Relationships and Other Life Advice

     Two new books in our dating and self-improvement sections may appeal to the fans of self-help books.

     First is 121 First Dates: How to Succeed at Online Dating, Falling in Love, and Live Happily Ever After (Really!) written by Wendy Newman. Professional dating and relationship educator Newman says there are three things she has learned for sure: There is one special someone for each of us. You will probably meet a lot of "nos" before you find your "yes." And you can't let this fact scare you off, because you could miss out on some amazing experiences! Newman chronicles her often hilarious, always heartfelt, and occasionally mortifying 121 first dates she went on before finding her perfect match. She made every imaginable dating mistake out there--so you don't have to. She busts dating myths, answers some long-sought-after questions, and examines the pitfalls that could make you lose your mind and swear-off dating altogether. She also offers a plethora of the best tips for navigating the online dating scene. Newman's dating pitfalls and triumphs serve to illustrate her advice and will certainly inspire anyone ready to step-out and find just the right person for a happily-ever-after.

     Kelsey Miller had done it all: crash dieting, healthy dieting, and expensive nutritionist-prescribed "eating plans," but nothing was working. In Big Girl: How I Gave Up Dieting & Got a Life, she chronicles how she realized, at the age of 29, that no diet was going to transform her body or her life. Armed with this knowledge as well as the help of an intuitive eating coach and fitness professionals, she learned how to eat based on her body's natural instincts and how to exercise for her health without obsessing over the number of calories burned. With each healthy step, Miller had to learn to contend with the painful memories from her past. For anyone who has wrestled with a distorted body image, food issues, or family traumas, this book is definitely for you. It is also for anyone who has tried and failed and "felt like a big, fat loser." So, basically, all of us...
     While both of these books tend to be geared toward women, I think guys could pick up some good advice as well. We all feel the jitters of a first date and we all feel less than perfect about our bodies and eating habits every now and then.

Super Foods for Pregnancy

Many of my friends and family members are expecting new additions to their families, and better nutrition during pregnancy is a frequent topic of conversation for us.  I discovered a book that the library owns, that is a great find for expectant moms!  Nutritionist Fiona Wilcock's Super Easy Drinks, Soups, and Smoothies for a Healthy Pregnancy describes quick and delicious meals on-the-go, that are packed with the nutrition that moms to be and babies need.  The cover of this fabulous book is very attractive, and it is filled with full-color photographs of the recipes.  Why is good nutrition while pregnant and breastfeeding, so important?  It has been proven that what happens during the nine months

that a woman is pregnant, is a major determinant of her baby's long-term health and what she eats and doesn't eat will have enormous consequences throughout the baby's life.  Unfortunately, due to the major hormone changes during pregnancy, many expectant women do not enjoy the smell of cooking, do not crave food any longer or are nauseous.  The idea behind this book was to help pregnant women maintain a good pregnancy diet even when she can't eat as she'd like to, by having nutrient-packed food in liquid form.  The first part of the book discusses why hydration is important and focuses on ingredients, nutritional quality and drink-making equipment needed.  The second part of the book contains recipes, and even a section on how to make homemade stocks and non-alcoholic cocktails!  This book is a wonderful tool and the recipes can be used by any person who enjoys eating flavorful smoothies and soups.

Fabulous Slow Cooker Meals

I have been using my slow cooker a lot lately, because it's an easy way to cook great meals while being away at work and it does not heat up the house as much as using the oven.  The library has many wonderful slow cooker recipe books, and one of the latest ones we've received is wonderful!  The Everything Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook by Rachel Rappaport contains 300 recipes fit for any cooking occasion.  I really enjoy this cookbook because it has a lot of "foundation" recipes that can be used as the basis for other recipes (such as roasted vegetable stock, poached chicken, roasted garlic and carmelized onions.)  The recipe book opens with a great chapter on how to cook healthy meals in the slow cooker, and includes a section on how to adapt your favorite meals for the challenges of the slow cooker.  The recipes in this book are diverse---from appetizers and snacks, dips, chili, meat and vegetable main dishes, to desserts and recipes for a couple or a crowd.  The book ends with two appendices discussing slow-cooking tips and how to make your favorite recipes lower in fat. This book is great for anyone who is an "old hand" at using their slow cooker or a beginner.   If you like this book, try alos Dana Carpender's 300 Low-Carb Slow Cooker Recipes.