Before you write me off as a complete loon for claiming to talk to God, let me just say that 2016 was a rough year for me. Yeah, I know Donald Trump and all, but that’s not what I’m talking about. 2016 is the year my 30-year marriage ended. My divorce was final just a […]
We joke about it and it’s the subject of innumerable country western songs: the overprotective dad who threatens bodily harm to his daughter’s date when he shows up at the door. But is it funny? Is he just being a “good dad” keeping young suiters in line? Or is there something else going on below […]
I don’t know if I’m any more conscious of what I look like than any other woman, but maybe because I was obese up until 9 years ago (I used to weigh 265 lbs. and had a Body Mass Index of 43, which is clinically morbidly obese, and I now weigh 145 lbs. with a […]
We are running on fumes, many of us. We work, we nurture, we tend, we manage, we attend to, we contribute, we perform, we do. We do all the things. And then we get up the next morning and we do it again. It’s no surprise we long for vacations and we crave some pampering. […]
Resentment is like a clichéd country western song, “I been wronged.” That is, somebody or something has crossed a line and you’re left feeling battered and bruised. Depending on the particulars of the situation, you experience feelings anywhere from miffed to downright furious. We’ve all experienced it: a girlfriend once again overlooks your birthday, though you always […]
I always wondered why the whole “bloom where you’re planted” and “be grateful for what you have” thing left me feeling empty. Not just empty, but it left me feeling guilty, like an ungrateful, selfish wretch. I don’t know if you were an Oprah follower back in the days of her regular talk show, but […]
Snacking is a given in our busy lives, but not all snacks are created equal. And while a skinny latte and a Kind bar will work in a pinch, it’s nice to have other options, especially when they’re delivered right to your door. Enter the Graze snack pack; a weekly snack-of-the-week club that dishes up […]
The experts offer conflicting advice about whether or not we should talk to kids about their weight, but either way only good things come of helping kids foster a positive relationship with their bodies. Teaching kids to love and appreciate their bodies for what they can do and how beautiful they are is the best way to pass […]
The other day I decided, not really impulsively, but definitely not with my usual slow, methodical deliberation, to apply for a job that I’d been coveting. It’s one of those jobs that I’ve always dreamed of; one of those jobs that seemed more aspirational than realistic. But it involves everything that I’m passionate about – […]
In the 20+ years I spent as a morbidly obese woman, first as a young mom, and then throughout my 30s and into my 40s, I could not have told you what it meant to set meaningful boundaries. The needs of others were my daily directive. I often wished and hoped that someday I could […]
A little bit of meal prep goes a long way when it comes to assembling healthy meals in a hurry. Busy weeknight dinners are breeze with Marilyn’s favorite tricks for prepping lean proteins, complex carbs and healthy fats ahead of time. In this podcast you’ll learn how to: Prep lean proteins for super-fast weeknight meal assembly […]
My elves have been busy rounding up lots of great holiday gift ideas for all the special people on your list! Listen in to find out what I’ll be giving and a few things that I hope I’ll find in my own stocking.
Posted November 26, 2015 Our yellow lab Stella is so much a part of our family I couldn’t imagine leaving her out of the Thanksgiving celebration. She loves the Homemade Peanut Butter Bacon treats I make for her, but when I found this recipe I knew I had to try it. No surprise, she loves these! […]
From pages 180 – 181 of Eat Like It Matters: Raise your hand if you have an uncomplicated relationship with your mother. So nobody, right? Yeah, me either. This is one of the most complex human relationships there is. For those of us who are lucky enough to have our mothers in our lives, we may still […]
I was just coming off of one of those weekends when I recorded this podcast. You know the kind … dinner out with friends one night, a birthday party the next night, running errands all day Saturday and then a football game on Sunday (with snacks, of course!). What’s a healthy eater to do?!? Listen […]
It was about six weeks ago something occurred to me that really shook me to my core. I’m a little embarrassed to say that I hadn’t thought of it before. I’ll get to what triggered this epiphany in a sec, but the thought I had was just this: my body image hasn’t really changed since […]
Last year I started a new tradition. Instead of making New Year’s resolutions on January 1st I’d make them on my birthday (which was yesterday), in celebration of my own “new year.” I was feeling pretty smug about that decision, and if you’re curious to read what my resolution was last year here’s that blog. […]
Full disclosure: today’s my birthday. Side note: no freaking way I feel 53. Okay, I confess, I don’t know what 53’s supposed to feel like, but whatever it is, I don’t feel it. I’m (very slowly) coming to terms with this whole aging thing. Looking back, 44 was a really big year for me. I […]
As a confirmed curmudgeon (seriously, even when I was a much younger woman), I’ve always assumed that happy people were just jolly types who went along untouched by the daily drudgery that served as confirmation to me that life was made up of to-do lists, responsibilities, bills and other people’s agendas to fulfill. And back […]
From pages 105 – 107 of Eat Like It Matters: Finally!” the readers exclaim in unison. “She’s gonna get to the point about what to eat, how to eat, and how to actually lose weight!” Oh, don’t get your panties in a bunch. Of course I was gonna get to it, but you can’t just […]
As a recovering perfectionist, I try to practice self-compassion as I stumble along the path of my life. Learning to do so has had repercussions beyond my imagining. I was raised to believe that being a perfectionist meant you had high standards, both for yourself and for others. When other people (or I) didn’t meet […]
I’ve made lots of new friends since embarking on my weight loss journey. Many of these folks are people whose paths crossed mine at an exercise class or through mutual friends, but some I met waiting in line at the grocery store or even through social media. Seriously, I’ve become one of those silly saps […]
When I look at this book in its entirety, it strikes me how every single strategy I’ve learned—really, every single point I make— is about putting yourself first. When you put yourself first you have high standards for yourself and your life. You expect to be happy and to have satisfying relationships with your family […]
Listen in as I’m joined in the studio by some folks from my local YMCA! We talked about establishing new habits, finding a balanced approach to fitness and weight loss, and the many Y programs that can help us achieve our goals. My Y is my happy place, and the skilled staff and caring volunteers are a […]
Do you Instagram? I do. Mostly I follow fitness and healthy eating accounts so that I can see what others in my field are posting. And I know I’m gonna sound like a middle-aged grump when I say this, but most of it is absolute garbage. Honestly, if I see one more scantily-clad 19-year-old young […]
Obesity has more than quadrupled in adolescents in the last 30 years. As a society we do a lot of hand-wringing about childhood obesity. How can we make a dent in this crisis? Listen in to hear what I’ve learned both as a former fat kid and as the parent of a child who worked […]
Come with me as I create a mental picture: You’re walking along, minding your own business in your busy life. You’re reasonably happy – you’ve got work, your friends and family, a special somebody. Or maybe you’re a child, playing peacefully. Things are pretty good. Unexpectedly, you have a dramatic incident – maybe your husband […]
The scene: my bathroom, this morning. My husband (29 years later this summer) and I are both getting ready for our day. It’s the Monday morning after a holiday weekend filled with fun, celebrating (a little overindulging) with family and friends, houseguests, and did I mention overindulging? Needless to say we’d had a great weekend, […]
This is a question someone posed to me recently on Facebook, and I think it’s worth answering to a bigger audience. I have been asked this – in many variations – before: “How did Rob feel about your obesity?” or “Was he still attracted to you when you were overweight?” Admittedly, these are very personal questions, […]
I know, I know … it’s not terribly healthy, but giving our beloved Stella a homemade peanut butter and bacon dog treat every now and then is a way for me to vicariously enjoy two of my favorite foods without the calories (for me, anyway). My daughter Katie has been making these delightful doggie treats for […]
My husband (aka resident comedian) jokes that I’m at my favorite hair salon so often I should have my own private entrance. Haha, funny man! It’s true that I get my hair colored frequently enough that I can easily keep up with the very active love life of my 20-something colorist. While all of this […]
There are days when I feel like my house has been whipped around in a Kansas-style twister and crash-landed in a strange, far-away place. In fact, from time to time I feel like the one whose feet are sticking out from under the house. Fortunately those times are few and far between, but I’m smack […]
From our adult vantage point we look back on our twelve year-old selves and think we had it made: no job, no bills, no responsibilities. We could sleep in on the weekends and take off on our bikes and hang out with our friends for hours. Sounds like our idea of heaven now, right? But […]
Just over twenty-seven years ago, when I launched myself into parenthood, I had only a vague idea of what it meant to be a mom. I was working full-time at a public accounting firm in Chicago, supporting myself and my husband, who was a law student at the University of Chicago. When we found out […]
How do you raise a child with an adventurous palate? Well, you don’t do what I did. Oh, I did fine with baby foods; I did it just like the parenting books said and introduced them one at a time and waited a week or so before trying another new food, in case she had an […]
Love it or hate it, it’s almost Valentine’s Day. Count me among those who love it, but I don’t love the widespread practice of giving fattening foods to loved ones for this holiday. I just don’t understand how it shows love to give people things that are bad for them. Given that philosophy, I’m on […]
A fun take on traditional chili with the addition of Bloody Mary mix and spicy Montreal steak seasoning, this chili is also made healthier by using lean ground buffalo instead of beef. Makes 8-10 hearty servings. Ingredients: 1 T olive oil 2 stalks celery, diced 1 onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, chopped 3 pounds ground […]
A while ago I was on a panel of “patient success stories” at the clinic where I had my Lap-Band surgery. We were each asked to describe how our families reacted to our decision to lose weight. I went first and reported that my family was incredibly supportive, even though sometimes it’s difficult for them […]
A 20-something friend asked me the other day, “My social life pretty much revolves around going out for drinks with friends, watching football together and going out for brunch. All of our activities involve eating and drinking. How am I supposed to lose weight without giving up my normal hangouts? I’ve tried it before and […]
My dear friend Paige Green Dunn recently introduced me to the greatest invention since sliced Ezekel bread: home delivery of fresh, local, organic produce. She was telling me about it over lunch the other day, but then I discovered that she’d written about it on her own blog, “Mom Around Town.” The process couldn’t be […]
If you’ve never cooked with herbes de provence, I encourage you to try it. Herbes de provence typically contain savory, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, oregano and, for the American market, lavender leaves. I mix it with olive oil, salt and pepper and simply rub it on the turkey breast before roasting. The smell while it’s cooking is intoxicating and the flavor it imparts is divine. I like to […]
I texted my daughters “Wanna make truffles this year?” “YESSSSSSS!!!!” they enthusiastically responded. Making homemade truffles was a Christmas tradition in our house throughout their childhood, but since my weight loss 7+ years ago I haven’t made truffles or any of the other McKenna family favorite holiday treats that I did for so many years. […]
I walked into the Y this morning only to find – much to my delight and surprise – that, even though it’s mid-December – the place was packed! I walk through the lobby: it’s crowded with folks checking in and visiting with staff. I pass by the gym: it’s filled to the brim with women […]
“Would you like whip on your gingerbread latte?” “Ooooo, grandma brought her famous marshmallow sweet potato casserole!” “Everybody’s doing the neighborhood holiday cookie exchange, wanna join in?” From holiday office parties to buffet tables loaded with tempting treats to your Aunt Trudi’s to-die-for salted caramel cheesecake, there is no shortage of special foods readily […]
There’s no doubt about it: family dynamics are complicated. And messy. And sometimes, painful. As much joy as the holidays bring, time spent with family at holiday celebrations can be challenging. We bring a green bean casserole, and maybe some emotional baggage to those family gatherings, too. When all that togetherness turns sour, it’s helpful to […]
It’s not like I haven’t been buying Christmas presents since the holiday’s inception (a slight exaggeration, I admit), so I have no excuse for the fact that every year it catches me off-guard. I remember – usually at the last minute – “oh my gosh, I have to fill the stockings!!!” Now, I know the […]
As I learned when I spent an afternoon testing motion games at Pixelkin, video games have a lot to offer for those of us who want to spend quality, active time with our families. Pixelkin is an organization that covers the latest news, reviews, and developments in games—with a special focus on families. They let me come […]
Who says video games rot your brain?!? I recently had the good fortune to spend an afternoon at Pixelkin, an organization that covers the latest news, reviews, and developments in games—with a special focus on families. They introduced me to family-friendly motion games and I learned that gaming can be a great way to spend quality time […]
Whether you’re wondering what to get the fitness lover on your list or thinking about adding a piece of equipment to your home gym for 2015, here are a few of my favorites, categorized by price. Low Cost Set of 3 resistance bands ($12): Bands come in light, medium, and heavy resistance and are a great way […]
