That's Fit

You practice healthy habits. Your partner/family member/close friend does not. It's only natural for you to want to inspire someone you care about to live a healthier life. But how?

Everyone of course! I recently returned from a fabulous vacation with my family at Walt Disney World in Florida. Our six-day adventure was non-stop fun, and a major highlight of this trip were our days at the Disney water parks. We enjoyed both Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon to the max and would love to go back every sunny day of the year.

I had a little sad moment though as I chatted with a father of two little ones in the kiddie section of Blizzard Beach. We were commenting on what a challenge it was to keep perfect track of our children in such a busy, water-filled place. The poor guy told me he was alone with his children, because his wife didn't feel like she could go out in public in her swimsuit. He didn't want the kids to miss out on the water fun, so he took them himself. She stayed back at their resort.

It made me amazingly sad to think that this woman felt so uncomfortable in her skin that she couldn't even enjoy a beautiful day with her family at a ridiculously perfect place. I know we all feel self conscious at times (including me). And even as my profession is to educate and inspire others to be more fit ... I wouldn't want anyone to place their life on hold because of their body shape or size. That woman is a really special part of her family, and I imagine they missed her very much.

I know that people who don't have pets or who aren't big animal lovers can't understand how those of us with furry friends can possibly think of dogs and cats and friends, family members and even children. I suppose these people think it's ridiculous to shell out perfectly good money on specialty treats for pets. To an extent I can see where they're coming from -- fancy clothing for cats and dogs is a bit extreme in my opinion -- but I will happily spend hard-earned cash on fun stuff for my dog.

I know that I'm not the only one. Most major, dog-friendly cities (Vancouver being the first that comes to my mind) have got fancy dog salons and boutiques in pretty much every trendy neighborhood. While I usually stick with funny squeaky toys and the occasional cute new collar, other dog owners out there will open their wallets for specialized grooming products, accessories, clothing, bedding and more.

It's always great to have close friends to help you though a rough patch in a relationship. They can give you guidance based on their own experiences, offer a shoulder to cry on or just listen to little (or big) complaints or concerns you may have.

However, as this piece suggests, it's not a good idea to go overboard when it comes to filling your best buddies in on all of the little details that surround your current relationship. Remember that what your friends say about your other half can influence the way you behave around and toward your partner, so make sure to keep your thoughts separate from theirs.

Also remember that your friends will believe what you tell them about your partner so if all you ever do is share the bad stuff, they'll have an unfair and biased opinion when doling out advice. It's a good idea to let your friends in on some of the good times as well. But don't go too far -- as the article mentions, there are private parts of any relationship that should be kept between the two of you. If there is something that you wouldn't want your other half to share with their friends, it's best if you don't talk about it with yours.

Who out there has become a Facebook 'addict'? It's tough for many to not go overboard adding photos and searching out friends from high school and earlier. I think it's fun to see what everyone is up to and have the chance to send quick notes to say hello.

But quick notes don't equal a real, lasting friendship and the study reported on here discusses how those who use social networking sites and 'collect' dozens upon dozens of friends, will likely not be able to forge any true relationships with the friends they make on the site.

A real friend is someone who will be there for you physically and emotionally when you're in need. They'll make you laugh and keep you company when you're feeling lonely. The people you meet on Facebook you may never even see face-to-face, so if you're joining these kind of sites in the hopes of making new friends, it may be a better idea to join a local recreational sports team or hobby group.

I picked up my Pre-K kid from school today and checked his cubby for take-home items. His little wooden box typically contains artwork, parent notes, and an occasional permission slip. Today, I found a magazine that read, Parents' Game Plan for Good Health. It peaked my interest -- so I flipped through the pages before I even left the school parking lot. What I discovered was pretty good. It went like this:

Get the Family Moving
Walk the dog or toss a football. Just move. And do it together.

Cut Screen Time
Ditch TV and video games, and your kids will spend more calories.

There are lots of things that we partnered people do as a couple -- eat out, go shopping, go to movies. But would you ever consider dieting with your partner or spouse? Couples dieting is a trend these days, and a study from Yale University shows that those who tackle weightloss alongside their significant other can have better results than those who go at it alone. Of course, if you're single, that doesn't mean your doomed to fail -- finding a friend to take the journey with you works just as well.

I wouldn't do a couples diet, only because my significant other, Jon, is really quite lean (despite a horrendous calorie-laden diet, the jerk.) But I think dieting with a friend would work well for me. What do you think?

I don't know why there's a stereotype that dogs are for men and cats are for women. Dogs are "Man's Best Friend" while aging women with no families and a cat or three are often described as "Crazy Cat Ladies". Not only is it unfair, it's also inaccurate.

I've always loved dogs -- especially big dogs (not that there's anything wrong little breeds if that's what you fancy), and I can't imagine my life without one. For that reason, I was impressed to read these 6 reasons why women prefer their dogs over their boyfriends:

• They Always Want to Spend Time With You - Totally true, a dog will never abandon you for baseball, work or X-box.
  
• They Never Scrutinize What You Made for Dinner - Every dog I've ever had (mostly Labradors which, to be fair, are often compared to garborators), will eat whatever you give them with zeal, enthusiasm and appreciation. No complaints.
• They Always Want to Cuddle - Dogs revel in your attention and will give it to you whenever you're willing to accept it. The same cannot necessarily be said about a boyfriend.
• They Never Make You Feel Insecure - Your dog will always be thrilled to see you when you walk through the door, whether you've got a bad haircut, gained 15 pounds or feel all bloated. Although again to be fair, a smart boyfriend who knows what's good for him won't point these things out either.
• They Never Complain - If you've had a bad day and need to talk or need some time on your own, your dog will listen to your problems and keep you company on a solo walk.
  
• They Are a Great Judge of Character - Unless you've got a particularly aggressive pet that dislikes everybody, how your dog treats the guys you bring home -- and perhaps more importantly, how the guys your bring home treat your dog -- could tell you everything you need to know about your date. Basically if you bring a man home and he's not a huge fan of you dog (or vice versa), send him packing.
  

In an ideal world, we'd all have a great partner and a dog, but until the right guy comes along, I'm happy to have my dog as a faithful companion.

One of the best things you can do if you're serious about losing weight is enlisting a friend to take the journey with you. It helps to have someone to motivate you, and also someone you are accountable to in case you feel like taking a nosedive off the wagon. But if you are recruiting a weight-loss buddy, make sure you choose wisely because that buddy can mean the difference between success and failure. Here are some tips from Fitsugar:

• Pick someone who is fair and honest but not downright mean
• Choose someone who has your best interests in mind, who won't enjoy seeing you fail and begrudge you if you do well
• Find someone with similar goals. If you want to lose 100 lbs and your friend wants to lose 10, it might not work.
  
• Enlist someone who you see regularly, but not someone that you live with
• Choose someone who likes the same rewards as you. If your friend is a guy, he's probably not going to be motivated by the chance to shop for that perfect little black dress.
  

What do you look for in a workout friend?

People with hobbies are shown to be happier and less stressed than those without, but unfortunately the definition of a hobby is "something you do in your free time." Free time? What free time? It's easy when you're so busy and pulled in so many different directions to lose sight of the things that you love to do for fun, and when you do it can take a real toll on your stress levels and your health. So follow these three steps to less stress and more happiness!

• Hobbies are a great way to follow your dreams in a small and manageable way. Sign up for a class or join a club that relates to something you've always wanted to try.
• Search out organizations that relate to your newfound (or rekindled) hobby and see what they have to offer.
• Recruit a buddy to go along for the ride. Friendships also suffer in today's bustling world, and there's no reason you can't multi-task and solidify friendships while working on a fun project.

I posted two blogs a while back, Hey Smokers! This is what your friends won't tell you! part 1 and part 2, and got a firestorm of comments. Lots of defenders of smoking, and of course the ones who despise it. One interesting thing I've pulled out of it, is that people are comparing it to drunk driving. To me, the topics are two different beasts with some similarities. I 'm one of the despisers of smoking, and now even more than ever before, I am a despiser of drunk driving.

Two weeks ago, Lieutenant Corey Dahlem, our family friend and hero from the Gainesville Police Department in Florida was hit by a drunk driver and killed. Corey was on a street that was closed for the University of Florida National Basketball Championship celebration. The festivities were winding down, and Corey was on the road to make sure none of the student and local partiers were. A drunk male, age 20, drove through the police barricades and struck Corey. Two motorcycle officers had to jump from their bikes to avoid being struck as well. A few blocks away, the driver was stopped and had no idea why he was stopped. He later blew a 2.4 on his breathalyzer test. Almost three times that of Florida legal limit. (Corey, far right, was photoraphed the night he was struck, congratulating UF students on their teams victory).

Corey was a humble man, hard worker, and spectacular father, friend and husband. If he and the other officers were not on that road at that time, dozens of civilians would have been killed before the drunk stopped. Hero is an understatement. Two thousand people mourned his loss and celebrated his life at his funeral. A lesson on parenting was preached by the stories of how Corey ate lunch at school with his kids several times a week when they were little. At 18 and 21, he was still cooking them meals and driving his daughter to college.