A lifelong Cincinnatian, Melissa earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from University of Cincinnati before breaking into the online content field in 2000. As a Digital Journalist for SparkPeople, she enjoys helping others meet their wellness goals by writing about all aspects of healthy living. An avid runner and group fitness addict, Melissa lives in Loveland with her guitarist husband and three feisty daughters.
Read More of 's Blogs:
Adopt a Healthy Habit for Every Waking Hour
No one is perfect all the time. We all have slip-ups and setbacks, whether it's too much chocolate, too little exercise or the wrong amounts of sleep, stress or salt. The key is to give yourself grace for your mistakes and use them as stepping stones to better choices.
Below are some ideas for healthy habits to incorporate throughout your day. Since we all have different tastes and timetables, feel free to shuffle the schedule accordingly. The important thing is to embrace these types of wellness boosters as part of your regular routine, so they eventually become the rule rather than the exception.
Posted 6/17/2016 12:00:00 AM By: : 150 comments 187,519 views
Exercising with a Chronic Disease: A SparkPeople.TV Trainer's Journey
At SparkPeople, we're all about helping people overcome their health and wellness obstacles. Our members face many different hurdles, from eating disorders to mobility issues to simple lack of willpower. That's why we launched SparkPeople.TV: To make fitness more accessible to those facing all types of challenges.
Posted 6/16/2016 12:00:00 AM By: : 21 comments 26,531 views
Could a Breakup Be the Secret to a Healthy Life?
For most of us, setting goals is easy. We simply declare whatever it is we want to do to improve ourselves—whether it's lose weight, build muscle, quit smoking, improve our relationships, cut back on sweets or some other healthy ambition. But making them happen, that’s where the real work starts.
Posted 6/16/2016 12:00:00 AM By: : 87 comments 76,625 views
''I lost more than 90 pounds—and found myself.''
Can someone be addicted to eating? For Amberlynn, the answer was a resounding “yes.” At her lowest point—and her highest weight, 213 pounds—food was in complete control of her thoughts, emotions and actions. Today, after years of hard work, determination and the support of a strong online community, she has reclaimed her life and found true happiness.
Posted 6/14/2016 12:00:00 AM By: : 108 comments 245,046 views
Spark It or Scrap It: Can Saunas Help You Lose Weight?
When it comes to saunas and steam rooms, there seem to be two types of people: Those who can’t get enough and those who can’t understand the appeal. If you fall in the latter group, you may be wondering what all the sweaty hype is about. Could sauna sessions give you a health or weight loss boost—or are the claims full of hot air? We asked some fitness experts to weigh in.
Posted 6/13/2016 1:00:00 AM By: : 53 comments 69,422 views
Have an ER-Free Summer: Avoid These 5 Common Injuries
School's out, and that means more time for playing, swimming, biking, exploring and other outdoor fun. Not to be a Debbie Downer, but along with all of that extra activity comes a heightened risk of accidents and injury. Short of keeping your kids in a bubble—or cloning yourself so you can be everywhere at all times—there are some smart precautions you can take to keep your little sun warriors safe. We talked with Dr. Greg Kottyan from Mid-City Pediatrics about the types of injuries his practice sees during summer months.
Posted 6/9/2016 12:00:00 AM By: : 22 comments 43,104 views
11 Race-Day Rules for Being a Super Spectator
When our SparkPeople team ran the Flying Pig half marathon in May, we were blown away by the energy and enthusiasm of the spectators along the course. At 6 a.m. on a rainy, windy Sunday morning, hundreds of people came out in droves—garbage bag ponchos and all—to show their support. It didn’t seem to matter that each spectator was there to see a specific friend or family member—their cheers were universal, and the cumulative effect was motivating. From the woman ringing the cowbell to the high-school cheerleading squad to the Elvis impersonator, each fan played his or her part in propelling us to the finish line.
Posted 6/7/2016 12:00:00 AM By: : 51 comments 50,281 views
.png)
What in the WOD? Confusing Fitness Acronyms Explained
Whether you're just breaking onto the workout scene or you're switching things up with a brand new exercise, fitness can sometimes sound like a foreign language. It's already challenging enough to try to feel comfortable in a new environment and master new routines without throwing confusing gym jargon into the mix. Luckily, we've done your homework for you. Below are some of the most common acronyms you may come across in your fitness journey and what they mean.
Posted 6/2/2016 12:00:00 AM By: : 74 comments 97,692 views
.png)
This Celebrity Trainer’s Fitness Secrets Could Change Your Life
How does a shy, scared boy emerge from a childhood of isolation and self-hatred to build a thriving career as a fitness trainer and TV personality? Ky Evans, one of the stars of the NBC TV show “STRONG,” credits fitness with saving his life. His is a story of trading fear for courage, anger for acceptance and weakness for strength.
Posted 6/1/2016 12:00:00 AM By: : 28 comments 54,328 views
22 Healthy Eating Tips from the World's Healthiest Diets
Despite being #1 in overall Olympic medals won, the U.S. also has the dubious distinction of being the most obese country in North America, and the 12th in the world. We're also notorious for our constant cycle of diet trends, from the highly researched and very healthy Mediterranean and Dash Diet to controversial detox diets and cleanses. Meanwhile, other countries have obesity rates that are just a fraction of ours.
Posted 5/31/2016 12:00:00 AM By: : 66 comments 79,363 views
No Butts About It: 50 Reasons to Quit Smoking
Smoking is an expensive habit. Beyond the $5 to $13 for a pack of cigarettes (depending on where you live) it also costs the lives of 480,000 Americans, $300 billion in medical expenses and $156 billion in lost productivity each year, according to the CDC. With such a staggering expense at stake, it's hard to believe that more than 16 percent of U.S. adults were still smoking as of 2014.
Posted 5/27/2016 12:00:00 AM By: : 83 comments 129,894 views
.png)
Piloxing in Action: 8 Moves to Try at Home
Want to try Piloxing in the comfort of your own home before heading to a class? Below are some of the founder's favorite routines as demonstrated by Colette van Dyk, U.S. Master Trainer of Piloxing. Shoot for 10 to 20 repetitions of each exercise on each side.
Posted 5/26/2016 12:00:00 AM By: : 64 comments 90,372 views
.png)
10 Pantry Essentials That Make Weeknight Cooking a Breeze
On busy weeknights when six o'clock sneaks up out of nowhere (again), does the sequence of events at your house go something like this: First, someone hollers that ubiquitous question, "What's for dinner?" Next, you or your significant other play the “The Pantry Showdown,” which involves standing in front of said space, scanning the shelves for the miraculous combination of ingredients that will rescue everyone from the hangry zone. And finally, if luck is on your side, some nights you actually manage to cobble together something that strikes an acceptable balance between yummy and healthy.
Posted 5/25/2016 12:00:00 AM By: : 108 comments 115,431 views
FDA Reveals Changes to Nutrition Facts Label, Coming in 2018
On Friday, the FDA released a new version of the nutrition facts label, which will enable consumers to make more informed dietary choices. Most manufacturers are required to place the new label on packaged foods by July of 2018.
Posted 5/23/2016 12:00:00 AM By: : 31 comments 50,827 views
Sun, Sand & Snacks: The 9 Best Foods to Take to the Beach
Swimming and sunbathing can work up a ravenous appetite, but what with the wind, waves, heat and just a few trillion grains of sand, sometimes the best of culinary intentions can go awry when they're brought to the beach. Cheese melts, most fruit wilts and anything egg-based won't smell too great after any length of time in the hot sun.
Posted 5/23/2016 12:00:00 AM By: : 39 comments 102,624 views
‹ Back Read More Entries ›
