1. No time – If you don’t find time for exercise now, you’ll have to find time later for disease and doctor appointments.
2. Too tired – Give it a chance, and you’ll find that consistent exercise gives you more energy.
3. No discipline – Try new motivating strategies; or give yourself non-food rewards, like pampering treatments, a new book/CD/DVD, or down time for yourself.
4. Muscle soreness – Life is more painful for sedentary people.
5. Inconvenience – Obesity and health problems are a lot more inconvenient than exercise.
6. Boredom – Be creative! Take a dance class, join a team or league, borrow fitness DVDs from the library, play with your kids, etc. You’ll come up with more.
7. Embarrassment – People at the gym are far more concerned about themselves. Seriously.
8. Injury – You can still exercise the parts of your body that are not injured. A trainer or physical therapist can help you find the right exercises.
9. Too expensive – Explore all the ways you can exercise for free!
10. Just don’t care – If that’s really true, perhaps you have a more serious problem.

Super Bowl Sunday is the second largest day of food consumption, behind only Thanksgiving.

~ American Institute of Food Distribution

Six percent of Americans will call in sick the day after Super Bowl Sunday.

~ Dayton Daily News

The lesson? Pay attention to what, and how much, you eat on Super Bowl Sunday. Choose healthy options. Eat normal (not restaurant) portions. Choose one quarter of the game for “meal time.” Remember you’re with other people, and use your energy interacting with them, not with the buffet table.

Whether you’re cheering for a football team, or for your own victory today – get up and dance!

Think of yourself as an athlete all weekend.

Dress like an athlete – wear clothes that encourage movement.

Move like an athlete – be conscious of how you reach, step, lift, bend.

Think like an athlete – be a winner, not a whiner.

Your attitude can affect your muscle fibers. And you’ll find that parts of your exercise routine can be built right into your day.

Stand up and push play!

Perfect for Super Bowl Sunday – and a great healthy snack at any time – hummus is a Middle Eastern dip, served here with veggies and pita bread.

HUMMUS
Blue * serves 8

2 cans of organic garbanzo beans, drained but with liquid reserved
1/4 cup of tahini
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
salt & pepper
dash of allspice
olive oil

Put beans, half the reserved liquid, tahini and lemon juice in food processor. Blend just until chunky but not smooth. Drop in garlic chunks and and several shakes of salt and pepper. Process until very smooth, adding more reserved liquid if necessary. Taste and adjust salt or lemon juice accordingly. Then scoop into shallow bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and very lightly sprinkle the allspice over the top to garnish. Enjoy with veggies (carrots, celery, red or green pepper, cucumber, jicama, sugar snap peas, cherry tomatoes, etc.) and/or whole wheat pita bread or chips.

PITA CHIPS
Blue * serves 8

1 package whole wheat pita bread
olive oil
herb salt (or salt)

Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment. Use a knife or pizza cutter to cut the pita bread into sixths. Separate each sixth in half along the outside seam, and place on the cookie sheet with the inside facing up. Spritz lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with herb salt. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until crisp. Serve with hummus.

Everyone in the house can get into this one – it’s another great fan song, no matter what the sport. So get everyone up and moving!

This year I decided to add one new healthy habit every month. In January, I’ve added my Pilates routine to every day. I love that routine, and I know how much better and stronger and more flexible I feel when I do it regularly.

Now that I have that mastered, why don’t you join me in one new habit? The next one I’m taking on is drinking 8 oz of water upon rising each day. You might want to set out a special glass in the bathroom, to help you remember. Or fill your water bottle and keep it on your nightstand so you can grab it first thing.

Photo: Zsuzsanna Kilián

It’s not the will to win, but the will to prepare to win that makes the difference.

~Bear Bryant, football coach

In honor of the Super Bonus Super Bowl class, get up and march in place! Lift those knees high! You’re on your way to victory!

How did Northwestern University (IL) get their song here? Marilu met her husband Michael when they both attended college there (they didn’t date until later).