My family and I are self-admitted foodies. While other families go on vacations and bring back glowing descriptions of paintings and churches, we can illustrate every luscious detail of the Paella in Barcelona, the Caprese salad in Florence, or even the amazing carrot cake in Chicago. While watching shows on the Food Network, we love hearing the descriptions of specific flavors and ingredient combinations in the foods they feature. Our restaurant experiences are not just about satisfying hunger, but enjoying the specific flavors in each bite.

It might seem contrary that someone who teaches fitness for a living would advocate the enjoyment of an array of foods and flavors. But an awareness of what we eat, or something called mindful eating, is exactly why the Mindful Eating and Living (MEAL) program at the University of New Mexico Center for Life Integrative Medicine Specialty Clinic was developed by Brian Shelley, MD.

He noticed that standard mindfulness-based stress reduction programs were changing participants’ eating behaviors and wondered whether a mindfulness program focusing specifically on eating could help people who were overweight or obese and trying to lose weight.

By paying attention both to inner cues (thoughts, emotions and sensations) and to the environment, research suggests that mindful eating programs have much to offer chronically unsuccessful dieters. They deal with topics like foods that trigger binges, how to shop mindfully for food and how to deal with environmental pressures to overeat.

The program uses experiential exercises to help participants apply mindfulness to everyday eating decisions: like eating a single raisin (or other simple food) slowly, so you can fully appreciate its visual appearance, smell, texture and taste. Or, eating typical trigger foods, like potato chips, cookies, or even ice cream mindfully, to distinguish between the expectation and actual experience of enjoyment and satisfaction. I have to agree with some of the suggestions. By taking my time with a single scoop of ice cream and a small spoon, I can literally make my dessert last twice as long as wolfing down a cone, giving myself time to feel satisfied sooner and eat less.

In his book, Eating the Moment: 141 Mindful Practices to Overcome Overeating One Meal at a Time, Pavel Somov teaches original exercises to help readers learn about their palates and manage their appetites. His books eschew perfectionism and provide ways to become more aware of the food choices we make and how to make better ones. He focuses on the experience during a meal with exercises like: recognizing the effect of drinking water on hunger and fullness, or sharing a potluck meal where each participant brings one healthy item and one less healthy item, and everyone practices making food choices and leaving food on the plate.

He suggests pacing our eating by half, and resting our hands between bites of food to fully appreciate the flavors while we chew our food thoroughly. Typically when we eat, we tend to eat the entire portion. This kind of eating doesn’t factor in the delay between your stomach’s knowing you’re full and your brain’s knowing you are full. As a result, we overeat. The book also advocates practices like buying a bag of chips or cookies or candy and seeing how long you can make it last. Instead of scarfing down the whole bag at one sitting, take the single piece and savor the flavors.

Also, since eating links people, places and things of our past, he explains how it can be a great way of going down memory lane. Reminiscent eating is an opportunity to turn a simple act of eating into a meaningful experience with the added advantage of slowing down the process of eating. When you look at the food in front of you and allow yourself to free-associate about what the dish, the smell, and the taste remind you of, it turns mechanical and meaningless eating into sentimental and mindful enjoyment of your meal. Even a cooling off period can help you really appreciate the flavors in front of you.We’ve all burnt our lips on a bowl of soup, or a cup of coffee. Next time, give it a few moments to cool off. Enjoy the wait so you can really appreciate the flavors.

Although it might seem a little forced at first, taking the time to truly enjoy the food in front of you, and really tasting the flavor nuances of what you are eating could be just the key to taking control of your eating behavior!

St. Louis is a community known for giving of its time and money to inspire artists, stamp out fearful ailments, and give a helping hand to all segments of the region. “Charity starts at home,” as the saying goes, and St. Louis has built a home for those who know how to give.

On April 15, 2012, during its annual “Ye Olde A Tasteful Affair” event, Food Outreach will celebrate and bring awareness to its cause of providing vital nutritional support to low income men, women, and children battling Cancer or HIV/AIDS in the greater St. Louis area. In this recovering economy, Food Outreach is experiencing more need for its services than ever before. In 2011, the need for Food Outreach services reached its highest level in its 24-year history – 484,000 nutritious meals were provided to 1902 individuals, ages 4 to 90, in 137 Missouri and Illinois zip codes.

That’s no small feat. What is even more astonishing is that Food Outreach has not turned away a single client who needs their help. And the meals they provide rival those served in restaurants in the area. Incorporating fresh ingredients and overseen by Chef Nicholas Hattfield, this organization supplies nutritious hot meals, nutrition education, and counseling for its clients.

For Executive Director Greg Lukeman, the commitment is strong and unwavering. “We have the philosophy of resourcefulness, always looking for opportunities AND never harping on what we don’t have. With that thinking, we are able to add more people around the Food Outreach table—clients and donors alike.”

Food Outreach is committed to providing their clients high-quality food that is nutritious and appealing. A registered dietitian is on staff to oversee the menu design and to provide nutritional assessments, education, and classes. Menus change every two weeks, providing variety for clients whose tastes and needs change as they cycle up and down in illness, while client surveys provide input for menu development. And cooking volunteers and staff frequently participate in taste tests for quality purposes.

Join emcees Maggie Crane of KMOV and Heidi Glaus of KSDK for this year’s Ye Olde A Tasteful Affair, in the Khorassan Ballroom at The Chase Park Plaza, April 15 from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. With delicious tastings from 40 outstanding restaurants and caterers, along with more than a hundred silent and live auction items, Ye Olde A Tasteful Affaire offers many enticing menu and auction items at every price – tickets to cultural and sporting events, a variety of restaurant gift certificates, vacations, artwork, you name it.

Ye Olde A Tasteful Affaire 24 will be held Sunday, April 15, 2012 from 2:00pm until 5:00 pm at the Khorassan Ballroom, The Chase Park Plaza (212 N. Kingshighway, Saint Louis, MO 63108). General admission tickets are $50 advance and $65 at the door, and you can score a VIP ticket for $150. The VIP experience features complimentary beverages (including small-batch beer tasting by Urban Chestnut – voted one of the top 5 new breweries in the world!), entertainment, and exclusive food tastings in a private lounge.

By Lisa Bertrand

I’ll just come right out and say it: I didn’t understand why so many parents spent their week nights and weekends shuttling kids to various sports. I often wondered why these tired-looking people chose to rush from one sporting event (after a day of working within or outside of the home) to the next when they could spend their time unwinding. I thought they were crazy and gluttons for punishment.

But now I get it.

My son started playing recreational league soccer when he was four years old. The commitment didn’t entail much–just one practice during the week for six to eight weeks. They’d play maybe eight games a season. The fields were only a 12-minute drive away, so this wasn’t a big deal.

But then, my son developed a passion for the sport. Instead of spacing out on the field or running away from the ball, he started to pay attention and express an interest in honing his skills.  He practiced on his own at home. His hard work paid off when he was asked to become part of a soccer club and play select. There’s stiffer competition now. As a result, the number of weekly practices increased. Since the coaches demand more effort from the kids, the practices are more intensive. This year he’s played a fall season, a winter (indoor) season and now we’re in the middle of the spring season. This equates to more time spent in a car as the game fields are a 45-minute drive from where we live and one of the practice fields is about a 25-minute drive from where we live. This option also means more money spent. There’s club fees and season fees. Those snazzy uniforms cost more too. And since we play at least one tournament each season, there are tournament fees to boot.

So why do parents do this? Why do they make the time/money/energy sacrifice? I can’t speak for everyone, but for me, it’s very rewarding to watch my child play with so much heart. This experience has been profoundly positive for him. He’s learned some powerful lessons:

Follow Your Bliss
My son is pursuing his passion. When you love what you do, you want to do your best. You don’t mind if you’re sacrificing free time or sleep. He often can be found practicing his moves in the back yard or running to increase his endurance. Pursuing what you love keeps you motivated and hopeful.

Confidence is Key
Being “selected” in a sport has given him a confidence he lacked. When he starts to feel overwhelmed or beats himself up over a mistake, we talk about where he started in this journey and what he’s now capable of. If he sets his mind, he can tackle or master almost anything.

There’s no “I” in Teamwork
He understands that he is part of a team. He is learning about commitment and the responsibility. He knows that the other kids are counting on him to play his best. In turn, he has a right to expect that of teammates. If a teammate had some great plays, he’ll congratulate them. If one has a bad game, he offers support and encouragement.

Keep Pushing Yourself
He is learning that patience, practice and persistence are monumental in mastering any skill, be it reading, playing an instrument or memorizing math facts. He’s seen through soccer that extra work pays off. The coach notices the improvement as do your team members and even the parents of his team.

These lessons aren’t simply related to sports. I know tons of parents who shuttle their kids to music, dance, art, or other events. In short, I think kids who pursue their passion and develop their talents learn so many life lessons too.

What has your child learned from their extracurriculars?

This morning as I was leaving the gym, a friend from one of my fitness classes said she’d love to get a group of us together over the summer to just talk and spend some time with one another. We see each other in class a few times a week, talk for a few minutes before and after, and we really like getting to know each other. We’re there to work out hard, but we find we enjoy it more when we encourage each other. Although most fitness advice centers on food and exercise, the hidden benefit that we rarely point out is the bond that is formed among those who make health and fitness a priority in their lives!

And for me, it’s always been like this. When I was first married and moved to a new city, I met the women I would share pregnancies, child-rearing, and work stories with. At the time, instead of a gym, we met in church basements, carrying our own steps and weights. I even went into labor in an aerobics class. As our kids were born, we brought them to class in their baby seats and later, let them play together on the playground while we took our classes. When I moved from there, they gave me a “going away party” class!

So it’s no surprise that when we moved again, the gym was the first place I went. The tiny gym had an early morning aerobic dance class and a handful of people would show up to work out. We had so much fun working out, talking, and laughing together, and depended on one another to be there each morning. Whatever stress we had in our lives at the time, disappeared for the hour that we were together in the gym. As schedules changed, our friendships continued, moving to other gyms and new classes.

When I started an early morning spinning class, the camaraderie continued with new faces and friends. We’d follow our tough workouts at the Starbuck’s across the street. I might not see them any other time, but our shared interest in health and fitness made hearing about other aspects of their lives even more fun.

And even now, MANY, MANY years into working out, I find the same kinship with people in my classes and on the gym floor. From Zumba to spinning to Cardio/Resistance to weight training, we all share the “agony and ecstasy” of a great workout. And when you’re gone for a while, people worry. Sometimes I feel guilty if I haven’t been to a class in while, but usually, I’m happy they’re glad to have me back

I’ve always believed that the gym is the Great People Equalizer. Whether it’s my 80 year old buddy who can do more than most of the men half his age in the gym, or the young moms who share their kids’ antics, or the instructors and trainers, I always feel a commonality!

And as for the wonderful people I’ve met in the gym, so many are still my good friends. Even though many of us are at different gyms and live in different parts of the country, we still reminisce about earlier days working out together.

I know the reason we’re at the gym isn’t supposed to be social, but if you’re getting a great workout and having fun with others, what’s wrong with that!

By Lisa Bertrand

Moms need “me time.” That’s no secret. But between kids, careers, romantic relationships, and household tasks, time becomes a precious commodity.

But it’s not just that there’s no room left in the schedule. Often moms feel a sense of guilt when doing so, as if taking a step away from the myriad of demands means  putting their family’s needs second.

If you’re one of the moms who fall into the latter category, I’m here to tell you to change that attitude. Because “me time” is good for moms. A new survey from Lincoln Financial entitled MOOD of America (Measuring Optimism, Outlook and Direction), states that doing so can reap big benefits for you and your family.

According to the study, consisting of 803 women over the age of 18 living throughout the Unites States, femmes who take time out to care for themselves report feeling more in control of their lives. And, according to the survey, when you feel you’re in control of your destiny, you’re generally a more optimistic person. These feelings, in turn, lead to a greater sense of strength and self-confidence.

The research revealed 79% of those take-charge women feel that there are no limits to what they can accomplish. And 93% of those who participated felt that when it comes to problems, they are fully capable of solving issues themselves, thankyouverymuch.

“A key attribute shared by women who feel in control of their lives is that they feel empowered to take action,” said Jamie DePeau, chief marketing officer at Lincoln Financial.

And that translates to greater financial health.

“These women have taken proactive steps to build financial security for themselves and their families, such as putting away money for retirement,” DePeau said.

To inspire women across America, Lincoln has created a Women Take Charge online resource with information dedicated to helping women take charge of their futures. They have also created a video documenting women from three life stages as they talk about why they took charge of their finances and futures. Check it out here.

Clothing the family can get expensive. Kids quickly outgrow the shoes, pants, and shirts you buy them. These days, often after replacing those items, you realize there’s not enough wiggle room left in the budget for you to find something cute too.

Fear not, a new St Louis store has you, and your family, fashionably covered.

Ross Dress for Less®, the nation’s largest off-price apparel and home fashion chain (with more than 1,000 stores) has recently come to the St Louis area with the grand opening of new stores in Chesterfield, MO and Fairview Heights, IL.

St. Louis area shoppers will find the same brand names carried in department and specialty stores priced at 20 to 60% less at Ross. I had a chance to check out the store before it’s big opening and I was amazed at some of the deals! I can’t reveal brand names here, but trust me-there’s 25,000-square feet of space packed with some great bargains! And trucks loaded with new items visit the stores six days a week, so what’s carried changes out often.

I wish I could have stayed to shop but I had to leave shortly after the tour. There was a designer purse I loved that would typically cost about $80 but was on sale for $30. (See? Serious steals.) I plan to head back today.  The stores also carry apparel, shoes and accessories for the whole family, as well as home fashions.

The Chesterfield, Mo store is located in Chesterfield Commons, at 190 THF Blvd. Hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. from Monday to Saturday. On Sundays they’re open from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. The Fairview Heights store in Illinois is located in Lincoln Place at 6005 North Illinois Street. Their hours are the same as the Chesterfield facility.

And to celebrate their grand openings, each store is giving away $1,000 in Ross Dress for Less gift cards to celebrate. From Saturday, March 3 to Sunday, March 11 customers may enter in-store for a chance to win a $500 shopping spree or one of five $100 shopping sprees. Plus, as part of the grand opening ceremonies and in support of the local communities, Ross Stores will make a donation of $1,000 each to the Boys & Girls Club of St. Charles County and Scott Air Force Base Youth Center. How great is that?

Disclosure: I was given a gift card to use for a personal purchase during the store’s tour.

Image Credit: drversus.com

I’ve been working out for a long time now, and over the years my gym preferences have evolved and changed. I started with aerobics classes in church basements where we brought our own steps and weights, and moved to full gyms with cardio equipment, classes, and weight rooms.

The first time I ventured into the weight training area at the gym I felt like I was going into the boy’s locker room. Everyone seemed to know what they were doing, and all of the machines and heavy weights seemed so intimidating! However, through trial (many) errors, and some very helpful gym goers I learned how to use the equipment and make the most of my memberships.

It took some time for me to find the right fit (at one time I actually belonged to four different gyms), but if you look beyond the basics most gyms provide their own unique take on your workout.

But before we talk about specific types of gyms, here are a few factors you should consider before joining ANY gym.

1. Location and Hours- Ideally you should join a gym near your home or work. If it’s too far away you probably won’t go. Make sure that the gym will be open at the times you’d be most likely to work out.
2. Cleanliness- Gyms are a breeding ground for germs so look for clean benches, clean handles on cardio equipment, and wipes or spray bottles on the gym floor. And pay close attention to the condition of the locker room, bathrooms, and showers.
3. Equipment- Make sure that the gym has a number of different types of cardio and weight training equipment. Check to see that the equipment is in good condition and that some of it is new.
4. Atmosphere- Do you think the staff seems friendly? Do you see people like you in the gym? Is it too crowded? Too empty?
5. Classes and Services- Do they offer a variety of class types and times? Do they have services you would use like child care, nutrition, spa services, etc.?

If you absolutely cannot bear the thought of working out in front of other people, but you need assistance in getting started or getting back on track, a smaller, one-on-one personal training facility might work best for you. Many offer personal training packages, and allow you to come in to use the machines on your off days as well. Some of these smaller facilities also offer specialty programs such as outdoor boot camps that meet in local parks, or specialized packages for brides, new moms, and age specific groups. (Google”personal training studio” with the name of your city or look in the Yellow Pages. You can also email me for recommendations locally).

Next, there are chains like Club Fitness, Bally Total Fitness, Gold’s Gym, and 24 Hour Fitness. Although costs vary from state to state, club to club, and even member to member, chain gyms are usually fairly affordable and offer a variety of services for their members. Bally’s and Gold’s have tried to grab markets beyond the traditional weightlifter by adding classes and partnering with groups like AARP and other organizations to offer “reduced” prices. Unfortunately, unless you pay for expensive personal training session, you’re often left on your own to figure out the equipment. 24 Hour Fitness has a variety of machines, and they partnes with companies like Everlast, Nike and even “The Biggest Loser” TV series to offer specialty workout classes. To find out more about each individual chain, take a look on their web sites, or they will usually let you download a free 1 day or 1 week pass to try the club out.

Then, there are the club-like facilities that offer more lifestyle and luxury with your membership while still keeping a strong focus on your workout. All over the country, YMCAs, JCCs, and even local community centers have worked to refurbish, rebuild and expand their fitness facilities to compete with the high end clubs like Lifetime Fitness, Wellbridge, and others in that category. Most have programs for all ages and offer additional classes to accommodate different levels of fitness. Membership fees vary, but often include swimming pool memberships and access to intramural sports for all ages.

Right now, I belong to two facilities; the JCC, and my personal favorite club, Lifetime Fitness. After years of trying different clubs and complaining about broken machines, dirty locker rooms, overcrowded classes, and lack of equipment I’ve finally found the perfect mix for me. Along with the variety of classes and personal training, what I like about them is that these facilities have well appointed locker rooms and spacious, well-equipped workout floors. There are plenty of programs like Team Fitness and Team Weight Loss at Lifetime Fitness that give you the advantage of a personal trainer with a 12 program in a group setting. For members working out on their own, there’s usually no wait for any of the cardio machines and the variety of weight machines, free weights, and functional training pieces help make your workout more diverse. With indoor and outdoor swimming pools, spas and salons, restaurant and full service child care, you could spend your entire day there.

Of course, you have to weigh the pros and cons of price versus amenities and decide what you really will use in a club. But my biggest tip is to be sure to try the club for a day or more before signing up, and then be sure to go online to find out about membership specials or package deals that might be available to you.

Your teen thinks she’s being smart, blocking you from seeing her Facebook account. But as a parent, you have your ways. (We all do. It comes with the territory, yes?) So what happens when you find out your child has written something about you on Facebook that’s clearly disrespectful and downright bratty? Well, if you’re Tommy Jordan, you video tape your response and let her know what you think.

If you haven’t seen his response, check out this video.  The video apparently was posted onto Youtube and Jordan’s daughter’s Facebook page Thursday evening. By Friday, mid-morning, the video had more than one million hits.

I watched the video. The daughter, Hannah, was clearly wrong in posting her rant. (Especially since she’s done this before.) I can understand why Tommy would be upset and that Hannah needs to be punished. But shooting the computer? Really?  So I’m asking you guys, what would you have done? Did this dad go overboard in posting his response? Was his behavior perfectly reasonable? Also, do you think the punishment fit the crime? (My son is nine years old. He might get lippy from time to time, but overall, he’s not in the outright rebellious stage just yet. So I’m not sure what measures I’ll feel the need to take at that point.)

In the video, Tommy mentions that the 15-year-old was not only disrespectful to him but also disrespectful to her mother, stepmom, and a woman named Linda who has cleaned the house for them.

But once Hannah learned of her fate, how did she respond?

According to his Facebook page: “My daughter took a horrible day in her life, had her crying fit, then got over it, accepted her punishment, and hasn’t let it (or people’s comments) destroy her strength. I don’t get any credit for that. She’s strong and able to overcome almost anything life throws at her.”

Apparently, Tommy has had a number of media outlets requesting interviews. He has declined.

“There’s absolutely NO way I’m going to send my child the message that it’s OK to gain from something like this,” he wrote. “It would send her a message that it’s OK to profit at the expense of someone else’s embarrassment or misfortune and that’s now how I was raised, nor how she has been raised.”

(Bravo, Tommy! But I digress.)

Whether you agree or disagree with the punishment, you’ve got to admire the fact that the man stood up for his wife, a woman who helps their household, and the mother of his daughter. Based on the video, he talked to the mother about the situation. The duo agreed on the punishment then Tommy stuck to his guns (pun intended) when he carried it out.

One of four cards being offered for the printed Valentine's greetings to support Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital.

The day of chocolates, flowers, and dinners with far too many expectations (and far too many prix fixe menus) is upon us-Valentine’s Day! It’s time to uncover shoe boxes for decorating, and it’s time for candid expressions of how your child feels about their classmates as they address each little card.

But before you head to the drugstore to buy stacks of die-cut cards decked with cartoon characters perhaps the folks at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Foundation can tempt you with greetings from St. Louis’s favorite furry friend-Rally Squirrel.

Rally has single-handedly turned the local tide towards he and his garden-digging brethren by doing what squirrels do best-being somewhere he really shouldn’t have been. He won the city’s heart, and this Valentine’s Day the foundation is partnering with Rally to help you win your beloved’s heart or help your child send greetings that give back via personalized Valentine’s greetings and squirrel emblazoned cards.

For just a $10 donation you can purchase a personalized video or a package of 20 printed Valentines cards featuring Rally Squirrel, with the video deliverable to as many people as you want and additional quantities of cards available for purchase. The donations from the “Cards for Kids” program benefit the Dorothy and Larry Dallas Heart Foundation and support efforts to build a playground at the hospital.

Rally Squirrel Valentines can be purchased at Glennon.org or by phone at 314.577.5605 or 800.269.0552. Video greetings will be delivered February 10 at 9am, and printed cards will arrive in the mail before February 10.

This fun video has a look at what they have in store for your Valentine this year…

Image credit: Mad Tomato

Making delicious food is a passion for Mad Tomato’s Executive Chef and owner, Vito Racanelli. When he talks about his dishes there is no mistaking that what you order at his restaurant was created with a Nonna’s care and discerning hands. And now that Racanelli has left his partnership at Onesto’s Pizza and Trattorria, an announcement that the chef made public on January 30, he has the time to focus all of his passion and excitement on the menu and new programs that were recently launched at Mad Tomato.

Community involvement is a common theme you’ll see with many restaurants like Mad Tomato who prescribe to the farm to table movement-and Mad Tomato is poised to take that idea one step further. Starting in February the restaurant is stepping up efforts to serve local charities (pun’s are awesome). During 2012 Mad Tomato is making a drive to raise $10,000 to benefit local charities, and as an extension of this effort they will be hosting special public dining events each month, during which 20% of the day’s dining bills will be donated to local charity partners and will be stepping up their private dining communal table efforts. The first public event is set for February 8 and benefits Caring for Kids, and with another public dining event set for March 29 to benefit Circus Flora.

There are some pretty exciting changes coming to the menu as well…every six weeks. Since breaking with Onesto, Racanelli has more time to dedicate to developing the culinary goals of Mad Tomato, and he explained that since he is actively involved with the kitchen and menu he knows that cooking the same thing for six weeks gets pretty boring-for everyone from cooks to diners. Their new menus will be printed every six weeks and will include a calendar for all upcoming charitable events.

And the restaurant’s dedication to locally sourced, simple ingredients and responsible environmental practices will continue to grow right along with all of the changes. In fact Racanelli said he is hoping to one day be able to make all of the charcuterie for the restaurant if the space were to open up.

Of the charitable efforts Racanelli stated, “Mad Tomato is dedicated to giving back to the community. I have always wanted to do something like this, something that directly helps those in need. I feel a responsibility to share my good fortune of doing what I love to support local non-profit organizations.”