Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Graeme Preston Memorial Soccer Marathon

12- year-old Mia O'Brien is working hard on a very special project for her Girl Scout Silver Award. She is holding the "Graeme Preston Memorial Soccer Marathon" in honor of her former soccer coach's son who died from injuries sustained in a car accident last March.

Freehold Soccer League, the Freehold Township Parks and Rec, and the Battle of Monmouth are all working in conjunction with her project. The marathon is Aug. 23rd from 8am to 8pm at Opatut Park in Freehold Township. Other traveling teams and participants of the marathon include the Freehold Township High School and Feehold Boro High School girls soccer teams, and adult teams are eligible, too.

In addition to the continuous playing of soccr, there will be other fun stuff. All proceeds will benefit the already instated "Graeme Preston Foundation for Life".

Monday, July 28, 2008

Pay-As-You-Drive

An auto insurance company is offering drivers in our state discounts of up to 60% if you install a high-tech monitoring device. The wireless devices will tell Progressive how many miles are driven, and how fast you accelerate and hit the brakes.

Under the pay-as-you-drive concept, good drivers will get discounts and those who speed could face surcharges as high as 9%. New Jersey will be the 5th state to offer this option. The program will begin Aug. 8th. Think you're brave enough to do this if it'll mean saving money? An interesting concept!

Friday, July 25, 2008

New Jersey Afterschool Directory

We now have a new tool to find programs to keep our kids occupied and cared for when they're not in school. The New Jersey Afterschool Directory allows parents to look up programs for children in Kindergarten through 12th Grade. The programs are aimed at watching over children before school, after school, and during the summer. Go to njafterschool.org

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Highest Paid Actors

Forbes Magazine is out with a list of the highest paid actors for the year:

Will Smith earned $80 million, the most of any actor. Johnny Depp isn't too far behind with $72 million. "Shrek" co-stars Eddie Murphy and Mike Myers each pulled in $55 million for the year. Leonardo DiCaprio has been working on movies that will be released in the future, earning him $45 million. Bruce Willis, Ben Stiller, Nicolas Cage, Will Ferrell, and Adam Sandler round out the top ten of Best-Paid Actors.

As for actresses in Hollywood, the latest info shows Reese Witherspoon makes the most, at $20 million a film, followed by Angelina Jolie, then Cameron Diaz and Katherine Heigel.

(Five out of the top paid men in Hollywood are funny guys....and five are the hot ones! Just like in real life for many women, two of the top attributes of being attracted to a guy: they're really cute OR really funny!)

Monday, July 21, 2008

10 Minute Workouts

If you simply can't squeeze in 45 minutes of exercise a day, even though you know you need it, experts say 10-minute workouts can be your best friend!

One study shows that women who do ten-minute bouts of exercise throughout the day lose nearly a third more weight than those who exercise in one 30- to 40-minute chunk three times a week. Other studies show that all it takes is accumulating an hour of walking a week. You can do that!

Multiple short workouts are also more effective at lowering the blood fat that increases your heart attack risk and raising 'good' cholesterol than a continuous 30-minute bout. Some research shows women who squeeze in three 10-minute walks most days of the week lose nearly twice as many inches off their waistlines as those who do single 30-minute sessions.

And experts say men and women who do two 15-minute workouts 4 days a week improve their cardiovascular endurance twice as much as those who work out in a single 30-minute routine 4 days a week. Mini-workouts deliver such powerful results because you're more likely to do them!

Friday, July 18, 2008

The Number One Weight Loss Secret

When all else fails and you can't find that miracle diet, experts say the number one weight loss secret is: be kind to yourself and accept yourself the way you are.

Geneen Roth, the author of "When Food Is Love" says: Instead of threatening yourself and berating yourself and depriving yourself all in the name of dieting, you need to change your behavior.

Believing that you shouldn't be buying and eating the food you really want will actually cause you to eventually binge and regain any weight you have been struggling to lose.

Don't call your efforts hopeless. Don't feel ashamed if you don't look like those size 2 celebrities. Eating can be an emotional reaction to not giving yourself enough love and attention.

Don't think that if you accept and love yourself the way you are that it means you'll always remain overweight. The opposite is true. The self-acceptance will in fact help you to relax and feel the love and attention you've been craving so that you don't have to fill that empty void inside you with food.

You have to learn to trust yourself. Treat yourself to kindness. Declare it 'Be Kind to Me' day, and start treating yourself as if you deserve every good thing. Because, in fact, you do.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

One-Minute weight loss secrets

Prevention magazine offers One-Minute weight loss secrets. Here are some of them:

- Combine half of your favorite juice with plain or sparkling water so that you're not consuming as many calories.
- Researchers have discovered that chewing sugar-free gum all day increases your metabolic rate by 20%, which could burn off more than ten pounds a year.
- Any time someone offers you a food treat and you accept, pay a dollar to your kids or your bank account. When you pay for treats, you're more likely to say 'no thanks'.
- Sip green tea before you walk. The caffeine frees fatty acids so that you burn fat more easily. And the antioxidant compounds in green tea increase calorie burn.
- Forget diet shakes. The cut calories are only temporary; you just eat more later.
- Dip your bread in olive oil in place of spreading butter. It's healthier and less calories.
- Sprinkle flax on your cereal. High-fiber, ground flaxseed can help curb your appetite and eliminate calories. Or add it to yogurt.
- Schedule a blood test to see if you have an underactive thyroid, which can slow down your metabolism.
- Low-fat milk fills your stomach and contains carbs so you eat less.
- If you already jog, speed up to a sprint once in a while. The brief intervals allow you to burn more fat and calories without lengthening your workout. Plus, the increased impact actually helps make your bones stronger!
- Before you take a spoonful of ice cream or another dessert, make yourself do ten sit-ups or pushups to put you back in touch with your body and your goals.
- When you really want those fresh-baked goods, take 30 seconds to indulge in the smell, then place a small piece on the tip of your tongue for 30 seconds. Savoring the smell and taste can help you stop at just one cookie.
- Blot the fat. You can dab off about a teaspoon of oil (about 4.5 grams of fat) from two slices of pizza.

And, finally, (we all know this even if we don't do it) DRINK MORE WATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Monday, July 14, 2008

Getting Your Doctor To Remember You

It's hard enough getting a doctor's appointment that works with your schedule. Sometimes you have to wait weeks or even months for a slot. And you're sometimes stuck waiting for hours in a lobby for your five minutes of face time with the actual doctor. And even then you have to hope it's your actual doctor and that he or she actually treats you like they KNOW you.

30% of those who responded to a nationwide survey say the person they have chosen to entrust with care for their health and well-being doesn't even remember their first name. Yet 82% agree that a person's doctor should at least REMEMBER them. 95% of respondents say being addressed by their name makes them feel more comfortable and puts them at ease.

Experts say bedside manner is highly important in helping you get the most out of your doctors and that you should search for one that takes the time to adhere to the basics of at least knowing your name before they walk in the room to greet you. Here's some advice they give for helping your doctor remember you:

- Interview your doctor even if you have to pay for an initial meeting.
- schedule a regular checkup so that the doctor sees you at least once a year.
- Ask questions during your appointment instead of just nodding your head and going along with the doctor's quick schedule
- Research your doctor instead of just picking a name out of a phone book.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Removing Temporary Tattoos

My kids love putting tattoos on their arms. The problem for me is, once they start to come off, they look awful. It looks like I don't bathe my kids sometimes because they have an old tattoo. And since they like to shower these days, there's not enough soaking of the arm going on in the bathtub like there used to be.

So I'll take a washcloth and scrub at it and that only irritates their skin. Silly me.....I'm still learning! A listener has sent in what should be an obvious tip on tattoo removal. But I figure that if I didn't know it, maybe some of you didn't either, so here it is:

Rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball.

Duh!

Monday, July 7, 2008

Waiting For The Sequel

We all know how quickly our kids grow up, but this is one particular instance where I wish they'd stay little for just a few years longer.

I mentioned recently that "Toy Story 3" will be out in a couple of years......but now my kids' favorite childhood Disney/Pixar movie is coming out with a sequel. "Cars 2" will feature Lightning McQueen and Mater taking their adventure overseas. The film is set for summer...of 2012!

My boys will be 9 and 11.....think they'll still be interested, perhaps for old time's sake?

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Staycation Destination: Jenkinson's Breakwater Beach

If you weren't one of the lucky ones that won tickets to our Listener Appreciation Night at Jenkinson's Breakwater Beach in Seaside, I want to give you a heads-up that this is a wonderful place to spend a day with your family.

I was truly and pleasantly surprised and amazed by this incredible water park just off the boardwalk. It is spectacular and there is something for everyone from your little ones to your teenagers and for the parents, too. It's clean and safe, with plenty of lifeguards on hand. Also, if you combine this with a walk across Ocean Avenue to some of the great kiddie and adult rides on the Seaside boardwalk it makes for a fantastic day and night without having to travel far.

This is a day trip my kids and their friends will get to experience many times and reminds me of what living at the Jersey Shore is all about.