Imagine cycling down Storrow Drive on your bike with no cars.
Do it Sunday, Sept 27th.  Boston Cycling Celebration.

• DATE: Sunday, September, 27, 2009
• START TIME: 8am
• LOCATION: City Hall Plaza
• PARKING: Government Center Garage, $3
• DISTANCE: 10, 30, or 50 Miles
• FESTIVAL: Music, food, and fun 9am - 2pm
• FULLY SUPPORTED
• FREE SNACKS & GIFT BAGS
• COST: $45 dollar registration fee

This will help raise money for Boston Public School students.

http://hubonwheels.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=289514

Shaw's supermarket has partnered with Pioneer Valley Growers, located in South Deerfield.  This is good news, now Shaw's customers can choose from a variety of fresh produce delivered directly from the farm.  The New England Grown program includes 150 farms who provide native fruits and vegetables to stores throughout New England.

And what is more using less carbon because of less miles needed to deliver the produce to the stores.  Good for your body and the environment.

Lance Armstrong's Coach, Chris Carmichael at Belmont Wheelworks.

480 Trapelo Rd
Belmont, MA 02478
(617) 489-3577

Chris will be promoting his new book, "The Time Crunched Cyclist".

Chris will be at Wheelworks at 6.30pm to sign his new book.

There is also a 2 hour ride with Chris starting at 3.30pm.  It is full and they are only accepting wait list requests.  A  chance to ride with him and learn training techniques from one of Cycling's most sought after coaches.  

September is national yoga month.
What a great way to try yoga by getting a free week at participating studios.
Check out the site below to see what studios are participating.
Here's to a healthier you.

http://yogamonth.org/yogamonthcard/

Do you want to enjoy the fresh outdoors and get some exercise?  Something you can do with the whole family or on your own which is inexpensive....go for a hike.  What a great cardiovascular workout and a great way to see your surroundings.

Where to go?
Check out these websites for info:
http://www.slackpacker.com/map_ma.html
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/recreate/hiking.htm
http://www.americantrails.org/resources/statetrails/MAstate.html

Do you have a favorite place to hike in Massachusetts?  Love to hear where it is.

I just read the article in Time Magazine August 9th issue, "The Myth of Exercise".
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1914857,00.html

One needs to exercise along with healthy nutrition for your body and mind.  One cannot have one without the other. 
The article makes me mad..."In general, for weight loss, exercise is pretty useless," says Eric Ravussin, chair in diabetes and metabolism at Louisiana State University and a prominent exercise researcher." 

He must be joking!  It cannot be said enough.....exercise is a critical component along with healthy nutrition choices!   Get out and go for a bike ride, go for a run, get that heart rate up and work up a sweat.   You need to fuel your body at the right times for energy for your workout as well as after your workouts.

What do you think?  I would love to hear your thoughts after reading the article.

I cannot believe what I was reading....why are doctors so quick to medicate?

I read an article online NY Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/08/health/08well.html, which was disturbing.

American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending that children considered at high risk for heart disease could be given statins starting at age 10. The new guidelines apply to children as young as 8 with LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol of 190 milligrams per deciliter, or those with LDL of 160 and a family history of heart disease or two other risk factors. 

How crazy is this?  Is there enough evidence and data showing long term affects of statin drugs for 60 years? 
What happened to establishing healthy eating and exercise habits at a young age? 
I would love to hear what you all think.

Why can't one stop at just one of those chips in the bag?  Only one Oreo cookie, I promise.
Ok, this is the last peanut I am going to eat.

What is it about certain foods that we cannot stop at just one?

Check out former FDA commissioner, Dr. David Kessler's book, "The End to Overeating".
I heard an interview with him on On Point, NPR radio this am discussing his book.
You can also check out an interview he gave with the Wall Street Journal.

"At the core, it's fat, sugar and salt. Not everything activates each of us the same. Here's the fundamental point: We are wired to focus on the most salient stimuli in our environment. If your kid is sick today, that's what you think about. For some people it's sex, gambling, alcohol. For many of us it's food. And within that category, different types of food are salient. You have to condition yourself to take the power out of the stimulus."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124084009832659309.html
http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=97689384673&h=cNk4n&u=hln2g&ref=mf

What do you think?  Are we wired and conditioned to be drawn to certain foods and lose control?
I would love to hear your thoughts.