotel treadmill but when possible, I prefer to get my exercise while I explore the area outside on foot. I always feel more connected and refreshed for my presentations or meetings.

Travelers’ Fitness Tip: A vacation or travel for work is a good time to take a break from your usual exercise routine. Walking, jogging, or hiking will give you a flavor for the area while bumping up your stamina and calming your mind. If that’s not possible (because of safety, weather or time constraints), try a new piece of equipment in the hotel fitness facility, find a nearby yoga studio, or do a few minutes of floor exercises in your room. The return on your investment will be huge.

As Stanly pointed out, although my son Tyler seems to effortlessly eat exactly what he needs, most of the rest of us need to conscioulsy override or work with our Clean Plate tendencies. For example, at Jack Stacks, Owen and I decided to split a platter that included smaller portions of several of their most popular meats and side dishes. When it came we found it hard to believe that one person could eat it all but the waiter insisted they do!

You’ve probably heard lots of advice about cutting back on portion sizes; the tips section below outlines some specific strategies for doing just that. However, my best advice is to shift away from thinking about portions in terms of calories (an external measure that can result in feelings of deprivation) to thinking about them in terms of how you’ll feel (an internal measure that results in positive feelings).

In other words, it’s not about being good, it’s about feeling good. How many times have you ruined a fabulous meal by eating so much that you felt stuffed and miserable afterward?

I love to share meals with my husband, my daughter, or my friends. I call it “co-ordering and co-eating.” The meal is more of a shared experience; we get more variety and just the right amount of food, usually for less money. And the big bonus is that we feel comfortable and energetic when we’re through.

Food Lovers’ Restaurant Tip: Portion sizes at many restaurants are large enough for two – think of it as “Two for the price of one.” You can share an appetizer or a salad and split an entrée; you can order two entrees and have some left to take home; or you can share an entrée and a dessert. If you don’t want to share with someone, get your to-go container before you start eating and put some aside for another meal. You’ll get to enjoy it all over again!

While I was in meetings, my family was on their own. My son Tyler who is 17, tall and thin, told me they ate breakfast at the old fashioned Harvey House Diner in historic Union Station before visiting Science City. He ordered a cinnamon roll for $2.99 that turned out to be as big as a plate (“It made a Cinnabon look like an appetizer!”).

As a person who has maintained his instinctive ability to manage his weight with no effort whatsoever, he ate 3/4 of it and wasn’t hungry again until early afternoon. (To find out whether you are an Instinctive Eater, take this quiz.)

I don’t believe in being overly restrictive or shaming my kids into eating healthy but this did prompt a conversation about what would happen if we ignored our bodies’ nutrition needs for the next three weeks. They were more selective the next couple of mornings but he still says it was the best cinnamon roll he’s ever had!

Effortless Weight Management Tip: Your choices don’t need to be perfect every time to reach and maintain a healthy weight. In fact, people who eat instinctively can eat whatever they want so they’re able to balance eating for enjoyment with eating for nutrition. When they choose a less than healthy food, they don’t eat it all because they’ve “already blown it.” They don’t feel guilty which for most people just leads to more overeating. And they don’t use exercise to punish themselves when they overeat. Instead, they practice intuitive eating: They eat what they want, enjoy it without guilt, and use the fuel for their active lifestyle. When their fuel tank is low, they eat again.

My travels began with a three day meeting of the American Academy of Family Physicians Commission on the Health of the Public. Nice opportunity to consider my OWN health while discussing issues and initiatives important to the American people!

Since we had nearly three weeks of travel ahead, I decided to try to stick to my usual eating habits as much as possible when possible and save my “eating for fun” for when it mattered. I held my breath as I surveyed the breakfast offerings. All too often conference breakfasts consist of just Danish and coffee. That always struck me as odd since they need attendees to be alert and productive all the way until lunch. Luckily at this meeting there was a nice spread of other breakfast choices each day including eggs, fresh fruit, cereal and skim milk so that meal was easy.  

They did an equally good job with lunches – salad with chicken one day and pasta with a nice tomato-based sauce loaded with vegetables the other. Even the dessert was a light angel food cake with strawberries. However, it’s still easy to overeat at conference banquets unless you stay conscious. They serve warm rolls with butter while you’re waiting to be served. They spoon way too much dressing (if you don’t say “enough!”) on your salad topped with croutons, cheese and bacon. The servings are usually too large, especially the inexpensive fillers like pasta and rice. And the icing on the cake (literally) is some type of dessert (though I love it when it’s already on the table rather than surprising me with it when I am already full!).  

I don’t know about you but that’s way more than I usually have for lunch. So why would we suddenly throw our common sense out the window? Because meetings and conferences are loaded with triggers for overeating. You sit through long meetings so you may subconsciously feel like you’ve “earned” it. Then suddenly there’s all this free food just sitting in front of you. When you become distracted by socializing or networking during the meal, you lose track of how much you’ve eaten.

Meeting Tip: The key to handling the abundant food at meetings and conferences is to remain selective and mindful. Don’t abdicate the responsibility for how you’ll feel all day to the meeting planner or hotel staff who selected the menu. Choose the items and the portions that nourish you rather than mindlessly eating whatever is offered. That doesn’t mean “Don’t eat the roll and butter.” It means decide consciously. If you eat the roll, all the pasta they serve you, AND all of the dessert, how will you feel in an hour? Probably uncomfortable, drowsy, and foggy. But don’t worry; you’ll probably wake up in time for the afternoon cookie break!

For more, read my article “Three Questions to Make the Perfect Food Choice Everytime.”

During our recent trip to Kansas City, I ate two meals a day during my meetings then ventured out in the evenings with my husband and two teenagers for great Kansas City fare. Even at home we try to eat dinner together most nights of the week so it’s a real treat when we don’t have to do the cooking!

I think our favorite family meal was at Lydia’s Kansas City (Lydia also has Italian cookbooks and a cooking show on PBS ). We all ordered the homemade pasta trio they make fresh in the basement kitchen. Chefs moved around the dining room refilling any (or all) of the pastas from large, hot skillets. 

The four of us had a great time playing “Name the Secret Ingredient,” a game we made up on the spot. By tasting each dish mindfully, we identified capers, butternut squash, nutmeg, lemon, and other subtle but delicious flavors. The chefs seemed concerned though. I guess they thought we didn’t like the food because we turned down refills on all but a little more of each of our favorites. I suppose they’re used to people eating until they can’t eat another bite.

Restaurant Tip: The key to feeling satisfied is to value quality over quantity. Slowly and mindfully savor small portions of rich, flavorful foods. Even free refills are no bargain if you feel stuffed and miserable when you’re finished eating.

P.S. We created our version of the butternut squash ravioli with walnuts this week (see photo of our version below).