Soda can be an addicting habit. You can find it almost everywhere, and drinking it can become second nature. You may have been thinking about quitting, but just haven’t found the motivation. Here are 5 reasons you should finally kick your soda habit.

1. Soda drinkers are more likely to be overweight; in a Danish study, people who drank soda every day for six months saw a 30% increase in triglyceride blood fat. Their cholesterol also increased by 11%.

2. Think you’re safe just because you drink diet soda?  Texas researchers found that those who drank diet soda had a 70% increase in waist circumference over 10 years.

3. Soda cans are a major source of bisphenol A (BPA), which has been linked to infertility, obesity, diabetes, and some types of cancer. Being exposed to this chemical repeatedly can be a real risk to your health.

4. Soda contains phosphoric acid, which can interfere with the body’s ability to use calcium. Calcium is an important mineral in bone health, and therefore repeated exposure can lead to osteoporosis or the softening of teeth.

5. A 2010 study reported that those who drink soda daily are 25% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. This isn’t surprising, as soda contains excessive amounts of sugar.

Stopping your soda intake can be difficult, but it is completely possible! I love getting emails from people who were in an audience I’ve spoken to and they were so moved by my “number of teaspoons in soda” visual that they tell me they haven’t had a soda since! If you’re craving caffeine, make yourself a coffee instead; or, if you are craving something sweet, try a small piece of chocolate or fruit. Also, avoiding common traps such as fast food restaurants or the vending machine are crucial when first starting out. And don’t fool yourself by choosing diet sodas. The research coming out is not favorable for diet sodas either. You can do it!

Assistance provided by Tori Thompson

As the song says, it’s the most wonderful time of the year – and the busiest! The kids are excited about the holidays, moms and dads are planning and preparing our most special dishes for visiting relatives and holiday parties, and we’re all running around trying to get the shopping done and the house decorated. If ever schedules were going to go awry, this is the time. Here are some tips on how to keep things under control:

1. Have a battle plan. If you are shopping for holiday gifts, start early in the month, look for sales, and stick to your budget. Wrap a few gifts each night, so you don’t have to stay up late wrapping everything the night before the holiday.
2. For holiday cooking, write out the menu and list every ingredient so you don’t forget anything while food shopping. Bake cookies or other dishes ahead and freeze them, when possible. Dig out the serving dishes you may use only during this season, and make sure you have serving utensils for every dish.
3. Don’t skip breakfast. Make it special by trying something different: French toast made with Challah or panetonne (Italian sweet bread) served with real maple syrup, or whole-grain waffles with blueberries and a side of scrambled eggs. No time? For a warm, delicious and vitamin-rich morning drink, mix a cup of steamed low-fat or fat-free milk with a packet of Nestlé’s Carnation Breakfast Essentials powder and add a half-teaspoon of ground ginger and ground cinnamon. (You can find variations on this recipe at www.carnationbreakfastessentials.com )*
4. Share the load. Let the children help with cleaning and join in the fun of decorating. Make a chart of every chore that needs doing, and let each child pick one or two. Stick stars on the chart when the job is done, and be generous with praise and encouragement. Play holiday music to get everyone in the mood.
5. Get enough sleep. It’s important, in all the excitement of the season, for everyone to have a good night’s rest. Try to stick to bedtime routines – even if you hear the sound of reindeer on the roof!

If you have ideas for staying stress-free through the holidays, please send them along! I hope you and your family enjoy the warmth and good cheer of the season. Happy holidays, everyone!

*Disclosure: Nestle is a client of mine.

The joy of the holiday season can be met with stress for many people who feel the pressure of buying the perfect holiday gifts for loved ones. It can be especially difficult buying for the person who seems like they already have everything. This year give the gift of health with one or more of the following ideas:

1. The North Face Stow-n-Go Sports Bra. This sports bra makes it easy to hold on to keys or cards without carrying a purse or exercise bag. Not only will it give great support, but it also has a double layer pocket in the front panel for essentials. Available at TheNorthFace.com for $35.00.

2. Vitamix Blender. If you want to give the Porsche of blenders, this is the one to buy! The Vitamix is a high-quality blender that mixes up nutritious smoothies, soups, or sauces. My daughter even puts a Granny Smith apple in her smoothies and it blends with ease. I tell my clients this blender is an investment to your health. Check it out at Vitamix.com for $449.00.

3. Natural Body Gift Certificate. We can all use a little stress buster and who doesn’t love to have some “me” time at the spa. Whether it is a microdermabrasion facial, massage, mani or pedi nothing shows how much you care like giving someone you love the pampering she deserves. For an amazing spa experience try Natural Body Spa and Shop at One Nineteen.

4. Pedometer. Ever wonder how many steps you actually take in a day? With a pedometer, you won’t anymore! Aid your loved ones in reaching a goal of 10,000 steps a day by giving them a way to keep track of their daily steps. Buy a good pedometer like the Omron HJ-112 on Amazon.com for $20.99.

5. Lucy Perfect Core Exercise Pant. The name says it all…these are the perfect pant and my absolute favorite! The extremely comfortable pant compresses in just the right spots easily transitions from working out to running errands and taking the kids to activities. I suggest going up 1 size from normal. They are a bit pricey at $98 but worth it because the lucky person who receives this pant will never want to take them off.

6. Athletic Shoes. For a step in the right direction, a new pair of shoes may be just what your loved one needs to move more in 2012.  Go to Elite Feet in Hawthorne Plaza for a knowledgeable staff to help you pick out the right shoe for your loved one.

7. Lululemon Gift Certificate. It’s important to feel good about yourself while working out, and looking the part certainly helps! Lululemon makes fun, stylish workout clothes for yoga, running, and working out. They have a variety of pieces from pants to jackets that will get your loved one excited to work out. Visit lululemon in One Nineteen.

8. Trader Joe’s Gift Certificate. Encourage the people you love to eat healthy by giving them a gift certificate to this grocery store. They have a large selection or organic foods and other great finds that will make it easier to make smart shopping choices. Located at One Nineteen. If you want to give a tasty bottle of wine for a good price, go to the Ward Parkway Trader Joe’s location.

9. Nike Tempo Running Shorts. These are my favorite workout shorts. Not only are they extremely comfortable but they also come in a variety of fun colors and patterns. Visit Dick’s Sporting Goods or Nike Outlet at the Legends.

10. Mitzi Dulan’s Boot Camp for Women Gift Certificate. Give 4 weeks of fun, inspiring workouts to your wife, girlfriend, mom, sister, daughter or friend. This gift can transform their life! The healthy jumpstart to 2012 with yours truly is good for all fitness levels. Not only will they get 12 workouts, but they will also receive a nutrition seminar, motivational training and support. The 4-Week Boot Camp costs $219.00; for more information visit MitziDulansBootCamp.com.

11. P90X2. Millions of people have worked out to P90X and now the follow-up to Tony Horton’s hugely popular DVD series, P90X2, is available for pre-order to ship in time for the holidays. Check it out at BeachBody.com for $119.85.

12. Biggest Loser Kitchen Scale. Portion control is a huge factor of eating healthy. This scale not only weighs food, but it also has a built in memory for over 1,400 foods. In addition, you can enter up to 50 new foods and recipes. It is $59.99 at Macys.com.

Happy Shopping!

Mitzi’s Favorite Websites for Healthy Gift Ideas

Amazon.com

Lucy.com

Lululemon.com

TheNorthFace.com

BeachBody.com

MitziDulansBootCamp.com

CrateandBarrel.com

Macys.com

Nike.com

Reprinted courtesy of 435 South magazine

Improve Your Health . . . It Only Takes 1 Day a Week! What do the following people and places have in common: Sir Paul McCartney; Israel’s top restaurants; Kim O’Donnel of the Washington Post; Ghent, Belgium; and Michael Pollan?

They’re all going meatless on Mondays!

Meatless Monday is a non-profit initiative, in association with the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, which encourages people to have one meat-free day a week.

Did you know . . .

-our modern food system contributes approximately 1/3 of all greenhouse gases to the atmosphere?
-our diets are bigger offenders to our carbon footprint than gas-guzzling cars?
-the climate cost of food production is worse than the distance traveled for food transportation?
-that reducing your meat intake also reduces your risk of preventable diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease?
-that eating less meat can improve the quality of your diet and help you maintain a healthy weight? Plant-based foods are full of fiber, which helps to keep you full so you’ll consume fewer calories throughout the day. Beans and legumes are also full of protein, without the saturated fat and cholesterol found in meat.
-that the meat industry produces 1/5 of manmade greenhouse gas emissions?
-that 1,800 to 2,500 gallons of water are needed to produce just one pound of beef?

In other words, cutting meat out of your diet just once a week will improve both your health and the health of the environment!

Now I know you’re just about sold, but maybe you’re wondering how to replace the meat in your Monday diet with other protein sources. Here are some ideas:

Breakfast: oatmeal with honey and slivered almonds, fruit salad, and a hardboiled egg.
Lunch: Hummus, sundried tomatoes, romaine lettuce, red onion, and yellow bell pepper on multigrain bread with tomato soups on the side.
Snack: apple with peanut butter
Dinner: whole wheat linguine tossed in olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice with spinach, yellow squash, and navy beans.
Dessert: mango sorbet

For a bonus meatless recipe try my family’s favorite spinach lasagna.

I want to hear from YOU! Leave a comment on this post with your favorite meatless meal.