Usually comprised of lard, shortening or lots of butter, they are not exactly the healthiest item on a menu, and even less so if they have a greasy, fried piece of chicken in between, but every now and then, you have to let loose and have one. But back to my trip….

I stepped off the plane in Charlotte and headed to the baggage claim. There, along the winding conveyor system, were photos of giant biscuits, decorating the carrousel as bags passed by. “Yes,” I thought to myself, “I am back in the South!”

Fast forward to Chapel Hill, my next stop on the whirlwind six-day trip. I got to experience another glorious day at Kenan Stadium (we’ll just ignore the dreadful performance by the Heels against the Hoos).  As part of the halftime entertainment, a sophomore student got to attempt a 25 yard field goal. A rare feat by an amateur, he kicked it between the uprights! Rather than a lucrative cash prize which individuals tend to win at NFL games, this lucky student got a year supply of breakfast biscuits at Hardees. Hum…I don’t know about you, but I think he got gypped (then my mom reminded me that students are poor and hungry, so maybe I am wrong).

My final memory is that of the Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen. I remember this little shack of a restaurant having the best cinnamon rolls on the face of the earth. But admittedly, my tastes have changed since college (and so has my body weight, thanks to no longer eating delicious treats like these). I thought the chances of this little establishment still being solvent were small, given it has been (hum..hum…) 23 years since I was soaking in the sites and sounds of UNC.

Not only was the Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen still in business – it was thriving. I could barely fit my car into the drive-through when I stopped by at 8 a.m. on Sunday. When I drove back by SBK later that morning, there was line of 10 cars backed into the street waiting to place their orders. And I must say, one bite of that luscious cinnamon roll and I was re-living my glory days. All for the cost of a whopping $1.19.

I highly recommend planned indulgence. (I happened to plan mine after a long jog as well).

And if you are ever in Chapel Hill, you MUST try one of these for yourself. After all, behind every reputable cinnamon roll is a high quality biscuit.

In the marketing world and beyond, there’s so much talk about social media. It seems to be the be-all, end-all savior of selling products and services, keeping in touch with friends and tracking down the latest thoughts and actions of celebrities (if you are in to that sort of thing).

But there’s another social activity with I highly recommend – and (excuse my sarcasm over the current obsession with avoiding real conversation and interaction with others) you actually HAVE to HAVE personal contact with other humans for it to work successfully. It’s called SOCIAL EXERCISING.

I go into detail in Feel Fabulous of its many merits, and I won’t bother spilling the beans on all the many reasons I advocate having partners in pain (ok, admittedly, not social exercise involves training for marathons). I choose this topic today because it’s the last day for Idaho USTA tennis league teams to play this year, unless you play on a really good team that makes it to regional play, which mine, of course, does not. But read on….

Someone in my family passed along the “C,” or competitive, gene. I really don’t like to lose, and I think I can fairly say that most of my teammates feel similarly. I play on a mixed doubles team with ten other  tremendous athletes. It just so happens that we are either new to tennis or returning to the sport after taking many years off; and as a result, we tend to get our butts kicked on a regular basis. Some might even say we suck. It’s actually quite amusing to see really competitive, good athletes get mad when getting beaten by people who may not be as naturally talented as we are – they just play tennis better or at least know how to move on the court more strategically than we do. (A case in point, when I was out of town one week, my husband called to tell me his team had lost but he could “kick the other guy’s ass on the ski field or mountain bike trails!”). And though I am never happy when I play poorly, and am always thrilled to eke out a win, this has been one of the first times when I’ve actually enjoyed not being on top.

Being in last place team takes a lot of the pressure off. It’s clearly not the end of the world if my partner and I don’t win our match when no one else is winning either. In addition, rarely has a partner gotten upset with me when I miss an easy volley (which happens much more than I would like to admit) or double fault. After all, we’re all doing it.

Our team likes to socialize when all the matches are over, cheer each other on during the matches, and more importantly, we like to laugh at ourselves. And unless we’re actually competing for some sort of title, isn’t that what sports and team participation is all about? Having some fun and being able to laugh about it when it’s over? And I haven’t even mentioned how much I’ve enjoyed getting to know some really cool people.

This epitomizes the benefits of social exercise. If all the pain and stress of losing is a personal endeavor, then we might all feel more distraught. Not to mention the notion of accountability – when we’re on the schedule to play, we can’t back out on the team at the last minute because we’re tired or not in the mood. Our friends/team members will cheer us up, encourage us, pass along helpful hints, and pick us up when we fall, potentially literally if you trip over your own feet as much as I do.

That’s what social exercise is all about. We can cash in the “C” card some other time.

P.S. That picture is not me, unfortunately. I just learned how to hit an overhead last week. Perhaps I should have learned before the season was over.

But here’s what I find perplexing and disappointing. Why do 99% of restaurants in America have the same items listed on the kids menu? According to a great article by Nutrition Unplugged, the top 10 kids’ menu items have remained virtually unchanged since 2005.

1. Chicken fingers
2. Grilled cheese sandwich
3. Macaroni and cheese
4. Burger
5. Hot dog
6. Cheeseburger
7. Cheese pizza
8. Corn dog
9. Pizza
10. Spaghetti

Is that the epitome of good health or what? And this list refrains to mention that in six of the above cases, these fine entrées are served with French fries. No wonder kids get develop unhealthy eating habits at a young age. And bad habits are hard to break, as we old folks know too well.

Earlier this summer, on another glorious weekend to Sun Valley, our family ate at this wonderful Thai restaurant called Globus. We walked in and got a bit concerned because it was a little quiet for a 5 year old and his occasional outbursts about farts and poop (which are quickly moving from the “occasional” category to the “constant” one). But we also weren’t sure if they’d have any not-so-spicy food that Luke would eat. When we asked our waitress, she replied, “We don’t have a kids menu, but we could serve him some grilled chicken, rice and steamed broccoli.” I almost got up from the table and hugged her. Not only was I thrilled to avoid fried food for my little bubs, but this is a meal he actually enjoys more than most of the items listed above. He ate almost the entire meal without any prodding (a rarity).

I admit there are meals I cook which I know Luke won’t like – such as spicy Thai food, blackened fish or quinoa salads. But I am actually surprised at the variety of things he likes if he only tries. For example, he loves fish, especially salmon and milder white fishes like snapper and cod. He eats pork pretty much any way I fix it (though I refer to it as chicken and he doesn’t seem to know the difference). He’ll eat beef till the cows come home, especially expensive cuts like tenderloin (he is developing good taste at a young age).  And he loves chicken as long as he can remove “the green stuff” (aka spices like thyme).

He doesn’t love every vegetable, like most grown-ups, but broccoli, or “trees,” is a favorite. He’ll try asparagus, salads with “cream dressing” (aka ranch), carrots, peas (especially when he helps pick them out of the garden) and cauliflower. I even got him to have a bite of Brussel sprouts last night, though he didn’t like them at all (nor does his dad, so how mad can a mom get). Last but not least, he likes the “brown” potatoes (aka sweet ones) a lot more than Idaho potatoes, even though we live in Boise.  In fact, he simply doesn’t eat French fries if served them when we’re out for dinner.

I guess my theory is that kids will eat better foods if we serve it to them – at home or out. And reinforcement of unhealthy alternatives, pretty much forced on them by eating establishments everywhere (including schools), is helping pave the way to clogged arteries, extra pounds and a lack of needed nutrients and vitamins. They are developing a pallet for foods they don’t need to eat.

I don’t have all the answers yet, but I’m working on it. The article above suggests that restaurants are starting to offer better-for-you options for kids. I suppose this is a good start.

In a New York Times article last week, entitled “For Your Health, Froot Loops,” William Nueman discussed a new food labeling system called Smart Choices. Apparently, cereals like Froot Loops and Cocoa Krispies will receive the checkmark label, largely because of nutrients added to them. The beneficial ingredients can often mask the unhealthy ones, namely sugar, that these products contain. Do you find it surprising that companies must pay $100K/year to participate in the program in the first place? So far, the companies who have signed up include Kellogg’s, Kraft Foods, ConAgra Foods, Unilever, General Mills, PepsiCo and Tyson Foods. So what happens to the little guys who actually make foods that don’t have to hide behind sugar masks to tout their healthy insides? Even more importantly, whatever happened to the notion of eating an egg, whole grain piece of toast and possibly a slice of cantaloupe for breakfast? Nutritionists are certainly asking these questions while doubting the validity of the new labeling system.

Recently when I was doing my dreaded speed workout on the treadmill at the gym, I watched an Oprah episode in which Dr. Oz described how to read nutrition labels. Ironically, he illustrated how one of the obese kids in the audience ate about 6-8X the portion of cereal described on the food label. So even though one serving of a sweet cereal might only contain 12 grams of sugar, satisfying the recommended daily allowance for the morning meal, who the heck gets full from eating one serving of cereal? OK, maybe a 2 year old.

But the confusion doesn’t stop there. On this same episode, another of Oprah’s guests was David Zinczenko, author of Eat This  Not That. He illustrated the caloric misconceptions of the foods we eat, especially teenagers. For example, he suggested that a glazed donut was better to eat than a multigrain bagel with cream cheese. His criteria for making this choice was strictly caloric content. As you might have surmised, the glazed donut had fewer calories. One has to wonder, however, if the bagel likely has more nutrients, though I’m actually not sure without comparing contents side-by-side. Another point he made to support his case was that the multigrain bagel was made from enriched flour, whereas whole grain breads are not. Though I agree that whole grain breads are preferrable, what the heck does he think a donut is made from?

I was totally stumped on this episode when Mr. ZincZenko compared regular bacon to turkey bacon. I have eaten turkey bacon for a while because I assumed it was a bit healthier than its pork counterpart, although I realize that neither stakes its claim as the pinnacle of healthy foods. The author claimed regular bacon was the preferred choice because it had the same number of calories and less sodium than the same sized serving of turkey bacon. Well, I was so surprised (especially since I call out turkey bacon as a nice substitute to fatty breakfast meats in my book) – I actually went to my grocery store to check it out. I’m not sure which brands of bacon he was comparing, but Jennio-O turkey bacon had fewer calories than any other brand of pork bacon I checked, even the center cut Oscar Meyer variety.

I am a nutrition major and have trouble keeping all the terms and claims straight. And I haven’t even broached the topic of what a certified organic label actually entails (And did you know that manufacturers have to pay a percentage of their sales to a certified organic board to be labeled as such?).

The point of this piece is to suggest that everyone has a different criteria for labeling foods as nutritious. Some care only about calories; others about fat content. Some look at nutrients added to processed foods, while others must restrict sodium regardless of what they eat.

There is one thing that’s hard to argue here. Foods closer to their natural state are better for people. After all, who has to add vitamins to fresh broccoli when they are there in the first place? A moderate portion of almonds is a better snack than Cheeze Nips for the same reason. If you are a chicken eater, it’s better to eat a breast freshly delivered to the grocery store than to purchase processed chicken nuggets covered in a nutrient-void batter. But I’ll save that topic for another date.

Sometimes all the over thinking and over-labeling gives me a headache. Just think  natural state and moderation, and you’ll automatically make the better choice without a multibillion dollar corporate-backed labeling system making the decision for you.

Anyway, so the author, Mareille Guilaino, gained about 25 pounds when she came to America for a year to study as an exchange student in high school. After returning to her homeland, she kick started new, healthier eating habits by eating magical leek soup every 2-3 hours for 2 days (though by Day 2, you can add one meal of fish/veggies to the mix). Though I am not a fan of all-liquid diets, even as a means to flush the system, I am a devout follower of leeks.

My first exposure to this vegetable was years ago when I lived in Boston. A friend of mine, who happened to be a fabulous cook, decided to make home-made salmon chowder one evening. I vividly remember him cooking diligently in the kitchen and wafting the smells towards his nose so he could figure out which secret ingredients were missing. “Ah ah!” he exclaimed, “The chowder needs some leeks!”

I was both puzzled and jealous. As much as I love to cook, I can rarely smell a dish to determine what ingredient needs to be added. But I was perplexed because I’d never even heard of leeks. After all, for 30 years of living in the South, my only perception of spices were dried ones that are packaged in bottles. I didn’t even know what fresh garlic was until I moved to Boston. But a rare and unusual vegetable? How could I have missed out on leeks for all my life?

He was right, of course. In most Northeastern chowder and bisque recipes, you’ll find leeks in the ingredients list. Though leeks are in the onion family, they have a much milder, sweeter taste. I’ve actually gone a bit leek crazy in recent years, and from what I hear, this may be true of other Americans, who were slower to adopt this white and green layered stalk than our European and Mediterranean counterparts.

Though Guilaino’s soup recipe is comprised of two ingredients, leeks and water, Jamie Oliver had a recipe for another which I think is fabulous. He adds potatoes, chickpeas, garlic and chicken or vegetable broth to the mix, topped with olive oil and parmesan cheese. When I first made this, my husband turned up his nose at the thought of eating leek soup. After he tasted it, however, he was a believer! My one recommendation is to use home-made broth. With such a simple and short ingredient list, fresher ingredients make the dish even better.

Stealing from Jamie Oliver again, he makes a chicken dish with leeks that I also adore. You wrap the chicken in pancetta and added chopped leaks and fresh thyme. After seasoning with a little olive oil, butter and white wine, you have an easy-to-make, pleasurable-to-eat dish.

As soon as I invent my own leek dish, I will be sure to share.

In Feel Fabulous, Straight Up, I make reference to a number of my outdoor escapades, many of which involved a leap of faith (or degree of stupidity, whichever may be deemed appropriate). I mention these rather goofy stories to inspire others to try things that might seem “out of bounds” on the surface. After all, by admitting my not-so-stellar attempts at various activities and events, I hope to convince others that first place is not ALWAYS what’s it’s all about. (Given how many second place finishes I have endured in my mixed doubles tennis league this fall, I have forgotten what first place means).

So anyway, here’s one of my Bill stories……

Bill used to be a great triathlete (and I am trying to convince him he still would be if he started training again). He has a number of trophies and plaques to show for his efforts back in the early to mid-nineties.

When I first moved to Boston, he talked me into entering a mountain bike thiathlon. The distance was fairly short, so I figured I could at least finish the event. And despite our training swims at Walden Pond (the body of water after whom my puppy is now named), I wasn’t adequately prepared for the mountain bike portion of the event. Even though I owned a $200 Trek bicycle, I’d never actually used it for its intended purpose. To prepare for the bike portion of the triathlon, I asked a colleague at work how to how to mountain bike. That evening, the eve of the race, I drove over to the Medford trails to take my bike for a test ride for about 300 yards (why I didn’t ride a little farther is still a mystery).

Yes, I finished the race but it wasn’t pretty. When we conversed this morning, Bill reminded me of my comments to him  after I crossed the finish line (well behind him), “Bill, I don’t like you at all.”

So I may have posted a last place finish, but at least I did it. And though I didn’t attempt mountain biking again until the following year, I have ended up being a fairly decent rider after all.

And by the way, Bill was a pretty decent babysitter, too.

As I mention in the early pages of my book, I, too, was obsessed with being thin at a young age. In high school, my friends and I spent hours examining our butts and guts, wishing for a flat belly when we viewed our profile in the mirror. Though I wasn’t the slightest bit overweight, I still found it necessary to try all-fruit and all-liquid diets. When Idid gain weight in college, 25 pounds to be exact, it wasn’t a fad diet that helped me drop the weight. It was moderation and other healthy habits that did the trick.

In today’s culture, being skinny is highly regarded and body images re formulated by photo-shopped body parts on magazine covers. As such, the line between obesity and eating disorders will likely grow thinner and thinner.

At some point, the emphasis on being thin should take a backseat to other personal values which instill self-esteem and self-worth in children, and adults, too, for that matter. The name of the game is feeling good, and feeling good about yourself. Managing weight is an outcome of taking good care of your body and respecting your own well-being.