Dear Friends,

Happy New Year to each and every one of you. It has been a great year for some of you and a tough year for others. No matter what, I am here to make sure that next year is your best year yet. 

I have tons of great tips, ideas and helpful ways for you to live your BEST life ever coming up just after the New Year! And some really good recipes as well to make sure you are only putting healthy food into your body.

EXCITING NEWS! I am going to be starting work on a brand new book which will answer some of the most common (and uncommon) questions about your health, working out, eating the right foods, happiness, etc. So if you have ANY questions, please send them over to me and not only will I answer you personally, but the question just may show up in my book (and you will be famous)!

Also, if you have not yet read my first book, here are the links! It would be a great read for the new year!

Read full book “Impress The World With Your Body in Seven Days” for free by clicking here!

Buy hard cover copy of “Impress The World With Your Body in Seven Days” by clicking here!

Lastly, I would like to thank my friend Terry Chaney for giving me the push to start my “Healthy at 102″ Facebook page. I started the page less than a year ago and already have over 900 people that have “liked” it!  We give a “Quick Tip” every day, 365 days a year, so please be sure to check it out!

So again, Happy New Year and as I used to say to my classmates before winter break when I was a little kid… “see you NEXT YEAR!”

Rock on!

Q: Dave, is it OK to “indulge” or just “live it up” a little during the holidays?

A: This is actually a question that I get asked quite often. And my answer goes something like this:

I am not sure what you mean by “living it up” or indulging. Does it mean eating four pieces of your mother’s pumpkin pie? Drinking alcohol like you’re back at a college fraternity party? Devouring a bucket of ocean fries drowned in mustard, ketchup and mayonnaise?

Or do you mean eating some dessert when you normally try your best to avoid all desserts like the plague? Or cheating a little bit because you would love to have a half of a loaded baked potato that you have not had all year long.

Since I am not clear on what you mean by “living it up,” I am going to tell you what I do. I try my best to eat healthy food every single day.  I do this by combining fresh, organic, raw, natural, free-range foods as much as I can. Am I perfect at it? No way. Do I do a pretty darn good job? Yes I believe I do!

So this means if I am at a party and everyone is fueling up on alcohol, I politely ask for a glass of fresh water or a cup of tea. By the way, I generally stay away from big drunken parties. They are just not fun for me. If I am out at a restaurant and everyone is “doing” dessert, I do not succumb, unless fresh fruit and green tea are available. Simply put, I never feel the peer pressure to do what everyone else is doing.  I do try to avoid situations where others around me are being unhealthy.

I do not look at my eating program as a “diet” or something that is restrictive. Nor do I look at a plate of fried chicken, an ice cream sundae or a sugar-laden drink from Starbucks as a “reward” for having been so good.

Listen: you and I have the right to basically eat anything that we want. I simply know that if I put something into my body that is not good for me, there will be a price to pay somewhere down the road. That price may be weight gain, a health issue, or most likely, both.

Eating and drinking in an unhealthy manner are just not fun for me. Just because “everyone else” is doing this does not make it a good thing.  Please remember, this is a lifestyle. Do the best you can. Hang around healthy people – it really does make a big difference! And if you decide to “indulge,” do it in the smallest way possible!

Happy holidays to YOU!!! Please be sure to visit my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/HealthyAt102. There is a brand new “quick tip” every day!

Rock on!

Holy moly, I cannot believe it’s THAT time of the year again!

Yes, the “holidays” are upon us!  

And no, it does not matter which, if any of the winter holidays you celebrate. The fact is the next couple of weeks can be incredibly stressful, irritating, and will very likely increase your waistline if you are not careful.

So here are my survival tips to keeping this a fun, light and easy time of the year. Trust me… I have been doing all of these for many years.

1. Recognize that saying NO to certain things is perfectly acceptable. You do not have to say yes to everything you are asked to do or attend.  Be selective and say YES to ONLY the things that are most important to you.
2. Plan your activity routine. It’s much easier to plan out where you need to go and then travel in a straight line. For example, if I need to go to the dry cleaners, bank, shoe repair, and natural food store, I will figure out which one is the farthest away, and which one is the closest. Then I “connect the dots” in-between. This way I do not feel like I am running around like a chicken with its head cut off.
3. Realize and be ok with the fact that these winter holidays are NOT about the biggest, most expensive gifts.  ALL of the winter holidays are about being with family, friends and enjoying the JOY of this season, NOT counting the gifts.  So instead of rushing out to purchase your loved one some gift that two months from now they will have forgotten, how about planning an afternoon together or fix them their favorite meal?
4. When attending holiday parties, always remember – if you can use a smaller plate, do so! If there is only one size plate available, please aim to only fill it up about halfway. A full sized dinner plate that is packed with food is simply too much. And while we are talking plates, try to go with the healthiest foods. No fried foods! Please try to avoid the sauced veggies. I know that the sweet potatoes covered in marshmallows look good but the marshmallows and other unhealthy ingredients take away all of the benefits from the sweet potatoes. The same applies to the green beans smothered in fried onions and cream of mushroom soup. But you know all that, right? Just use common sense. Fresh meats and unadulterated veggies are best. Beans and nuts are also good. As my good friend Terry, says – NOTHING IS EVER GOING TO TASTE AS GOOD AS BEING HEALTHY FEELS. She is so right.
5. New Years Eve is the night we celebrate the ending of one year and the beginning of the next – not the night we get as drunk as possible, eat everything in sight and wake up feeling horrible the next day. You all know that I do not drink alcohol. It is incredibly fattening and in my opinion, does not contribute to overall health no matter what the “studies” say. But if you feel the need and desire for a glass of wine or champagne to celebrate the New Year, I will not tell you no, but please limit it to one glass.

There are probably many more holiday tips I can give you, and maybe I will do so very soon. But if you follow just these simple guidelines, I am pretty certain that you will have a wonderful, fun and stress-free holiday season. Enjoy!

Happy Holidays

Dave

P.S. Make sure you “like” me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/HealthyAt102. A new tip awaits you every day!