“I will lose weight this year!” “I need to flatten this belly, stat!” “This is the year I will fit into a size --.” In our video series For the Health of it, Joline Atkins provides health and wellness advice. I certainly won’t question those goals, for I understand that those who are off and running toward New Year's resolutions of the health/fitness variety often begin with such bold statements. I am, however, going to challenge the wisdom of one’s initial focus being on a number, the belly and an ideal size. Let’s think out of the box. Have you [...]

This may seem like an odd column for the day after Christmas. Shouldn’t I be spouting off about the importance of setting smart health and fitness goals for the New Year? I can’t. I’m too excited. See, I made my own coconut milk. Now, before you express awe and hail me as some brilliant natural chef, I’ll humbly admit that this recipe has all of two ingredients. Not that impressive. Perhaps consider the fact that it was super gratifying to make myself and simply pretend to be inspired. Why coconut milk? Aside from coconut being highly nutritious and rich in [...]

Would you be offended to receive a health and fitness related gift? While I’d be flattered, fitness/nutrition gifts, while well intended, may be a bit of a faux pas unless there is evidence of interest. Recently, I asked my fitness-focused friends what they would love to unwrap this time of year.  In our video series For the Health of it, Joline Atkins provides health and wellness advice. Some answers were quite obviously fitness related, like my sister turned cyclist who asked for cold weather booties and cycling gloves. Others, shared suggestions that were not as glaringly fitness specific, lending me [...]

This time of year, before my family decks the halls, I ask the kids to clean out closets. I clear the armoire of all single gloves and snow pants that don’t fit. I comb the shelves for books that have earned a place in the donation box, wade through kitchen cabinets for items I forgot I even owned and generally go on a “If we haven’t used it this year, let’s get rid of it,” rampage. In our video series For the Health of it, Joline Atkins provides health and wellness advice.  Anyone else? Or is it just me? With [...]

I’ve not been shy about sharing how klutzy I am in the kitchen. I may descend from two Italian grandmothers, but while younger, I was too “busy” to be bothered with learning how to cook. In our video series For the Health of it, Joline Atkins provides health and wellness advice. While I was known to dance in the kitchen, I never quite got around to actually helping out during the cooking binges to which my grandmothers committed each holiday. I was entertaining -- as were they (have you ever heard a bunch of Italians cook together in a kitchen?) [...]