Five days before Christmas, we lost our dog, Jackson. He was diagnosed with wobblers (tumors in his vertebrae) almost exactly a year ago, but his passing took us by surprise and broke our hearts. For days afterward, I cried and tried to console my three children even as I was preparing our home for Christmas and Santa’s arrival. But as the sorrow began to abate, I realized there was one member of our family who would need added attention — not just in the mourning process, but for the rest of her life. Our other dog, Misty — or as we began to think of her, Jackson’s partner in crime — …

Did you have fun in 2011? When I ask my friends this question I get queer looks and sometimes a giggle as though I must be joking.  “We are adults,” I can almost hear them think. “Fun is not part of the equation.” But it should be. I have come to believe that the importance of having fun is underestimated. I have come to believe that fun may indeed be the key to a happy life. I decided this by watching my 5-year-old son and his three best friends as they run through my house, going from one activity to the next with absolutely no care in the world except where they’ll find the next bit of fun…

It is cold outside. It is the kind of cold that has many of us avoiding the outdoors at all costs, moving from car to house or office as quickly as possible. And if we are exercising at all, it is in our homes or at a gym.  For most of us, the winter months can mean putting on weight and losing the conditioning we have built up over the rest of the year. Worse still it can mean depression and moodiness brought on by seasonal affective disorder (SAD).  According to Medicine Net, “your mood is influenced by a complex web of relationships between sunlight, melatonin (the sleep hormone) and …

I love gift baskets. I love receiving them, because the gift goes on for so long as I pick my way through, examining each of the items. But I love giving them as well. I enjoy deciding on the theme months in advance and picking up items throughout the year that will make the basket special. I enjoy finding the last minute perishable items to add just a little sweetness, and I enjoy watching the recipient as they go through the layers of gifts. One of the best parts about giving a themed gift basket is that you can’t possibly go completely wrong. With several items to choose from, at least one…

This morning I found myself wanting to kick my scale under the bed, hoping that if I hide it, I might be able to avoid the anxiety that comes with weight gain over the holiday season. Unfortunately, tighter waistbands will reveal the same news if I am not careful. But I have a new plan. This year, I’m organizing a Prince George’s County Fitness Challenge, and I’m inviting the Patch community to participate. The challenge is meant to be motivating. It is meant to offer support and encouragement throughout the holiday season, as we try to maintain our current fitness and weight. Most …

As a fitness writer I have the opportunity each week to speak to dozens of athletes. One of the questions I ask most often is why, “Why do you run?”  Though I sometimes receive something along the lines of, “to fit into my skinny jeans,” more often than not the answer is some variation of, “I run for my sanity.” This is the answer that is most true for me as well. Just this morning, after reading the Grand Jury Report about Jerry Sandusky, I had to go for a run. I had to run the stress and sadness out.  An hour on the roads did that for me.  I came home still not happy that children have been…

Exercising at least thirty minutes every day can lead to better sleep, more energy, looking better, having a better sex life and avoiding high cholesterol, diabetes, osteoporosis and depression, according to the Mayo Clinic. Most Americans have come to understand the benefits. So, what is stopping them from becoming more active? Time. How many times have you heard, “I would love to exercise but I just don’t have enough time.”  I hear this excuse almost daily from readers and believe me, I understand.  As an editor at Beyond Limits Magazine, a fitness columnist for Patch.com and a mom to three…

Years ago, my family and I went for a hike through the English countryside.  We started later than planned, took our time along the winding paths, through the hills of Surrey and finally found ourselves in a knoll that would have been beautiful under different circumstances. Unfortunately for us, we had underestimated how long the circular course would take and found ourselves deep in the woods well after the sun had gone down.  Though we tried to make it seem like an adventure, my husband and I were truly worried. We did end up making it out of the woods and safely back to our car, but that …

Editor's Note: This story has been corrected. In a previous version, a quote from Jacques Pepin was not identified as coming from him. We regret this error. This time of year, many of us think of eating candy and carving pumpkins for display on the porch. Some of us also enjoy the taste of fall in pumpkin beer and pumpkin flavored lattes. Of course, actual pumpkins are not just for decoration or to flavor seasonal beverages, but are delicious and packed full of nutrients, too. Pumpkins are native to our area, and the Native Americans used them as food and medicine. European settlers …

Lately, I have been fascinated by “The Work” of Byron Katie. In 1986, Byron Katie was angry at the world and clinically depressed. One morning she woke up and realized that she just couldn’t believe any of her thoughts and was a completely changed person. Things that use to cause her a lot of suffering just didn’t bother her anymore. People started coming from miles around to discover her secret, and it started helping them too. What was her secret? She calls it “The Work.” It is really simple but can be very powerful. I attended her workshop last week in Fairfax to see her in action. …