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An excellent up-to-date nutrition book full of practical advice is: http://www.amazon.com/Nutrition-Divas-Secrets-Healthy-Diet/dp/0312676417 You can check out her style (friendly), credentials (excellent), and advice (sound) at her two websites: http://nutritionovereasy.com/ and http://nutritiondiva.quickanddirtytips.com/ One feature that I really appreciate is that she will link studies and other articles at the end of her posts, so that you can follow up with more details or primary source research if you wish. I consider myself fairly up to date on nutritional issues and have learned much from following her blog these past few months (plus digging around in her archives--a wealth of info there). Also, if you do post a comment/ask a question on her blog, she is likely to answer you personally or in a future posting. HTH,

I've been NoSing for about 2 1/2 years now... I like to think that I was the first to promote NoS here on the boards :001_rolleyes: and still loving it and losing. So far, down 45 pounds, with only 10 more to go. Those numbers include hostessing people ALL summer (every summer!) and a recent 3 month furlough (think "extended working vacation."). NoS really is a lifestyle plan. I weigh only once a month, at the end of the week. Mondays are probably the worst days to weigh in the sense that they will tend to be skewed by additional water weight and while my head can acknowledge that fact, my emotions don't! PS. If you ever visit the NoS forums, you can see my two testimonials (one for each anniversary date!) in the testimonial forum. All the posts there are very inspiring and worth reading every now and then.

Look into Trisms. It incorporates IEW writing assignments, provides lots of opportunities to add books, videos, etc. to the core of the program. Website: http://www.trisms.com/ HTH,

Well, I have three now in or past college. Our second eldest will be graduating from a private LAC this May. Let me make sure that I am understanding your question. Background: Your daughter has particular passions in the arts, literature, and languages. She also needs to fulfill a typical college-prep sequence of math, science, electives. How can you best mesh these two "streams" of studies. First, there is no ONE SET of college-prep required classes. Every college has its own requirements. However, one general guideline is to use California's A-G guidelines which are the minimum admission standards for UC schools (California's top-tier universities) which can be read in detail here: http://www.ucop.edu/a-gGuide/ag/a-g/a-g_reqs.html A quick summary is as follows: History: One year WH, One year AH, (I thought one semester each of gov't/econ was required but didn't see it listed this time....) Math: 3 years (Alg. 1, Geometry, Alg. 2) Science: 2 years laboratory science English: 4 years Foreign Language: 2 years Visual and Performing Arts: 1 year College Prep Electives: 1 year (chosen from math/science/art/English/history/languages--"auto shop" won't count.....) As you can see, these are very reasonable guidelines for any college-bound high schooler. I think your daughter can follow her delights with both structured course work (for credits--English, History, FL, Performing Arts) as well as for sheer pleasure (not everything has to count for "school".) Her "College Prep Electives" can come from her passions. What we did was have all our children take four years of math and science even though not "required" for admission. If one takes time off (math especially, science less so), it is hard to get back into it. My son, a freshman geomatics engineering major, was well-prepared for his required math classes. My two humanities-majoring daughters either tested out of a math class or had an easy time of it. The same for science. None of my children took AP tests or CLEP tests--it was never an option for us (we live overseas as missionaries). All my children received scholarships, all thrived in their respective studies, all went to different types of schools (one Ivy League, one small private liberal arts, one Large State school). I say all this to prove that there is NO ONE RIGHT WAY to "do" high school. So, take a deep breath, plot out 2-3 math courses, 2-3 science courses, and you'll be more than halfway there.... hth,

You describe how I was. Overweight by eating good healthy food. I realized that I needed a sensible, livable "way of eating" rather than a traditional "diet" of restricted foods, preset meal plans, etc. I found what I needed at http://www.nosdiet.com . NoS is less about *what* you eat and more about *when* you eat. NoS suggests the following 3 good eating habits: 1. No snacks 2. No seconds 3. No sweets (desserts) EXCEPT sometimes (and this is what makes it livable) on weekends and holidays/special days. I've been following NoS for over two years and have lost 40 pounds. I've enjoyed every meal I've had, whether at home, restaurant, friends. Because I no longer snack, I have a good appetite for my meals. Because I don't take seconds, I don't overeat just because it all tastes so good. Because I don't eat nearly as many "sweets", I can make my everyday regular meals with regular foods (no low-cal anything unless I happen to actually prefer it). Because I only eat at meal times, I no longer clean up the serving bowls, eat the heels of breads, or sample a meal's worth of food while cooking it. Nixing that behavior alone saves me hundreds of calories a day..... I suggest taking a look at the NoS website and then its bulletin boards. Even if you implement just one of those good habits, you'll be doing yourself some good. HTH,

I've been NoSing for almost 2.5 years and STILL loving it. I've lost 40 pounds in spite of being over 50, short, and having thyroid issues. I credit NoS for maintaining my loss on our recent 3 month furlough (think 3-month working *vacation* with lots of visiting, meals out, holidays, etc). Because of all my good habits in place (especially 3 meals, no snacking, no seconds), I was able to enjoy every company meal where we were the guests (including a *small* piece of dessert) regardless of the day of the week. On every other furlough, I have gained at least 10 pounds..... Now that we are back home, I am entering a new phase of losing weight :lol: Incorporating NoS habits (along with regular use of a pedometer) has been one of the BEST things I've ever done in my life....

I just use my 5 Min Artisan Bread dough which is always handy in the frig. Mmmm. Like some other pp, I've never had authentic naan but a friend who has been to India came for lunch one day and I served it without calling it anything. He commented on my great naan! So I'm satisfied!

Some others we have enjoyed: Little Britches and the entire series by Ralph Moody. If you don't won't to commit to all eight books, at least read the last three--they form a series all on their own..... My Family and Other Animals G. Durrell. There are two more books in the series but I liked the first one the best, by far. Author: P. G. Wodehouse--we've read (or listened via audio books) to many of his books. Three series in particular: Jeeves & Wooster, Blandings Castle, and the Mulliner series. These are lighthearted and fun--we don't read them one after the other because the storylines are similar, but his use of words is fabulous! Kidnapped by R. L. Stevenson Rolf and the Viking Bow by A. French. There are so many good books out there, ideal to share with teens. And we've also taken a break from long works to enjoy short-stories as well. Some semi-classic authors to look for: Wilkie Collins, Arthur Conan Doyle, John. Buchan, Dorothy Sayers, Mark Twain, G.K. Chesterton (Father Brown series or The Club of Queer Trades), Hawthorne. Also, I've combed through suggested lit. lists from Sonlight, TOG, WTM, and Hewitt's Lightning Lit program for (mostly) teen-appropriate literature. I also like to read aloud from memoirs and biographies--real life can be so interesting! Pick a person or topic, look up on Amazon, read the reviews, and you'll be set. I found several good books that way....including Three Cups of Tea and 360 Longitude. These two aren't *great* writing, but cover real events, current events, in an interesting and meaningful way.... HTH,

If the atlases are from those years, they are DEFINITELY out of date with respect to Serbia and Montenegro. In 2003, Serbia and Montenegro were in an (uneasy) federation with each other due to international pressure. In 2005, the people voted and Montenegro regained its independence and the two countries became completely separate. FTR: MNE=Montenegro in my sig...

For me, my permanent ongoing weight loss resulted from: NOT DIETING! As in, making temporary changes to lose weight. Three years ago I began following NoS (http://www.nosdiet.com) principles which advocate moderate eating (not restricted "diet head" eating). I already know the basics of good nutrition and try to keep my lunch and dinner with half veggies and salad, the rest main dish and starch. There is absolutely no food off limits for me. (except liver because I don't like it!) I lost 30 pounds which is no small feat for a short woman (5'2") in her 50s with thyroid issues. Two years ago I seriously took up the challenge of a lifestyle of "movement." I bought myself a pedometer and challenged myself to increase my steps. That wasn't very hard because I only averaged 3000 steps per day. I walk more, do more around the house (eg., chop my veggies by hand instead of in the mini-prep), in the garden, and I take time most days to "take a walk." Sometimes I enjoy my thoughts, sometimes I listen to a Teaching Company tape, sometimes music. On horrible weather days, I pop in a DVD. I lost another 10 pounds. I'm THRILLED. I've never felt deprived, stressed out, or anything like that. I just made simple lifestyle changes that really ARE part of my life--this is not me HOPING that my lifestyle has changed; it really HAS changed. We were just on extended furlough in California (we live overseas) for 3 months (think "working vacation") I ate chips and salsa everyday. We celebrated Thanksgiving, Christmas, 4 birthdays, and an anniversary. We were together as a family of 7 for the first time in 2 years (oldest three live stateside now) with plenty of "favorite meals" together. We ate at other families houses 2-3 times a week with company meals and dessert. With all my habits of moderation (eating and exercise), I not only didn't gain (first time ever on furlough--usually the desparately needed clothing bought at the beginning of furlough didn't fit by the end), but I actually lost a pound! Other methods may be faster, but in the end, my "tortoise" pace is taking me across my "health and fitness" line. HTH,

There is a neat site for kindle users entitled "Free eBooks and Tips" at http://www.fkbt.wordpress.com Today's "tip" is checking your email on a Kindle. Worth a quick read if you want to see how to do it.... Plus, if you visit the site regularly (I do), you will get head's up on FREE kindle books being offered at Amazon and elsewhere.... hth,

I decided that I wanted an ereader and narrowed my choices between kindle and nook. I went to B&N twice to play with the nook and to take a class. The class is oriented towards new purchasers but they will give you a loaner if you don't have one yet. I ultimately went with a kindle for the following reasons: 1. We live overseas and getting books for the kindle is MUCH EASIER than for the nook. So, if you expect to travel and want to buy and download books while overseas, go with a Kindle. 2. One distinct advantage of the nook is the ability to go into any B&N and sit and read any ebook offering for an hour. Since we aren't stateside most of the time, that did not enter into my "what's best for me" equation. Even if we did live stateside, I don't know if I would use that option enough. My college-aged daughter does all the time, though, so it is definitely something to consider. 3. Kindle 3's battery power life is almost twice as long as nook's. I really can go 3-4 weeks before charges which I like. 4. I'm showing my age, but I prefer a button screen (kindle) to a touch screen (nook). 5. I have over 200 books on my kindle and I've paid for only 3 so far. I also have about six games--also gotten for free. Project Gutenberg has a downloadable-to-kindle file with 1000's of titles that you can click from your kindle and the title will download automatically onto the kindle. It is fantastic! Also, many publishers offer NEW releases for free (usually for a short window time to boost sales ratings) and by visiting blogs that keep up with these offerings, I usually get 2-3 free books per week--books that I wouldn't always pay money for but would check out of a library perhaps. I love it. These are the main reasons I went with a kindle. I had no desire to get a color nook so my comparisons are with the basic nook. hth,

You are very welcome! I am always glad to steer people towards the sanity of NoS. The good eating habits one cultivates are SOOOOOO helpful longterm. For example, we've been on furlough for almost three months-- three months with lots of good "once in a blue moon" eating opportunities. Even with the holidays, special times with friends and family, enjoying America-only treats (chips and salsa nearly every day! Woohoo!), I haven't gained a pound. Of course, I haven't lost any, but I haven't been trying to. In contrast, last furlough (3 years ago, pre-NoS) I gained at least 10 lbs in 3 months.... Best wishes on *your* success.

Well, I follow the principles of the NoS diet which isn't a diet in the sense of telling you WHAT to eat. It lays out three basic eating principles that help one from overeating: No Snacks (3 good meals a day or 4 if you need it) No Seconds (fit everything on one plate so you can SEE what you are really eating) No Sweets (this means desserts--not the sugar in your coffee unless excessive) EXCEPT (and this is what makes it doable longterm) Special Days Honestly, my diet (already good to begin with) has IMPROVED by implementing these three healthy habits. I no longer fool myself with the idea that I will have fruit for a snack--it is planned and eaten as part of a meal, often the sweet treat at the end. Neither do I nibble my way into overeating. I can't believe how easy it is *for me* to overeat when I constantly take small portions of everything (because I'm convinced that I didn't eat very much, so I need seconds and even thirds). I strive to cover my plate with 1/4 protein, 1/4 grain, 1/2 veggies and salads when it works out. I enjoy ALL kinds of foods; the one plate rule (no seconds) keeps me from overdoing it. I now hate to feel stuffed. I like to have an appetite for my next meal; I treasure that little edge of hunger right before my next meal. I could go on and on. Instead, I suggest you visit the NoS website (free): http://www.nosdiet.com and READ why these habits can serve you well whatever you may choose to do. Then spend some time reading the NoS forums--especially the testimonials and general one. You will quickly realize that NoS is NOT about dieting but rather a way to eat sensibly, sanely, enjoyably for life. One more thing: I've lost 40 pounds with these three simple changes and now have a great relationship with food and eating no matter what life brings: everyday, holidays, vacations. :) HTH,

I think you are definitely on the right track: change behaviour and habit, results WILL follow. Just a couple of thoughts, FWIW. 1. A new goal EVERY week *might* become overwhelming. Weeks seem to go by at a quick clip. Some other options: rethink the speed of introducing new goals; consider allowing yourself to drop some goals after a period of time if they arent as helpful as their effort to maintain requires; alternate diet goals with exercise goals. Personally, my vote is for a slower pace of introduction of goals because a bit more time might allow the new behaviours to become new habits and will require less active thinking on your part... 2. Some helpful habits/behaviours that I strive for that I didn't see mentioned: a. No snacking (I absolutely love my 3 good meals a day and snacking takes the edge off my enjoyment). b. Plate division at meal times: 1/4 protein, 1/4 grain, 1/2 veggies and fruits c. Enjoy holidays and special occasions. We have a mini-feast every Sunday. I just make sure I don't overeat. I didn't get fat from occasional splurges but from everyday overeating. d. Buy and wear a pedometer and try to increase your daily movement (non-exercise) related. There are a number of fascinating articles that underscore that active living (cooking, gardening, scrubbing the floor, folding the laundry, using manual tools instead of electric) has many longterm health benefits that 30 min exercise/3x/week does not. (Note: the 30 min routine has different benefits... My point--do both). e. Never eat standing up or on the go. f. Keep cooking "tastes" to a minimum. I read in a nutrition book that every mindless bite we take in meal prep/clean up (the heel of bread, slice of cheese, last ladleful of soup, etc) adds, on average, 25 calories. That is 25 calories PER BITE. When I knocked out the routine meal-prep nibbling (of healthy foods), I probably knocked off 500 calories a day and the scale moved accordingly! :-) g. Don't eat directly from bags, boxes, bowls, pots. Instead, put your meal (and snack if you go that route) on a plate, put the bags, boxes, ingredients away, and sit and enjoy your food. h. Keep track of your calories for a week. I've found that keeping track of calories for a week every so often (like every six months) is helpful in keeping portion sizes under control. Online tools make this very easy. For me, tracking more than a week is a pain and I gain no further useful information.... The key is to be honest with yourself when tracking. i. Try one new "healthy" recipe a week or month. I've found some winners at http://www.eatingwell.com The site is free and you can sign up for various newsletters that will highlight various food collections (eg. 10 great ways to prepare zucchini, or 300 Calorie chicken dinners, etc.). I normally don't sign up for stuff like this but needed an easy way to find healthy recipes. At that time I signed up at several "Healthy" sites and preferred EatingWelll's newsletter format and recipes BY FAR. Anyway, congrats on the weightloss you've accomplished--enjoy THAT success, and may you find the lifestyle changes that will get you where you want to go. HTH,

Now that I have a kindle, I'm in! Woohoo!

I like the sane and sensible approach outlined by the NoS diet (free) found at http://www.nosdiet.com . It outlines basic parameters of sensible eating--actual menu is up to you. Read the website, visit the NoS forums, both the general and the testimonial. If you feel more accountability re: actual menu will be important to you, you can add in (though this is more work) the free program at http://www.loseit.com . This is a website version of a very popular app--calorie counting made easy. If you sign up, you can list your goals and it will calculate your daily calorie need and if you faithfully log the foods you eat, it will keep track of how well you are doing to meet your goals and can generate various graphs and summaries of your efforts. Plus, you can earn nifty badges! I think NoS is the best to start with because you will gain habits for a life time (I've successfully lost 40 lbs with NoS) and add in Loseit to improve your diet (I've finally plateaued on NoS and want to pinpoint the small changes I will need to make to continue progress). HTH, Vicki

:iagree: This post eloquently states all that I would write. Having got three into college, we are MORE involved now than with the first....

I'm not familiar with the two candies you mentioned, but Sour-gummy type candies ARE readily available here... Another fun idea (especially with halloween coming up and increased availability) would be to get a bag of the treat-size assorted chocolates (eg. plain, with almonds, with peanuts, crunch bar, mars, mounds, Reese's PB cups, etc) where she'd get a bit of everything. Have fun in choosing--she'll love it all!

We live in the former Yugoslavia as well. Everything Dayle in Guatemala listed is not available here--except we have no oreos of any kind. However, in rereading your OP, I see that your friend is not an American, so unless you know for sure, I would be careful with peanut-butter based/spicy (like hot tamales) food. PB is so unlike any other food here that more people don't like it than like it. But, if you know she does, PB and Reese's are GREAT treats, just because so unavailable. Also, the idea of mixing savory flavors (spicy) with sweet is unheard of and grosses most of the natives out. My husband's mother avoided Honey-Baked Ham for years because she just couldn't imagine the sweet/salty combo.... Just a couple of sendable treats that Dayle missed: marshmallows M&Ms Also, may I recommend that you seal EVERYTHING in ziploc bags? Speaking from experience, jars leak, bags break/rip, and if they are in the ziploc, everything is salvageable. Also, ziplocs are NOT available here and are highly prized because so convenient. They are an item our friends from here ask us to bring them and are lovingly washed out and reused until worn out....

I think you are on the right track: working systematically through one good basal textbook (R&S) with supplements. We used R&S as well. Every Friday was Fun Math Day at our house: we used mind-benders, Family Math, Singapore's Creative Word Problems booklets, etc. Like you, I didn't want an entire second math program because I believe that R&S does such an excellent job of teaching both how's and why's. However, I also wanted the children exposed to fun elements and seeing "math" as more than just textbook problems to work through.... To relieve the pressure of finishing a text within a year, I didn't worry about that. We did, however, finish every R&S textbook. When we started the next one, I would have the children do the chapter review and then take the test for the first 30-40 lessons. There are very few new concepts in those beginning lessons. The chapter review would pinpoint any weaknesses which could easily be addressed without having to wade through an entire chapter of review. By the time the children reached the end of their R&S sequence, they were all caught up, finishing the texts on time, and have been excellent students with excellent math thinking/skills. What you can do to feel "more in control" is to step up your *own* learning. Don't just check out books from the children's section of the library. Get a few reference books, too. I know Rainbow Resource sells several "math overview" books geared for an adult audience that are meant to do just what you are looking for: filling in the gaps between what you learned and why it works. Also, NYT published an interesting little series on math at the start of the year: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/opinion/series/steven_strogatz_on_the_elements_of_math/index.html The nice thing about this method, slightly random though it may seem, is that the more you learn and know, the more you will be able to "add it in" at just the right moment--just like you did with your daughter and long division. HTH,

Without knowing more specifics regarding her "application packet", I would note the following, take it for what is it worth: 1. Book titles are to be italicized like this: Gone With the Wind. In our modern computing era, underlining has gone the way of dial phones and 8-track tapes. 2. If an exhaustive booklist is required, go ahead and reduce the font size to 10. If is not required, pair down the list to one or two pages! Keep the most "representative" book titles per whatever requirement/bent the organization you are sending it would like to see. That should be more than enough titles for the organization to see the depth and breadth of the applicant's reading. If you feel the need, include a final sentence along the lines of "If desired, a complete listing of all 500 books read throughout high school is available." HTH,

Another option which we really enjoy: The Synonym Finder