Caters News via Bulls Press - Tom Lackey, 89, took up wing-walking as a way past the grief of losing his wife. Here, he is flying across the English Channel.

This morning’s NY Times delivered a much needed dose of inspiration to my front door. I’m taking a little break from LA-LA land and submerging myself into a little “keepin’ it real” in NYC. Living in a city obsessed by youth and beauty I often forget that the most exciting people are those that have many decades under their belt. There’s a new rush of thrill seekers, many of them are over the age of 70, going on trips to the North Pole, summitting Everest and biking through Europe. They are a testament that the fun doesn’t have ever have to stop and it’s never too late to try something new.

Later that morning I hopped on the treadmill. A 70+ woman was on the treadmill next to me. As she was leaving she commented to me “you’re my inspiration”. I laughed. Little did she know that she was mine.

You’ve read about the cruelty that takes place in CAFOs (concentrated-animal feeding operations). You’ve watched Supersize Me. You’ve seen the videos that depict inhumane conditions of raising farm animals for slaughter. You’ve thought about becoming vegan but are afraid that it’s too restrictive. Need a some inspiration? Then read Alicia Silverstone’s “The Kind Diet” in which she shares the reasons behind her giving up meat and dairy and adopting a plant-based (meat, dairy and egg free) diet for life. Armed with lots of delicious recipes this book makes becoming vegan seemingly easy.

If you’re not up for cooking you can have prepared food delivered to your door. Vegin Out is a meal delivery company that specializes in delivering fresh and tasty vegan foods to your home or office.

Vegan chef Tim Boissey translates his love of the vegan diet through his amazing meals. A week’s worth of meals is more cost effective than a week’s worth of groceries from Whole Foods. It’s like being on the fast track to veganism.

Once you get the hang of being vegan you can try going raw. Chef Matt Amsden and Santa Monica based RAWvolution creates a box of prepared, organic, low-calorie raw food that can be picked up at their store or shipped to your home anywhere in the US.

Resolution (noun): a firm decision to do or not to do something. From this definition resolutions can be so black and white. At the end of the year our heads are filled with thoughts about things we will or will not do in the following year such as quit smoking, quit drinking, exercise, eat healthy and stop spending. We set ourselves up for failure in making such drastic changes all in one day. There’s a reason why gym memberships peak in January then taper off by March. Instead of making such pronouncements on January 1, think about smaller changes and strategies to accomplish them. For example if your goal is to get in shape don’t beat yourself up if you’re not hitting the gym 5 days a week. Make getting in shape more manageable by scheduling 3 days a week for exercise so that you won’t burnout quickly. And don’t forget to treat yourself every time you reach a milestone.

My first 5K - The Santa Monica Annual Christmas Run

Throughout our pre-adult life we experience a lot of “firsts”. First tooth, first day of kindergarten, first kiss, first prom. Many of these events we don’t even remember yet when we have our children we experience these “firsts” again. But for our own selves, as we’re swept away into the responsibilities of adulthood, we leave behind the exhilaration of facing new challenges. As we look towards the future, which too quickly becomes the past, think about what new firsts you want to undertake. Continue to challenge yourself, bring inspiration into your life and, most importantly, have fun!

As a dietitian living on the “westside” of Los Angeles I come across a lot of clients who ask me about cleansing. My response usually consists of some science based explanation about how the liver is the primary organ of detoxification faithfully backed up by the kidneys, that the body is perfectly capable of cleansing it self, etc, etc. But really, how could I answer that question truthfully without doing the research myself?

Up to this point I had never officially completed a cleanse. A couple of years ago I miserably attempted the “Master Cleanse” (the one where you drink lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne pepper mixed with H2O) for two days before caving into eating actual food again. This put me off cleanses for a while. Then I signed up for Seane Corne’s Detox Flow Yoga Program, a three day workshop that included “specifically choreographed routines, focusing on proper alignment and breathing, stimulating the productivity of the vital organs to create an environment for toxic release.” On the first day Seane talked about cleansing and recommended the UEC Cleanse. I wasn’t entirely convinced and was really just there for the yoga. The next day I received a phone call informing me that the workshop had been cancelled for the rest of the weekend. Although I was disappointed upon hearing this news it got me to thinking about doing my own cleanse.

That day I ordered the UEC Cleanse Program and circled the “start date” on my calendar. I thought about all the excuses I had used in the past to not do a cleanse. Could I really give up alcohol, bread, sugar and *gasp* coffee for a whole week? For some reason it had seemed formidable before but this time it didn’t seem so bad. Plus the food list was kind of like strict macrobiotic vegan. Restrictive but not impossible to adhere to. I read through the UEC Cleanse booklet a couple of times, loaded up on fruits and vegetables and dug out my blender to make my morning juices.

Cut to - one week later. I have to admit that overall this cleanse was relatively easy. I had caught a cold right before it started. Since I was “cleansing” I didn’t take any over the counter cold medications for it. By the end of the week the cold was gone. I didn’t do everything the cleanse recommended. For example, on days two through four I was supposed to drink a liver flush concoction which I passed on. About three of the days I was only able to take the supplement regimen twice during those days as opposed to the recommended three times. I did stick to the foods list which I actually enjoyed. I only exercised twice during the week and took a couple of walks as well. I woke up feeling refreshed every morning, got tons of sleep and lost about two pounds. I did NOT do this cleanse for weight loss and don’t recommend doing a cleanse for weight loss. I actually did it to see how I would feel physically and mentally as well as relate to my cleanse loving clients.

One of the things that attracted me to the Detox Yoga Workshop was the exploration of “how making conscious and responsible choices- in all aspects of our lives- can help purify our body/mind, supporting optimal health and the numerous benefits provided as a result.” I think that perhaps this detox awakened a consciousness that has been lying dormant for a while. I spoke to a friend the day after I completed the cleanse. He said I sounded like I had more clarity. More clarity? Really? After only a week? What would happen if I were to continue these newly formed habits for the duration and mitigate the more toxic ones. Think of the possibilities…

At last the diet of wine, cheese and bread has finally caught up to the waistlines of the Français femmes. And all this time we American women were feeling badly about the fact that we were more corpulent than our sophisticated French counterparts across the pond. According to a 2009 study conducted by TNS Sofres Healthcare and Swiss pharmaceuticals company Roche, 15.1 percent of France’s women are classed as clinically obese, while a further 26 percent are overweight. These changes are attributed to a more urban lifestyle and most likely a greater consumption of convenience and fast foods.

The sickness scare of the cold and flu season is the H1N1 virus. Yet even if you get a flu shot it doesn’t guarantee a clean bill of health. So what can you do to mitigate your chances of catching a cold this year?

1. Eat your C’s - Oranges, grapefruits, berries and melons all pack a ton of vitamin C, the antioxidant you need to stay healthy
2. A multi a day - Multivitamins provide you with your daily dose of essential vitamins and minerals you may not be getting from your diet.
3. Drink up - Drink plenty of fluids like water and hot tea, which keep you hydrated and flush out the toxins.
4. Eat fruits and veggies - Natural foods help build up your body’s immune system.
5. Just say no to sugar - Sugar is an immunosuppressant. In other words it reduces the germ-killing ability of white blood cells for up to five hours after ingestion. and it reduces the effectiveness of antibodies.
6. Wash up - Washing your hands after going to the gym, before eating and avoid touching your face as much as possible. Most germs are transferred from touching door handles, gym equipment and communal office equipment.

A new fitness tracking device is available called the Fitbit. According to their website this device “accurately tracks your calories burned, steps taken, distance traveled and sleep quality. The Fitbit contains a 3D motion sensor like the one found in the Nintendo Wii. The Fitbit tracks your motion in three dimensions and converts this into useful information about your daily activities.” The four levels of activity are sedentary, lightly active, fairly active and very active. You can shuffle through four screens that show calories burned, distance in miles, number of steps and a graphic of a flower that grows and recedes based on your activity level. The Fitbit sets goals based on your gender, age, weight and height - factors which help set your base metabolic rate. You can track your goals via the website and adjust your fitness accordingly.

As you know Halloween is the kick start to the three month long holiday season of overindulging in sweet treats. Kids go crazy for Halloween, filling up their jack-o-lanterns with tons of candy and calories that contribute to the 5-12 pound weight gain over the holiday season! And we wonder why the chilhood obesity numbers grow every year. So what can we do to nip this annual unhealthy ritual in the bud? Got Milk? has a healthy Halloween pledge that children can sign to promote eating healthy this Halloween season. Parents can also get some great tips to help with making sure that their kids Halloween is a healthy one.

All good things must come to an end and that is definitely true with the closing of Gourmet magazine. I loved drooling over the beautiful photographs, the delicious recipes and the restaurant reviews - always garnering some epicurian inspiration between the pages of this much loved magazine. I covet the old magazines sitting on my kitchen shelf - filled with recipes that I must now make to honor the end of a great institution. Gourmet, you will be missed but never forgotten.