For my 40th birthday, my then-9-year-old daughter gave me a little book of daily meditations for men, from the Touchstone series. She didn't realize, not did I until I read the preface, that it was for men in 12-step programs, working through their additions and coming to clarity about themselves and their worth.

For all that, it was humbling to realize that just about every piece of advice, every insight, and every affirmation in the book applied to me pretty much to a tee, despite the fact that I have never participated in a 12-step program and don't really consider myself an addict (not even to blogging, which was a worry of my wife's early on).

My practice is to take a minute a day to read that day's thought and meditation, and consider how I can go through my day in heightened awareness and kindness and joy and courage based on that reminder.

A Challenge from Dietrich

One day the meditation began with a quote by the Luther theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer (whose last name is pronounced as if U2's Bono had hooked up with J Lo), as follows:

There are things for which an uncompromising stance is worthwhile.

This is a guy, a German theologician, who decided to publish articles critical of the Nazis when they came to power in 1933, engaged in dangerous efforts to rescue Jews in the 1940s, and was killed by the Nazis in 1945. Possibly someone with an understanding of worthwhile causes and the toll they can take on a person.

I write mostly (in this blog, at least) about family health and fitness; what can parents learn and apply from a man whose life and death were so far removed from our mundane "Eat your vegetables" and "No, you can't have a cookie, how about a piece of fruit?" existence?

I've written many times about not turning the dinner table into a battleground. About being reasonable, understanding, and non-fanatical. About taking the slow road of education and leading by example. Turns out I have a hole in my memory the size of 6 months…

Keep Reading…

(This edition of the newsletter is the second part of the answer to the question below. The first part can be found here.)

Q: I want to get my family into much better health in 2007, but I'm overwhelmed at how unhealthy our lifestyle is. I don't know where to begin. How do I start?

A: Last week I talked about mindsets. Today we'll cover three specific strategies for improvement, each inspired by a movie about the New Year's holiday.

Keep Reading…

Andrea Beaman is one of the most sensible and kind voices out there on the topic of feeding and treating yourself right. What other health and nutrition guru would admit to smoking the occasional cigarette (but only after a couple of drinks!), and explain it in a way that shows us how to quit all our unhealthy addictions?

Andrea was FitFam's guest on the December Member Call. Listen online (60 min) or download the mp3 below to discover:

• several healthy holiday treats
• whether short fasts during the holiday season will make things better or worse
• the mindset shift that allows anyone to "find the time" to prepare healthy food every day
• three convenience foods that can turn anyone into a healthy short-order cook on a moment's notice
• how to quit smoking by not quitting smoking
• the secret to breaking food addictions without struggling or feeling deprived

Peter Bregman called me yesterday to tell me about an article in the September 18, 2006 issue of The New Yorker, about the neuro-psychology of financial decision-making.  He said there were a number of concepts very key to our understanding of health behaviors as well, specifically those related to doing things that involve delayed gratification.

One example is the "Christmas Account" many banks offer. Check out this deal: a zero-interest account with a penalty for early withdrawal. Woo-hoo!

Yet it's a popular option, despite the fact that it makes no "rational" sense. Why?  Keep Reading…

Do you want your kids to grow up fit and healthy, or overweight and prone to cancer, heart disease and diabetes?

What a stupid question, right?

How I motivate myself to meditate

Download the whole interview to your computer or iPod.

For those of us who've discovered that we live healthier, happier and more responsibly without consuming vast quantities of animal products, it's the "ritual gatherings" that can be the most challenging to our lifestyles.

The Thanksgiving Turkey, the Christmas Roast, the Passover Gefilte Fish (well, if you've never tried it, you might not understand the full charm of a fishburger floating in coagulated brine), and the Labor Day Cookout - these are the times that try plant-eaters souls. So with that in mind, I offer a simple and delicious recipe for a plant-based burger: the Sweet Potato Burger.  Keep Reading…

Q: What do you think of keeping a "stress journal"?

A: I've never tried a stress journal, but I'm sure it can be very helpful. I find that the thought of a journal sounds to me like extra work, which can be stressful

Journaling is a form of self-awareness, which is the basis of every improvement we can hope to make it our lives.  Keep Reading…

Q: I have a really sweet tooth and find myself craving candy bars and other sugary foods. I know I should be snacking on carrot sticks and celery, but sometimes I just go to town on whatever sweets we happen to have in the house. What should I do? Keep Reading…

Q: You talk a lot about the benefits of whole plant foods and the dangers of animal protein, fat and cholesterol. Are you saying I should become a vegan? If so, just come out and say it!

A: Veganism - eliminating animal products, including dairy and eggs - is a wonderful lifestyle choice for some people. The environmental and ethical components alone make it a responsible choice, and the health benefits are well documented.

Four caveats: Keep Reading…