Hi everyone, I can't remember the last time I did it, but I'll be away from Wed. Oct. 14 to Tue. PM Oct 20, and I'm really going to try to check out and unplug. I hope to catch up on your posts and comments upon my return!

Steve and I have been on a Greek food kick lately, and the new addition I just dropped into the Classroom Recipes is simple and all bakes in one dish - Greek Baked Chicken. Red onion, tomatoes, zucchini, Kalamata olives, lemon, olive oil, garlic and herbs - these ingredients work so well together for a healthy, delicious meal. Questions? Let us know! Other recipes you would like to see - we are always taking requests. 😁 (Next week, we will have another Greek-inspired dish with hummus...)

How You Talk to Yourself Matters More Than You Think 💭 Stop for a second. What did you say to yourself today? If you made a food choice you regretted, what was your first thought? If you skipped a workout, what story did you tell yourself? If you looked in the mirror, what words came to mind? I'm going to guess it wasn't kind. Most of us talk to ourselves the way we'd never talk to someone we care about. We're harsh. We're critical. We're punishing. "You're so stupid for eating that." "You're lazy. You skipped your walk again." "You look terrible." "You'll never change." But here's what I want you to notice: That voice doesn't motivate you. It doesn't make you try harder. It makes you give up. Because constant criticism doesn't build resilience. It builds shame. And shame doesn't drive change. It drives hiding. Now imagine this: What if you talked to yourself the way you'd talk to your best friend? Your friend makes a food choice she regrets. You don't say "You're so stupid." You say: "One meal doesn't define you. What did you learn? What's next?" Your friend skips a workout. You don't say "You're lazy." You say: "Life happens. You'll get back to it. Be gentle with yourself." Your friend is struggling with her body. You don't say "You look terrible." You say: "You're doing your best. You're worthy exactly as you are right now." This isn't about toxic positivity or ignoring reality. It's about the difference between: ❌ Shame: "I'm broken and I can't change" ✅ Compassion: "I'm human and I'm learning" Here's what happens when you shift your self-talk: You actually try. Because you're not fighting against shame—you're moving toward growth. You forgive yourself faster when you slip. Because you know one moment doesn't define the whole journey. You stick with health changes longer. Because you're doing them from a place of self-respect, not self-punishment. Your nervous system relaxes. Because constant self-criticism keeps you stressed. Compassion calms you down.

Not to brag...but my husband is quite the cook! @Steve Finch has really gotten into cooking lately (usually my territory) and he is all about trying new flavors, which I am always excited about. 😁 This weekend, he made a huge batch of Greek Stifado - a unique stew with beef stew meat, tons of pearl onions, tomato, beef bone broth, garlic, herbs, and also warm spices - allspice berries, clove and whole cinnamon sticks. It was absolutely delicious and unlike any stew I have ever had. There really are so many amazing whole foods and flavors that are healthy and fun! And the best part is that when Steve cooks, he cooks like he feeding an army 😂 (there were 8 kids in his family after all) and so we have dinner for a few days. 🥳 Any fun new dishes in your world?

It's actually NOT me, but I laughed out loud. I am more obsessed with finding the *exact* size container that isn't too big or too small. I don't care about the shape. 🤣 What's your storage obsession? And as long as we're a health-related forum, try not to store in plastic if you can help it. We are learning more and more about the damage microplastics can do to our bodies. If you do use plastic, be sure your soup (or whatever it is) is cooled first. And NEVER microwave in plastic. Shoot for glass when you need to heat up, or go stovetop.