Dear Group Member:

As we enter the last month of the year, I wanted to let all of you
know that the Healthy Habits program is BACK.

We have taken six months off for various reasons, but now are
committed to providing you with an even better online support group
for those of you who are taking the sane approach to fitness.

If you are in the Salt Lake City area, we are teaming up with Macey's
Food Store in West Jordan (7800 South 3200 West) to bring you live
demonstrations and tasting of HEALTHY RECIPES. More details will
follow in the next two weeks re: time and dates.
I feel strongly that a big part of healthy eating includes knowing
what to eat, and how to fix it, AND what it tastes like. Teaming
with Macey's will give us an opportunity to show you all these
things. We will be focusing on healthy, tasty recipes, and will show
you how to fun and easy it can be to substitute "better for you"
ingredients and still have a great-tasting end product. Who wants to
eat healthy if it's not tasty?! Not me!

We will also be promoting a new way to learn Nordic walking -- in a
series of four lessons. Even though Nordic walking is relatively
simple, instruction is needed over a period of time to move the
walker from the "basic" form to an "expert" form. Our colleagues
across the nation report that people enjoy learning to walk this way
because it gives them more frequent instruction, and they get to take
the poles home to practice with. Our website will have the dates and
times of these classes. We'll be out at the Olympic Oval until it
starts getting a little warmer in the SPRING TIME!!

Additionally, we will be starting a Nordic Walking Club that will
meet on a weekly basis at various places around the Salt Lake
Valley. Nordic walking is a very fun, social activity and there's
nothing better than taking advantage of an opportunity to have
fitness fun with friends.

Just to let you know how I'm doing, I recently saw my diabetes
doctor. I've lost 14 pounds since August, and my HBA1C is now 5.6
(which means my blood sugar is an average of 110). My current weight
is 343, and I think this is the year I will "break out" and see some
real progress in my fitness level. I will keep all of you informed
of my progress, and if you want to share where you are, that's great
too.

Have a great Holiday season, and Happy Walking!

Donna Mirabile