SEIZING THE OLYMPIC SPIRIT
  Keep healthy, eat well, stay fit

Watercolor by Lorraine Blasor

THE GRAND SPECTACLE of the
world's best athletes
meeting in one place
to compete in a broad
spectrum of sports
brings to mind the
dedication, hard work,
and motivation that
goes into preparing for
such a stellar event.

But no matter how skilled or talented, most athletes likely benefitted from the help of other people in the course of that preparation: trainers, coaches, sponsors, supportive friends and family members. They say it takes a village and everyone, whether a mere mortal taking on a professional or personal
challenge, or an Olympian getting ready for the ultimate games, can surely use a little friendly help.

As we watch the games unfold, there will be plenty of us enraptured by
the strength and potential of the human body. The sight of so many fit young
people pushing their talents and bodies to the limit is certain to inspire many
who might not be in such good physical condition, or are packing a few too
many extra pounds, to take action. There are diets and weight-loss programs
aplenty but as with everything, the best intentions eventually fall by the wayside
if there isn't sufficient motivation. Here's where the village comes in, in this
case the digital community of SlimKicker, a website + app that turns dieting and
fitness into a playful "winnable level-up game" by engaging the competitive side
of people and inviting them to take on 7 to 30 day-challenges aimed at building
willpower, developing good nutrition habits, and promoting fitness. Some of the
challenges even earn you prizes!

The nicely-organized site allows you to keep track of your progress, keep a
count of calories consumed on a daily basis, share your experiences with
other participants and get personalized feedback from the SlimKicker team. You
also can access sensible and useful information on nutrition, wellness, fitness,
and diet psychology via the site's blogs.

If you're on another diet program like Weight Watchers, there is no need to give
it up. Just look to SlimKicker as another level of support to enable you to reach
the finish line.

Its philosophy is practical and common-sense. "Our main purpose is to provide
motivation and to make diet/fitness changes less overwhelming with
fun, concrete challenges. We believe that a good diet consists of eating
mostly unprocessed foods, getting as much activity in, while having fun,
and exercising our mind. While there are many conflicting diet advice, particularly
surrounding foods such as dairy and grains, we believe it's better to keep it
simple, and to eat in moderation."

Check out the program or enroll for free at www.slimkicker.com

Watercolor by Lorraine Blasor
"The secret source of humor is not happiness; it is pain."
Mark Twain

☛A SIMPLE TIP 

There is nothing a cat likes more than a box to settle in for a little snooze or
some quiet time in between naps. To make it even cozier, fashion a pillow
out of old discarded clothes and place inside the box. If you really want to
go all out, line the box with a pretty paper.

Night in New York
"Everything in the world began with a yes;
one molecule said yes to another molecule and life was born;
but before prehistory there was the prehistory of prehistory
and there was the never and there was the yes.
It was ever so; I do not know why, but I do know
that the universe never began."
Clarice Lispector
"The Hour of the Star."

©2012 Lorraine Blasor All Rights Reserved✍