This winter has seen a lot of snow for many areas of the country. A couple of weeks ago, there was snow on the ground in every state but Hawaii! With each forecast for additional inches of accumulation, the shelves of hardware and home improvement stores are emptied of snow supplies by people preparing to battle the snow on their own front steps, sidewalks and/or driveways. Snow shovels, salt and snow blowers can all help make these areas passable again – but what’s the greenest way to get rid of the white stuff? View Full Article

What weighs virtually nothing, is less than a fraction of a millimeter in width, and is choking the planet? Two points if you answered plastic shopping bags. Extra points if you already use or are planning to start using reusable shopping bags in 2010! View Full Article

Obesity treatments have 2 objectives: * To achieve a healthy weight * To maintain a healthy weight View Full Article

Facebook is in metamorphosis from a strictly social media site to one that employers are checking routinely for any information that might put you in a negative light. You may already have an account there, so make sure that you don't have any damaging information accessible to the general public. Take care that none of the following information shows up on your profile. View Full Article

Congress has extended the tax credit for first time home buyers through the spring of 2010. If you are thinking about purchasing your first home, now might prove to be a great time to do so. View Full Article

Typically, I think of fitness as a way to achieve ability in different facets of life. I want to be strong so the loads life asks me to bear seem lighter. I want endurance so that I can enjoy activity longer without tiring. I want to be agile so I feel balanced and coordinated in any situation, be it going up stairs or climbing a wall. View Full Article

If a person’s bodyweight is at least 20% higher than it should be, a person is generally considered to be obese. If your Body Mass Index (BMI) is between 25 and 29.9, you are considered overweight. View Full Article

When was the last time you Googled your name? What comes up when you do? Try all variations of your name and see what happens. If you don't have a professional presence on Google, then you are at a distinct disadvantage in the job market. View Full Article

It’s that time of year again where the stores get filled with red balloons, heart decorations, lover’s cards, gifts, and flowers. February 14th is nationally recognized as “lover’s day,” a relationship day, and day for couples. Some singles despise the day, some couples enjoy the romance-focused day, other people feel overwhelmed, and other people avoid it at all cost. Either way, the focus tends to be solely on romantic relationships. Valentine’s Day isn’t simply a day for couples View Full Article

By now, you are probably getting flooded with 1099’s, W-2’s and “Important Tax Information.” The dreaded filing season is here and you’ll be forced to confront the inevitable—getting it all together. Here are some key points to help you manage the process and avoid costly mistakes: View Full Article

To have intimacy in a relationship, couples need to have the four T's: Time, Talk, Trust and Touch. But for many parents of small kids, finding the time to talk and touch intimately is difficult. Who will take the kids? It's a problem. View Full Article

As a personal trainer, it is my job to find ways to get people to adhere to their fitness program. Whether they are home or on the road, I try to show them creative ways to stay in shape. Circuit training is a great way to do this. It is both time efficient and fitness effective, combining cardiovascular and strength training into a workout session in less than one hour. The great thing about circuit training is that it can be done anywhere with or without equipment. View Full Article

Training your core has been at the heart of countless fitness programs lately, so chances are you’ve read or heard something on the subject. Therefore, I won’t pound you over the head with regurgitated arguments about spinal stability, length/tension relationships, or the importance of muscle connectivity in the pelvic floor. Suffice it to say, IT’S IMPORTANT. View Full Article

5. The Stress Interview It’s just as it sounds: an interview designed to stress you out. The point? To see how you cope. The interviewer will try to intimidate you by asking View Full Article

For smokers, particularly those who have smoked for many years, the urge for a cigarette can be incredibly powerful. Beyond the physical drive that underlies the urge – the body’s expectation and need for nicotine – lies something that can be even more powerful: the psychological drive. View Full Article

If you’re sure that you’re a chronic procrastinator (see Part 2 of this series, Are You Really a Procrastinator? to find out), the roots of your problem grow deep. The big “P” will hamper your life in many areas, not just your career. Because I’m a career counselor, however, I prefer to focus on how you can start to overcome procrastination in career decision-making View Full Article

If I asked you to close your eyes and imagine what “fitness” looks like, chances are you’ll think of someone closer to Lance Armstrong or Marion Jones than Arnold Schwarzenegger. Maybe it’s Brad Pitt or Kelly Ripa; but it’s almost certainly not Ronnie Coleman. The point? View Full Article

The challenge to quit smoking is one of the greatest challenges a smoker may face in his or her lifetime. Smokers would likely tell you that it's easier to train for a triathalon than to give up the habit. What makes quitting smoking so awful? In twelve step groups (which focus on addiction), there is a frequently shared saying: "Addiction is a cunning and baffling disease." If you haven't experienced addiction, you may not fully digest what this means. If you're reading this article, you probably get it pretty easily. View Full Article