'A-LIST BLOGS' Blogs (80)

Lose Some Serious Fat!

Are you desperate to lose fat?

Have joined the ranks of the insanely bored, yet focused cardio worshippers?

Do you feel guilty if you have not spent your hour a day rocking the elliptical machine?

Is your whole workout ruined if someone beat you to the only functioning, coveted

“revolving stair case” ? (Otherwise known as the death mill)

If so, then allow me to be sac-religious for a… Continue

Added by Whitney Cabrera on December 19, 2009 at 3:44pm — No Comments

Diary of a Laser Treatment

You could say this all started with an interview with Dr. Christopher Mondello about the new laser treatments he is offering, but in reality it all started months ago as I began to repeatedly look in the mirror, pull back the hanging skin, envision the results of a face lift and think “I need a face lift; I don’t want a face lift.” The aforementioned events culminated with an appointment this week for a laser treatment at Mondello Medical Spa.

I initially made an appointment for an… Continue

Added by Amy Warren on December 18, 2009 at 8:54am — 2 Comments

The Origins of Decking the Hall

"Deck the halls" we sing and deck them we do, but have you ever wondered how all that decking started? Evergreen branches have been used as decorations in homes near the winter solstice since Roman times. December 21 was the day to commemorate the death of the sun god and his resurrection every year. Romans gave evergreen boughs to each other as gifts, the green branches symbolizing new life. Early Christians wisely used that pagan holiday as a teaching object lesson about Christ, the true son… Continue

Added by J. Lenora Bresler on December 17, 2009 at 9:27pm — No Comments

A New Year's Challenge: If You Love 'Em, Give Them a Memory

There is a popular saying that you see on a lot of plaques these days; I love it because it could be a motto for my life: "We measure life not by the breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away." As long as I can remember, I've been about making memories -- for myself, certainly, but also and most importantly for those I love. I have a certain, well, gift for doing it, at least that's what I've been told, but I know the truth: If I do it well, it is only because I have made it… Continue

Added by J. Lenora Bresler on December 15, 2009 at 10:29pm — No Comments

Having a Dickens of a Christmas is Fun

There can be a lot of waiting around at Christmas. If you are a little bored with your family sitting around during the holiday season, do what the Victorians did! Play parlor games! You can enliven any holiday gathering inexpensively and easily by playing some of the games mentioned in Charles Dickens' classic tale, A Christmas Carol and some of the other 20 plus annual Christmas stories he wrote. Charles Dickens himself was an amateur magician and actor and a great lover of games, as the… Continue

Added by J. Lenora Bresler on December 15, 2009 at 9:35pm — No Comments

Holiday Recipe for Overeating

We all love great holiday recipes.

This recipe is tongue in cheek, but may quickly become your favorite as you serve it this holiday season!

Recipe reprinted with permission from Dr. Michelle May, one of my favorite mentors. Check her out at

Am I Hungry.com

Recipe for Overeating

Ingredients:

1 batch, bag, box, or large plate… Continue

Added by Whitney Cabrera on December 15, 2009 at 1:27pm — No Comments

Have an exciting New Year's party by incorporating traditions from around the world

New Year's Eve parties can be great fun OR they can be as dull as dirt as you wait around for the midnight hour and the ball drop and the champagne toast and the kiss. Some planning can make all the difference. An idea to enliven your parties is to incorporate some of the new year's traditions from around the world into your celebration. Here are some ideas -- and they work because I've done them!

First, the food. Look up traditional New Year's food from various countries and serve… Continue

Added by J. Lenora Bresler on December 14, 2009 at 10:23pm — No Comments

Another detail of Christmas: Who were those Magi and why those gifts?

The Bible says that "magi" or “wise men from the East” visited Jesus after having been led by a star. Magi were counselors to kings, very wealthy political advisors who often traveled throughout the Middle East of that day. Although we are not told specifically which group of magi these were and there were definitely different groups of them in the MIddle East at the time, there are some clear clues. The magi of Babylon were known primarily for their attention to dreams and stars -- exactly the… Continue

Added by J. Lenora Bresler on December 14, 2009 at 9:25pm — No Comments

A Detail of Christmas: Why Bethlehem?

Have you ever wondered why Jesus was born in rinky-dink Bethlehem? After all, even today and certainly back at the birth of Christ, it was just one of scores of small Israeli villages of little distinction. And why did the angels proclaim the news of Christ's birth only to those few scraggly shepherds outside Bethlehem and not to the thousands of other shepherds throughout Israel? Bethlehem is only a couple miles from the capital city of Jerusalem, where you would expect a king of Jews to be… Continue

Added by J. Lenora Bresler on December 14, 2009 at 8:52pm — No Comments

*Keeping it Real

*I usually write about fitness and nutrition. Today I wanted to write about a different facet of wellness: Self Care. We don't spend much time taking care of ourselves mentally and just being still. This blog ended up taking a few twists and turns and evolving into a journal entry. It was therapeutic for me in the midst of a hectic season. Take some time, relax, enjoy your family and loved ones this season. Those of you with little ones, I know you hear this all the time, but it's true, "Time… Continue

Added by Whitney Cabrera on December 13, 2009 at 10:10pm — No Comments

Secret Tips to Staying Well This Holiday Season.

It’s cold and flu season.

Do you seem to catch whatever is going around? Or are you in almost perfect health 99% of the time?

Why is it that some people get sick at least once a month, and others seem to NEVER get sick.

Is it heredity?

And what about digestive issues?

Do you get feel bloated, experience gas, stomach aches or struggle with constipation?

Is there a connection here?

I say yes.

Although there… Continue

Added by Whitney Cabrera on December 9, 2009 at 11:58pm — No Comments

“More Holiday Tips Making The Ordinary Unique” Lessons In Debt, Credit And Home Ownership

Using the holiday jingle in your pockets instead of plastic will add a twinkle in your eye ! Yes, Go CASH for the holiday shopping ! It’s a wild new experience for some, but one that still guarantees smiles to those receiving gifts and those giving, and the best part there is no buyer’s remorse come January. Here are more holiday tips and ideas to make your season more affordable, less stressful and fun !

Avoid incentive cards those with… Continue

Added by Janet Folkerts on December 7, 2009 at 11:14pm — 1 Comment

Simple Strategies for a Body-Confident Holiday

The holidays don't have to mean weight gain, bloating and body image frustration. Get your strategy together NOW by implementing these simple tips and arriving in 2010 ahead of your resolution schedule!

1.) Perform High-Intensity Activity Before and After a Big Meal or Holiday Feast

I know, I know. I promised diet strategies, but I simply cannot go without recommending some activity. Your body is most receptive to higher calorie and/or carbohydrate meals within 30… Continue

Added by Whitney Cabrera on December 4, 2009 at 12:48pm — No Comments

“Tis The Season To Give – Good Thoughts!” Lessons In Debt, Credit And Home Ownership

The secret to successful gift-giving isn’t money, it’s thought ! So, before you even think about opening your wallet, spend a little time thinking about each person on your written list. Think about their likes, noted preferences, needs, little habits, things they prefer to use or collects, colors and shapes of items even what they wear. Think about their sense of humor, or things they have complained about. Things they have commented about… Continue

Added by Janet Folkerts on December 3, 2009 at 6:53pm — No Comments

Reverse Mortgages

Reverse mortgages are available for many homeowners who are over the age of 62 and who still live in their home.

I have had mixed emotions about this type of loan and have done much research on it. I can not recommend something to one of my customers if I do not have a good knowledge of it.

Here’s what I have learned. A reverse mortgage lender lends you money that you do not repay as long as you continue to live in your home. Most reverse mortgage lenders let you borrow… Continue

Added by Sharon Casey on December 3, 2009 at 3:37pm — No Comments

Santa Claus is real: The facts

A lot is said during the holidays about Santa Claus. Bill Bennett, well-known conservative author and former member of the Reagan Administration, recently published a book which sets out the facts about the man we know today as Santa Claus. His account dovetails with my own research on this subject over many years. (I speak on the origins of the various holidays' traditions.)

Santa Claus is the English translation of the Dutch Sinter Claus or St. Nicholas. During the early 300s AD, a… Continue

Added by J. Lenora Bresler on December 1, 2009 at 11:54pm — No Comments

For Employees, Little Things at Holiday time mean a lot

When it comes to the holidays this year, employers may feel particularly squeezed. They may not have the budget they wish they had to throw elaborate parties or provide lush end-of-the-year bonuses. The mistake many employers make is that because they cannot do something "big," they do nothing. They fear that the paucity of their efforts will be criticized. So, let's think about this, if something small will be criticized, we think nothing at all will go unnoticed?! That is crazy, of course,… Continue

Added by J. Lenora Bresler on December 1, 2009 at 2:27pm — No Comments

Telecommuting: Not For Everyone but for Some, Great

The research is in! There is a dramatic increase, even up to 40% increase in some studies, in productivity for those people who are able to telecommute! Telecommuting means that an employer works from a location not typically expected. Obviously, the most recognizable telecommuting is done from the employee's home, but technically it could be from any remote location. Please note, however, how I said that --for "those people who are able to telecommute." Some people are NOT eligible. One reason… Continue

Added by J. Lenora Bresler on November 30, 2009 at 7:24am — No Comments

Elearning: Your employees may love it

Training can increase employees’ productivity dramatically and help their motivation, but the problem is how to provide that training and how to ensure it is effective. Of course, there are traditional teaching venues such as evening classes at colleges and universities and on-site specialized training, but they have their downsides. For many employees, the idea of traveling to an academic institution and listening to lectures after a hard day’s work is very unappealing; and on-site training,… Continue

Added by J. Lenora Bresler on November 30, 2009 at 7:08am — No Comments

When Bad Bosses Happen to Good Employees

Hopefully, your direct supervisor is a “good egg” – looking out for his employees, using every opportunity to advance their careers and anxious for anything that will assist the business. There are, however, a few bad bosses out there whose lack of leadership, fear of failure or of being “upstaged,” or outright lack of skills impact negatively on the very people whose welfare should be his primary concern. If you are in such a situation, what are you to do? What actions can you take to stop the… Continue

Added by J. Lenora Bresler on November 30, 2009 at 7:05am — No Comments