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Christmas Special December 23rd

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Issue Home December 23, 2009 Site Home

HEADLINES:
Holiday Eating: Avoid Weight Gain
Turnpike Terrace Update
Stay In Touch With Older Loved Ones
4-H Club News DES
Celebrating Family Holiday Traditions
Safer Driving In A Winter Wonderland



Holiday Eating: Avoid Weight Gain

(StatePoint) Holiday parties and dinners can bring lots of good cheer and favorite treats to eat. Unfortunately they also can bring unwelcome pounds.

It's the most difficult time of the year for anyone trying to lose weight - or simply avoid gaining weight. It sometimes seems safer to eat the table decorations than holiday meals and party offerings.

It doesn't have to be this way.

"With a little planning and by making smart choices, you can avoid packing on unhealthy pounds when eating out during the holidays or at family celebrations," says Julie Hadden, one of the more memorable contestants from NBC's "The Biggest Loser" and author of the new book "Fat Chance: Losing The Weight, Gaining My Worth."

You still can enjoy the festivities without gaining weight, stresses Hadden, who offers some helpful tips in her new book:

* Plan Ahead: Before attending a party or a holiday meal, plan in advance. Call ahead to find out what will be served so you can plan the rest of your day's calories accordingly. Consider offering to bring a side dish so you know what's in it.

* Eat Before Partying: Eat a light snack, such as an apple, a few nuts or lean deli turkey, before heading to a party or dinner. Drink water before eating to feel full sooner. When you arrive, you'll be less tempted to make a beeline for the food.

* Make Smarter Choices: Consider all food options and choose wisely. Eat at home as often as possible. Avoid appetizers and save dessert for truly special occasions. When in a restaurant or at a big family meal, cut your portion in half and set it aside, so you're not tempted to overeat. Drink water or tea. Calories should come from food not beverages.

* Move More, Eat Less: The only way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you consume. You have to move more and eat less. Even during the holidays. Walk to the mailbox. Do five laps around your living room during commercial breaks. Take the stairs. Exercise with your kids.

* Get Back On The Horse: Everyone slips at some point. If you eat too much at a holiday meal, make a fresh start right away and get back on your diet.

* Get Inspired: Find an inspiring image and focus on it daily. Maybe it's an old photo from your fitter days, a starlet's behind or torso you wish to emulate, or that dress you want from the store. When vying for transformation, keep an image of victory in mind.

For more on making healthy choices, read Hadden's new book, "Fat Chance," or visit www.juliehadden.com.

"If you were headed to the mall to buy a new purse or TV, you would research how much it would cost. Take the same care with food. Spend a hundred calories as wisely as you would a hundred dollars," she says.Holiday Eating:

Avoid Weight Gain

(StatePoint) Holiday parties and dinners can bring lots of good cheer and favorite treats to eat. Unfortunately they also can bring unwelcome pounds.

It's the most difficult time of the year for anyone trying to lose weight - or simply avoid gaining weight. It sometimes seems safer to eat the table decorations than holiday meals and party offerings.

It doesn't have to be this way.

"With a little planning and by making smart choices, you can avoid packing on unhealthy pounds when eating out during the holidays or at family celebrations," says Julie Hadden, one of the more memorable contestants from NBC's "The Biggest Loser" and author of the new book "Fat Chance: Losing The Weight, Gaining My Worth."

You still can enjoy the festivities without gaining weight, stresses Hadden, who offers some helpful tips in her new book:

* Plan Ahead: Before attending a party or a holiday meal, plan in advance. Call ahead to find out what will be served so you can plan the rest of your day's calories accordingly. Consider offering to bring a side dish so you know what's in it.

* Eat Before Partying: Eat a light snack, such as an apple, a few nuts or lean deli turkey, before heading to a party or dinner. Drink water before eating to feel full sooner. When you arrive, you'll be less tempted to make a beeline for the food.

* Make Smarter Choices: Consider all food options and choose wisely. Eat at home as often as possible. Avoid appetizers and save dessert for truly special occasions. When in a restaurant or at a big family meal, cut your portion in half and set it aside, so you're not tempted to overeat. Drink water or tea. Calories should come from food not beverages.

* Move More, Eat Less: The only way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you consume. You have to move more and eat less. Even during the holidays. Walk to the mailbox. Do five laps around your living room during commercial breaks. Take the stairs. Exercise with your kids.

* Get Back On The Horse: Everyone slips at some point. If you eat too much at a holiday meal, make a fresh start right away and get back on your diet.

* Get Inspired: Find an inspiring image and focus on it daily. Maybe it's an old photo from your fitter days, a starlet's behind or torso you wish to emulate, or that dress you want from the store. When vying for transformation, keep an image of victory in mind.

For more on making healthy choices, read Hadden's new book, "Fat Chance," or visit www.juliehadden.com.

"If you were headed to the mall to buy a new purse or TV, you would research how much it would cost. Take the same care with food. Spend a hundred calories as wisely as you would a hundred dollars," she says.

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Turnpike Terrace Update
Submitted By Mary Heesh

Hello from Turnpike Terrace. We had some people in the hospital and they are home and doing well.

Rena Rood had her son Ray and his wife visiting for a few days.

We had some very strange critters here on Halloween night. There was quite a few kids here. They all looked cute and some scary. On Friday some of us dressed up at lunch time. We had a pirate, a Mexican señor, an old old granny, a cowboy, a hula girl and a bag lady. We had a good time.

We have been playing the Wii and having a good time.

Some of the Turnpike Terrorists went to Starrucca to see Soulfire. We missed going on Halloween to South New Milford Baptist Church. We wanted to see the kids that came here.

We had our spaghetti dinner up here and it was a big success.

There was talk of where we were all going for Thanksgiving. I spent a couple days in Johnson City with my daughter Becky, and we went to Endicott to my daughter Cheri’s for Thanksgiving.

We are on our way to Christmas now. A few doors have decorations on them. The outside decorations are up and the trees on each floor are ready to go up.

Thank you to June Skasko for the ornaments she gave us for the lobby and dining room trees.

We had our volunteer Christmas party. It was a great time and we had good food and great music by Ray and Carol Rockwell.

I finally got my door decorated for Christmas. I needed help and Sharon Glover made a pretty bow for me. Thank you Sharon. I have my tree up; it’s pretty. But all Christmas trees are pretty.

We are going to the annual Mason’s Senior Dinner next Saturday. We always have a nice time.

Well this is the news for the last three months from up here. See you soon and take care - and a Merry Christmas to all.

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Stay In Touch With Older Loved Ones

In the event of an emergency or disaster, how will you know that your elderly loved one is okay? Whether it’s Mom or Dad or Aunt Jane or Uncle Bob, these days it seems like you never know when a crisis may hit home. Natural disasters are just one, but personal and medical crisis can occur requiring emergency intervention. How would you know if your elderly loved one is okay if a natural disaster or emergency struck? As families get together over the holiday season, this time of year provides a good opportunity to discuss how to handle critical events with older family members. By establishing a plan, families can stay “IN TOUCH” with older loved ones and be prepared when a crisis occurs.

The “IN TOUCH” Plan Overview:

Identify potential emergency situations.

Note community resources.

Talk about individual circumstances.

Outline your plan in writing.

Communicate regularly and test.

Have peace of mind.

Your local Area Agency on Aging is a resource and offers supportive services to older persons and their family members. For more information, contact the Area Agency on Aging, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 570-278-3751 locally or 1-800-634-3746 toll free.

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4-H Club News DES

The DES 4-H club held their last meeting at the East Rush Church on November 15. Due to weather circumstances we couldn't have our annual hayride so we had an indoor "picnic." Everyone brought a dish to pass and drinks and the club provided hot dogs. Our club adopted an interfaith family for Christmas so we passed around the list and everyone chose some items to buy for them. We decided to enter a float in the parade of lights on December 11 rather than having a pizza/bowling party... the weather caused us to change our minds.

If you would be interested in joining our club you can contact LouAnn Kiefer at the extension office. We have dairy, beef, swine, photography, clover buds and many more projects!

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Celebrating Family Holiday Traditions

(StatePoint) Remember all those favorite holiday traditions you had as a kid? It's time to keep them alive for generations to come and to start new ones your kids will cherish forever.

There are many ways your family can make lasting holiday memories. Each of these activities could become a new tradition you can enjoy together this holiday and in future years:

Decorate With Family Images: Use family photos from holidays past and present to create a collage you can hang prominently in your living or family room. Create your own ornaments that display family photos, by making picture frames from popsicle sticks or fun shapes using small balls and pipe cleaners. Or simply go traditional and deck the halls together with old-fashioned trimmings and a well-placed family photo or two.

Create A Holiday Quilt: Traditionally, quilts have been created for milestones like the birth of a baby. Why not start a holiday quilt? Have each family member add a holiday-themed panel to one quilt. Get grandma, aunts, mom and the kids involved. Or create one square for each holiday during the year (New Year's, Easter, Christmas, etc.). You even can make a photo quilt where you print family photos on fabric. For help getting started, turn to one of the new books on the subject, such as "The Quilter's Catalog: A Comprehensive Resource Guide," by Meg Cox.

"If the word 'quilt' brings to mind elderly ladies bending over wooden hoops, try this on for size: the quilt world has doubled to 27.7 million quilters. Even young people are getting interested, as the modern quilter's wish-list is more likely to include a computer-driven sewing machine, designer fabric and quilt software than a handheld hoop," says Cox, stressing how kids take to this activity.

Do Good For Others: Help decorate a community park or public area for the holidays. Volunteer together at a soup kitchen or clothing drive. Have the kids join you to purchase toys for a toy drive. Or have them go through their toys and donate old ones. Get out in your community and involve the family in doing good.

Tree Twists: Many families make annual pilgrimages to choose Christmas trees and decorate them together. Some take it one step further and venture into their backyards or the woods to decorate a tree for the animals, using edible decorations, such as popcorn, cranberries, peanut butter-covered decorations, birdseed and more.

A Virtual Family Party: If your relatives and friends are far-flung and can't gather together for the holiday, hold a virtual get-together. Choose a time before the holiday and coordinate a virtual family party where everyone gets on the family computer and uses a Webcam to join the fun. Or, simply have each participant upload new family photos to a photo-sharing Web site and view them on the same night.

Be they old or new, holiday traditions make the holidays more memorable.

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Safer Driving In A Winter Wonderland

(NewsUSA) - When the weather outside is frightful, it's important that drivers make sure their vehicles are prepared for wintery weather conditions. Snow and ice can turn a normally safe road into a slippery hazard. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, 70 percent of the fatalities related to ice and snow occur in automobiles. Firestone Complete Auto Care recommends these vehicle maintenance and safe driving tips to help families stay safer on the road this winter holiday season:

Although it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together, winter weather often magnifies existing vehicle problems. It's important that drivers visit their automotive service providers to make sure their vehicles' engines, batteries and cooling and exhaust systems are in tip-top shape before the winter months.

If outside the snow is falling, drivers should check their tire pressure and tread depth. A tire may lose one pound per square inch (psi) for every 10 degree Fahrenheit temperature drop. Drivers should check their tire pressure weekly. If a driver lives in a snowy area, he or she may want to consider buying a set of dedicated winter tires. Winter tires are designed to improve a vehicle's stability and handling in adverse driving conditions.

When in the lane, snow is glistening, drivers should slow down to improve vehicle traction and be prepared for longer stopping distances. Abrupt braking, accelerating and turning can cause the driver to lose control of his or her vehicle. If a car or truck begins to skid, a driver should avoid slamming on the brakes; instead, he or she should gently take his or her foot off the accelerator and try to regain traction.

If over the river and through the woods, a vehicle gets stuck in the snow, kitty litter, sand, an asphalt shingle or gravel placed under the tires can help regain traction. Drivers should not spin their tires. This could make the tires overheat and cause damage to them.

Driving in a winter wonderland can be dangerous, but reviewing simple vehicle-maintenance and safe-driving tips can help enhance a merry holiday season.

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