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May 12 2015

Product Review: Blue Apron “Dinner’s Ready” Delivery Service

by Marilyn McKenna

What’s the #1 way to achieve a healthy lifestyle? Remove the obstacles that get in the way of your doing so. One of the main reasons I hear people say that they can’t lose weight and / or make healthy food choices is because they’re too busy. Truly, we lead busy lives and eating healthy […]

Filed Under: Product Review, Weight Loss Tagged With: Blue Apron, Blue Apron Product Review, Dinner Delivery Service, Dinner's Ready

May 11 2015

Getting Ready for Summer’s Bounty

by Marilyn McKenna

This time of year I’m practically giddy every time I go to the grocery store. Just since my last trip, new produce has come into season and I can’t wait to get all those beautiful fruits and vegetables home. The delicious meals I plan around fresh strawberries or crisp asparagus practically make themselves. Over the […]

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Weight Loss Tagged With: Farmers Market, Fresh Vegetables, Local Produce Delivery, Produce, Summer's Bounty

May 4 2015

The girl’s still got it!

by Marilyn McKenna

There she is, crossing the finish line to the theme music from “Rocky.” Go mom! I called my mom this morning to find out how she was holding up after our race yesterday. “How are you feeling?” I asked. “Well, I won’t be doing much today, that’s for sure!” she answered with a groan. “But […]

Filed Under: Close to Home, Weight Loss Tagged With: Bloomsday, Mothers Day, Running

Apr 23 2015

Finding passion on social media

by Marilyn McKenna

The other day I was scrolling through Instagram and came upon a post that stopped me in my tracks. If you’re not familiar with Instagram, it’s an online mobile photo-sharing, video-sharing and social networking service. The picture (above) caught my eye, but it was really the post that made me do a double take. The […]

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tagged With: Determination, Grit, Instagram, Passion, Social Media, Swimming

Apr 16 2015

A day on my plate

by Marilyn McKenna

I’ve mentioned before that I eat from a formula (not a “diet”) that I call my “Food Blueprint.” It’s a blueprint in the sense that it’s a master plan for my food strategy. I devised it while I was losing weight, and it’s how I have kept off my 120-pound weight loss for the nearly […]

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tagged With: A Day on My Plate, Eating Plan, Food Blueprint

Apr 10 2015

The view from the finish line

by Marilyn McKenna

We usually think of weight loss as a straight line, with a definitive starting point and a finish line. From my vantage point, now nearly eight years since I lost 120-lbs., it seems clear that it just doesn’t work that way. There’s a starting point, yes, at least in the sense that we make a […]

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tagged With: Finish Line, Weight Loss

Mar 23 2015

What we can learn from our inner 12-year-old

by Marilyn McKenna

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 […]

Filed Under: Healthy Families, Weight Loss Tagged With: Emotional Abuse, Emotional Eating, Inner 12-Year-Old, Obesity

Mar 11 2015

Spring cleaning the kitchen for weight loss

by Marilyn McKenna

I’m generally a pretty neat and tidy person, but stuff creeps into my house sometimes, cluttering things up. Sometimes that “stuff” is food that has no place in my healthy household. (Ahem, Girl Scout cookies!) What do I do when that happens??? Time for a little spring cleaning! Please click here to read more …

Filed Under: Close to Home, Guest Blogs, Weight Loss Tagged With: Freezer, Pantry, Refrigerator, Spring Cleaning, Weight Loss

Mar 10 2015

“Did you have surgery to remove excess skin???”

by Marilyn McKenna

I get questions all the time – from the “Ask Marilyn” button on the website, at speaking engagements during the Q&A, sometimes at the grocery store – when people learn that I’ve lost a lot of weight. Though I’m not shy, I admit it caught me off-guard at first. But truthfully, I think it’s really […]

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tagged With: Cheat Meals, Excess Skin, Skin Removal Surgery, Weight Loss, Weight Loss Surgery

Mar 5 2015

Eat Like It Matters: The Lean Phase

by Marilyn McKenna

The third of the three phases of the Eat Like It Matters Program is the Lean Phase. When you’re within ten pounds of your ideal body weight, the details of diet and exercise become critical. The truth is, there’s very little wiggle room when you’re so close to your goal weight. Really, everything matters if […]

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tagged With: Eat Like It Matters, Lean Phase, Weight Loss

Mar 2 2015

That’s how the cookie crumbles

by Marilyn McKenna

Could they be any cuter? Those adorable little Girl Scouts, proudly wearing their brown (for Brownies) and green (for Juniors) sashes and vests. They eagerly greet us at grocery stores, banks and discount store entries, waiting to sell us their delicious cookies. Dammit! I am such a sucker for these girls, too. Not only am I […]

Filed Under: Close to Home, Weight Loss

Feb 26 2015

Relapses happen

by Marilyn McKenna

You know that expression, “sh*t happens”? Well, substitute the word “relapses” and you have an undeniably true statement. Relapses happen. How do I know? Cause I’m in the middle of one, right now. Well, hopefully I’m at the end of it, actually. How did I get here? If you’ve been reading my blog for any […]

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tagged With: Diet Relapse, Never Give Up, Relapse

Feb 19 2015

Is obesity incurable?

by Marilyn McKenna

In an article recently published in the journal The Lancet: Diabetes and Endocrinology, which hit the popular media by way of The Los Angeles Times (“Diet and exercise alone are no cure for obesity, experts say”) four well-respected weight-management physicians (from Mount Sinai Hospital, the University of Colorado, Northwestern University and the University of Pennsylvania) challenge […]

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tagged With: Incurable, Obesity, Weight Loss, Weight Loss Surgery

Feb 16 2015

It’s time to de-stigmatize weight loss surgery

by Marilyn McKenna

A recently released Group Health Cooperative long-term study revealed that severely obese people who have weight-loss surgery are living longer, and with a higher quality of life. As the study reported, patients were able to reverse disease, and remarkably, their mortality rate went down a staggering 53 percent. I believe it’s time to stop stigmatizing […]

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tagged With: De-Stigmatize, Stigmatize, Weight Loss Surgery

Feb 10 2015

Healthy Valentine’s Day gift ideas for your sweetie

by Marilyn McKenna

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 […]

Filed Under: Close to Home, Healthy Families, Style + Substance, Weight Loss Tagged With: Healthy Gift Ideas, Starbucks, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

Feb 5 2015

Does your outside match your insides?

by Marilyn McKenna

TV host Stacy London (What Not to Wear) has a new show on TLC called Love Lust or Run. Her guests are women whose wardrobes are what most of us would consider garish, even bizarre. (One guest referred to herself as a “post-apocalyptic Amazonian warrior.” Wowzers.) The show’s premise is that we don’t always see […]

Filed Under: Style + Substance, Weight Loss Tagged With: Biggest Loser, Love Lust or Run, Outsides Match Insides, Weight Loss

Feb 3 2015

Eat Like It Matters: The Gear Up Phase

by Marilyn McKenna

The Gear Up Phase of the Eat Like It Matters Program is for those who would like to lose 10 – 30 pounds. This is the sexiest of the three phases of weight loss, as far as I’m concerned. It’s certainly the one that gets the most attention (shows like “The Biggest Loser” emphasize the […]

Filed Under: Fitness, Weight Loss Tagged With: Eat Like It Matters, Gear Up, Gear Up Phase, Weight Loss

Jan 28 2015

“The Pumpkin-ator” Protein Smoothie

by Marilyn McKenna

As part of the detox I started last fall, I’ve been drinking this low-sugar, low-carb protein drink every morning. It’s packed with anti-oxidants and good-for-you protein. I add cinnamon for it’s anti-inflammatory properties (and it tastes good), but pumpkin pie spice works too. Make it with water or unsweetened almond milk for a powerful start […]

Filed Under: Detox, Easier Than Takeout, Fuel The Day Breakfasts, Recipes, Weight Loss Tagged With: Pumpkin Protein Smoothie, Pumpkinator

Jan 27 2015

Try Your Own Detox: Tips for Kicking Caffeine and Sugar

by Marilyn McKenna

I realized a few months ago that I was suffering from an energy crisis. Starting first thing in the morning, I would begin jacking myself up on caffeine just to feel human. After a couple cups of coffee I’d be good to go for the morning, but by mid afternoon I was dragging again, barely able to […]

Filed Under: Detox, Recipes, Weight Loss Tagged With: Caffeine Addiction, Detox, Hartford Mile, Metabolic Detox, Metabolic Detox Tea, Sugar Addiction, Weight Loss

Jan 26 2015

“I’m hungry ALL THE TIME!”

by Marilyn McKenna

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tagged With: Hungry All The Time, Managing Hunger, Weight Loss, Weight Loss Starting Line

Jan 22 2015

“Help! My family’s trying to sabotage my success!”

by Marilyn McKenna

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 […]

Filed Under: Healthy Families, Weight Loss Tagged With: Healthy Families, Weight Loss Sabotage

Jan 20 2015

Eat Like It Matters: The Transformation Phase

by Marilyn McKenna

You may have heard my podcast recently in which I told the story about being on the treadmill – where much good thinking happens – when I realized that my own weight loss journey evolved through three distinct phases. I’m not sure why it never occurred to me before that my own patterns, behaviors and habits changed […]

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tagged With: Eat Like It Matters, Fat to Fit, Weight Loss, Weight Loss Transformation

Jan 19 2015

Have a very veggie life

by Marilyn McKenna

For all our talk about eating more fruits and vegetables, Americans are still eating a dismal percentage of their diets from the produce aisle. In fact, even though we’re told to get nine servings of fruit and vegetables daily to meet the minimum RDA, most of us have a hard time getting in five. Nine […]

Filed Under: Recipes, Weight Loss Tagged With: Cooking with Vegetables, Spiralized Vegetables, Vegetable Cooking

Jan 16 2015

How to Start a Running Program

by Marilyn McKenna

Filed Under: Cardio, Fitness, Weight Loss

Jan 15 2015

How to Eat Like It Matters (when no one else is)

by Marilyn McKenna

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 […]

Filed Under: Healthy Families, Weight Loss Tagged With: Eat Like It Matters, Losing Weight While Eating Out, Weight Loss for Young People

Jan 13 2015

Fresh, organic produce delivered to your front door

by Marilyn McKenna

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 […]

Filed Under: Close to Home, Healthy Families, Weight Loss Tagged With: Close to Home, Home Delivery, Local Produce Delivery, Organic Produce, Organic Produce Delivery

Jan 12 2015

The Game On! Diet

by Marilyn McKenna

There is absolutely no one-size-fits-all in the world of weight loss. What works for your BFF may not work for you. But the beauty of it is human beings are endlessly creative when it comes to problem solving. Two of those creative humans invented a “diet” (the word doesn’t even begin to cover the comprehensive […]

Filed Under: Style + Substance, Weight Loss

Jan 10 2015

About face! Forward march!

by Marilyn McKenna

‘Tis the season to take stock and possibly to change directions as we make improvements to our health. If you’re trying to do an about face in your own life there are some ideas from this week’s blogs you might find helpful. If you’re feeling indecisive about which weight loss path to follow, start with […]

Filed Under: Newsletters, Style + Substance, Weight Loss Tagged With: January, Newsletter, Weight Loss

Jan 10 2015

How I Learned to Eat Like It Matters

by Marilyn McKenna

Filed Under: Podcasts, Weight Loss

Jan 9 2015

New Year, New Fitness Goals: Guest blog by Trainer Taryn

by Taryn Langlois

It’s the New Year and you’re ready for a new you! As a personal trainer, each January I see lots of new clients who are striving to reach new fitness goals – which is great! But while we often set out with good intentions and lofty goals, sometimes we fall short and give up. This year, […]

Filed Under: Fitness, Weight Loss Tagged With: New Fitness Routine, New Year, New Year's Resolution

Jan 8 2015

Tackle one bad habit today

by Marilyn McKenna

I kinda feel sorry for that running back, about to be taken down by Seattle Seahawks free safety Earl Thomas (#29) and linebacker Bobby Wagner (#54). If you’re gonna get tackled I’m guessing you’d rather it be just about anybody but these guys. Fortunately for us, tackling problems in our own lives is generally a […]

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tagged With: Bad Habits, Tackle Bad Habits

Jan 6 2015

“You cheated! You had weight loss surgery!”

by Marilyn McKenna

Indeed, I had weight loss surgery. Because I know how hard I’ve worked to regain my health and break lifelong habits, I don’t see it as “cheating” at all. But I don’t talk about it very often so I think there may be an impression that I’m trying to hide it. In fact, I’m not. I […]

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tagged With: Bariatric Surgery, Lap-Band, Lap-Band Surgery, Weight Loss Surgery

Jan 5 2015

Before you diet again, read this

by Marilyn McKenna

Sometimes I lie awake tossing and turning, trying to figure out how to articulate a weight loss concept. I beat myself up, thinking I’m just not explaining it right. Occasionally I get frustrated because I see people relying on the same “expert advice” that I did for so many years. We figure, they should know, […]

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tagged With: Diet Plan, Diets Don't Work, Empowered Dieting, Weight Loss, Why Diets Fail

Jan 3 2015

Do You Have A Sugar Addiction?

by Marilyn McKenna

Filed Under: Podcasts, Weight Loss

Jan 1 2015

Your Un-Resolution 2015

by Marilyn McKenna

I’ve made all the same resolutions in years past that you’ve made: 1. lose weight 2. eat healthy 3. get fit 4. stop driving like a NASCAR driver on I-405 (I may have a few vices I haven’t mentioned. Ahem.) I don’t know if anybody has ever made a major life change as a result of […]

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tagged With: Lose Weight, New Year's Resolution

Dec 30 2014

How to lose weight when you don’t know where to start

by Marilyn McKenna

The other day I posted this on Facebook: It’s only possible to transform your body when the reason you want to change is more compelling than the excuses you use to stay the same. The comments and emails I got called me out: “Okay, smarty-pants, what do you do when you know you need to […]

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tagged With: How to Start Diet, Start Diet, Weight Loss Starting Line

Dec 29 2014

WTF?!? (Where’s the food?!?)

by Marilyn McKenna

“Where’s the food?!?” is a common question heard at my house on Sunday mornings. The reason they’re digging through the fridge and pantry in desperation is that, other than staples, I pretty much buy exactly enough food for one week. I shop on Sunday afternoons (during football season, it’s before or after the Seahawks game), […]

Filed Under: Close to Home, Weight Loss Tagged With: Close to Home, Where's the Food

Dec 23 2014

My Christmas wish for you

by Marilyn McKenna

This time last year I wrote a sweet, well-intentioned little blog about how you should try to slow down and enjoy these last couple of days before Christmas. “A Christmas gift to yourself” was good advice, but it’s just not terribly practical when most of use are still in overdrive right about now. This year […]

Filed Under: Fitness, Weight Loss Tagged With: Christmas Wish

Dec 22 2014

Play nice with sugar and spice

by Marilyn McKenna

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. […]

Filed Under: Close to Home, Comfort Food Makeover, Healthy Families, Recipes, Weight Loss Tagged With: Christmas Cookies, Close to Home, Holiday Baking, Sugar Addiction

Dec 19 2014

True or False: Diets Don’t Work

by Marilyn McKenna

Filed Under: Podcasts, Weight Loss Tagged With: Diets Don't Work, Podcast

Dec 19 2014

It’s fun to play at the Y-M-C-A (sing it with me!)

by Marilyn McKenna

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 […]

Filed Under: Fitness, Healthy Families, Weight Loss Tagged With: Exercise, January, YMCA

Dec 18 2014

Less frazzle, more dazzle

by Marilyn McKenna

As far as I’m concerned, all of this crafts-y DIY holiday stuff can just stay on Pinterest. Don’t get me wrong, I love the photos. I collect ‘em too on my Deck the Halls! board, my Holiday Entertaining board, my Healthy Christmas Gifts board, and even my more practical Healthy Winter Recipes board. But these […]

Filed Under: Style + Substance, Weight Loss Tagged With: Personal Style, Style and Glam, Weight Loss Fashion

Dec 17 2014

Enjoy the holidays and keep calories in check

by Marilyn McKenna

  “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 […]

Filed Under: Healthy Families, Weight Loss Tagged With: Healthy Holidays, Holiday Calories in Check

Dec 12 2014

Merry Fit-Mas: Guest blog by Trainer Taryn

by Taryn Langlois

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 […]

Filed Under: Fitness, Healthy Families, Weight Loss Tagged With: Healthy Christmas Gifts, Personal Training

Dec 11 2014

The ultimate holiday gift guide for healthy living superstars!

by Marilyn McKenna

Oh, goody, goody gumdrops! The beginners and intermediate holiday gift guides were a great start and will definitely fit the bill for those who are just starting on their path to wellness, but I’m betting there are the folks on your gift list who are very serious about healthy living and already commit themselves to […]

Filed Under: Fitness, Healthy Families, Weight Loss Tagged With: Healthy Holiday Gift Guide

Dec 9 2014

Gift giving for healthy living newbies

by Marilyn McKenna

Scratching your head about what to get that special someone who’s trying to live a healthier lifestyle? Here are some great, inexpensive gift ideas for a friend or loved one who’s ready to embark on a new fitness routine or wants to spend more time in the kitchen preparing healthy meals in 2015. Read more “Healthy […]

Filed Under: Fitness, Healthy Families, Weight Loss Tagged With: Gifts for Beginners, Healthy Christmas Gifts, Healthy Holiday Gift Guide

Dec 6 2014

Could a detox jumpstart your weight loss?

by Marilyn McKenna

Filed Under: Detox, Podcasts, Recipes, Weight Loss

Dec 2 2014

Watch your mouth!

by Marilyn McKenna

Can the words you use affect your ability to make better food choices? Consider this: In a 2012 study published in the Journal of Consumer Research, researchers split 120 students in 2 groups. One group was trained to use “I can’t” while the other was trained to use “I don’t.” The results were stunning: The […]

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tagged With: Empowered Dieting, Watch Your Mouth

Nov 29 2014

Podcast with healthy living evangelist: Seth

by Marilyn McKenna

Filed Under: Podcasts, Style + Substance, Weight Loss

Nov 20 2014

Fat shaming: real or imagined?

by Marilyn McKenna

That’s me with 3 out of 4 of my kids, November 2003. A few days ago a conversation unfolded on Facebook that became a lightning rod for a heated debate. The original poster had photographed a woman in an unattractive outfit and poked fun at her clothes. The woman was also obese. As immature as […]

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tagged With: Fat Shaming

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