Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could toss extra pounds we've gained over the holidays in the trash along with the Thanksgiving turkey carcass? If only we could take off the weight as easily as we can take down the decorations!

The easiest way to lose weight after the holidays is to avoid putting it on in the first place. “Easy??!!” you ask. “But—but--pumpkin pie! Grandma's fudge! And Mom's wonderful lumpy mashed potatoes!!!” So how can you have your cakes (and pies, and other treats) and eat them too?

1. Weigh yourself more often. Keep a closer eye on that bottom line and you won't be as tempted to make your bottom bigger!
2. Avoid large meals late at night and get plenty of sleep. Lack of sleep is related to weight gain.
3. Between office parties and family celebrations, there are plenty of opportunities to blow a diet. Bring your own healthy contribution to the meal. And don’t arrive hungry - have a glass of water and a healthy snack before you leave home.
4. Limit your TV watching. Those favorite holiday movies may cause unnecessary mindless snacking, and those food commercials don't help.
5. If you're being tempted by larger portions by a family member, ask to take a plate home for later and promptly freeze it. Same thing with leftovers at your house—freeze it so you won't be tempted. It'll be there later.

Most of all: focus on the fun, not the food, during the festivities. Pay attention to the conversations, take photos, play games, sing, dance—just enjoy yourself!

November 11th is Veterans Day, a day to honor and give thanks to all those who are serving and have served in the US Armed Forces. Are you looking for some ideas on how to ensure the veterans in your community know that we deeply appreciate the sacrifices they have made to keep our country free?

Stand and cheer! Many towns organize parades or other events for Veterans Day. Here is some information you should know:

• Vetfriends provides parade locations listed by state. For more information, contact your local VA and inquire about local events.  If all else fails, look at your community's event calendar, or simply ask on Facebook—someone is bound to know!
• Wave the red, white and blue. If you're displaying the flag outside, make sure it's done right—on a pole. The blue field (or “union”) belongs at the top, near the staff.
• Do not wear the flag as part of a costume. Military personnel, police, firefighters and military organizations may wear the flag on their uniform.
• If you are wearing a flag lapel pin, it should be worn on the left, near the heart.

Don't forget that some restaurants and businesses in your town may offer freebies or other discounts to vets on Veterans Day—be sure to frequent these businesses to show your support, and if you run into a veteran on November 11th—or any other day—take a moment to thank him or her for their service.

As the holidays approach, it's natural to take a look at your spending and wonder how you can improve your financial picture.

There are a number of blogs out there that can help, but rather than spending time looking for articles on more ways to prepare ramen noodles, here are five personal finance blogs that provide… (here it comes)… a “wealth” of information.

Take a little time and check them out—particularly the comments. Not only might you find helpful information in the comments, but you can discover if the other readers are similar to you and are benefiting from the advice.

1. Money Crashers strives to educate individuals in making wise financial decisions. Their sensible advice covers a range of topics from negotiating your salary to setting up trust funds.
2. Wise Bread promotes “living large on a small budget.” This site has expert advice on choosing credit cards, ways to save money on prescriptions, how to calculate your retirement costs and more.
3. Get Rich Slowly has been around since 2006, and has articles about investing, frugal tips, book reviews, and news on personal finance tools.
4. Consumerism Commentary covers all aspects of personal finance and has many reviews of financial products.
5. Mr. Money Mustache is a 30-something retiree who writes about how we can all live a frugal, yet rewarding life. Rather than offering dry, stodgy financial information, Mr. MM writes about his personal experiences, observations, and opinions, mainly concerning the joys of living frugally and simply.

All of these sites are written in easy-to-understand terms, and do offer very useful advice. So if you're thinking of planning retirement, saving for a vacation after the holidays, or are just tired of ramen noodles, you're bound to find some guidance in these blogs.

Scary or cute? Funny or sexy? Classic or current? Trying to find that perfect Halloween costume can be an agonizing shopping trip, particularly when you're looking for just the right thing in the right size and at the right price.

Here are some of the trending costumes the kids will be wearing during Halloween 2015:

• Superheroes. The newest movies in the Avengers and Fantastic Four franchises came out this year, as well as Ant-Man, so we're bound to see lots of miniature superheroes asking for candy this Halloween.
• Animated characters. Disney princess costumes will always be sought after, but other cartoons inspire costumes as well. Kids will want to dress up as their favorite characters from such shows as Paw Patrol, Doc McStuffins, and the movies Inside Out and Minions.
• Movie characters. Halloween is all about getting to be someone else, and movies provide lots of new personalities to try out. The past year has had a great assortment of characters you're bound to see out trick-or-treating. Look for characters from new movies like Descendants, as well as those continuing sagas like Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean.

And why should the kids get to have all the fun?  These days, adults want to get in on the action, too. What are they wearing, you ask?  Believe it or not, this year you can find adult versions of just about all of the same costumes—which are great options if you're looking for couples costumes. It should be a snap to find coordinating costumes like Shrek and Fiona or superhero duos.
 
Have a safe Halloween—and a fun one!

Once you've decided to tackle your weight loss program, how do you go about it? Do you look online for the most up-to-date fitness and nutrition information? Or do you watch hundreds of YouTube videos, looking for just the right workout routines?
 
A certified personal trainer can help you avoid spending all that time planning your work-out program—time you could be spending on actually working out! Here are some reasons why you need to use a personal trainer:

1. You'll have fewer injuries. Many injuries are caused by failure to warm up properly before exercising. A personal trainer can show you how to prevent muscle cramping and other injuries by stretching. (Hint: once you've learned this from your trainer, warm up prior to subsequent training sessions so you're not paying to have your trainer watch you warm up.) Trainers can also help you improve your technique, such as when to breathe and how to change up your exercising safely.
2. They'll keep you accountable. Do you find yourself making excuses why you don't have time to work out? Having a set appointment with your trainer could help you reach those fitness goals.
3. You'll get a fitness plan just for you. Everyone's goals, abilities, and health histories are different; a personal trainer takes all that information into account when formulating your fitness plan. A trainer also helps you step things up when you've accomplished your earlier goals, and helps motivate you when you reach plateaus.

If you feel like you could really need someone in your corner while you achieve your fitness goals, using a certified personal trainer is the way to go!

Be sure to check with your health professional before starting any new exercise program.

All around the great wide world,
Columbus sailed the ocean
To prove the world was big and round--
That's real devotion!
(--Sung to the tune of “Pop Goes the Weasel”, by unknown author)

For many people, commemorating the US holiday Columbus Day is a way of both honoring Christopher Columbus' achievements and celebrating Italian-American heritage. The facts surrounding Columbus' discovery of the New World over 500 years ago still spark controversy.
 
Even one of the basic ideas that most of us learned in school—that Columbus wanted to prove that the world was not flat — is not true. Most educated Europeans did understand that the world was round; however they were unaware of the existence of the Pacific Ocean, believing instead that the Atlantic was the only ocean between Europe and the East Indies.
 
Here are a few bits of trivia about Columbus and Columbus Day:

• Records show that despite being sponsored by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Columbus received no payment until 1493.
• Columbus was the captain of the Santa Maria. The captains of the Pinta and the Nina were the Pinzon Brothers. The youngest, Vicente Yáñez Pinzón, is considered by historians to have been the first to discover Brazil.
• Columbus Day is celebrated in Latin American countries as The Day of the Race (El Dia de la Raza), honoring the many different peoples of Latin America.

For more information, you can visit the History Channel and see what you can ‘discover.’