Coming Soon: Freelance Friday Q&A + A Measure That Might Become the Next BMI
Then take 10 seconds to read a VIQ (very important quote) to kick off your week with ❤️.
Hi, What’s Good crew!
Welcome to the final week of March! The past 7 days have been packed with many bright spots, including perking up my walls with new art from Liz Lidgett Gallery, a fresh batch of delightfully different snickerdoodles, another memorable class with Cooking with Alessandra and a work week including capping off work with two new freelance clients and submitting several stories.
It’s also had a minor thorn (more on that below), but nothing some time, medicine and perspective can’t overcome.
Looking ahead, I’m adding another rose to our collective bouquet (well, I hope you think of it that way, too!). Due to the positive response when I pitched the idea on Instagram, I’m planning to launch “Freelance Fridays.” Inspired by my friend Chelsea’s “Microbakery Mondays,” I’ll field your high-level questions about all things writing, pitching, finding new clients, entrepreneurship, digital vs. print, new content I’ve published or other details you’re curious about. This will start with a question box and typed or video answers, and if the demand is there, I’d love to scale up and host occasional live Q&As.
What to Read…
Assessing someone’s well-being by their weight or body mass index (BMI) alone is about as trustworthy as my picks for March Madness. (I’ll let you in on a secret…I’m holding steady in second-to-last place in the family poll.🤷♀️) Yet the outdated measure of BMI is still the individual health assessment doctors track and rely on to try to determine if a patient qualifies for certain treatments. Why?
A small group of scientists are taking action and trying to come up with a better measure for well-being. I propose in this first piece that population-sized scales are almost always extremely off-base for individuals, who all come with their own unique set of genetics, current habits and social determinants of health.
You know what sounds way more fun and sustainable than hustling to fall into a certain BMI number or waist circumference? Focusing more on the actions that might actually affect important biometrics and disease risk factors, such as aiming for a well-balanced menu, incorporating some form of physical activity that feels good, prioritizing social connections and stress-relieving activities and setting yourself up for sleep success. Time and time again, these details—rather than a certain number—prove to be the features of truly vibrant and robust life.
Dive into more details about what might just become the new BMI (if we must have a measure), a new Ina Garten cake recipe that’s totally appropriate to eat for breakfast and more in this week’s new content:
EatingWell: Researchers Just Discovered a More Accurate Measure Than BMI—Here's Why They Say It's Better
EatingWell: This New Low-Carb Frozen Veggie Side Just Dropped at Trader Joe's—and We Want to Buy It ASAP
EatingWell: Chipotle Just Debuted Chicken Al Pastor—But Is It Healthy?
Better Homes & Gardens: Pistachio Dessert Recipes That Our Fans Are Nuts About
Better Homes & Gardens: Tasty Cabbage Recipes That Prove It’s Great For More Than Coleslaw
Better Homes & Gardens: Our Best Recipes With Chocolate Chips Include Cookies, Muffins, and More
Better Homes & Gardens: Easy Lemon Chicken Recipes to Perk Up Your Dinner Routine
Better Homes & Gardens: How to Use Baking Soda for Tenderizing Meat
DailyOM: 5 Ways to Reparent Your Inner Child and Heal From Old Wounds
Culinary Hill: My Easy Bridal Shower Menu Will Make Everyone Swoon
What’s Inspiring Me..
Between my fall on the ice on February 23 and an eyebrow wax gone wrong on March 23, it has certainly been an eventful and unexpected start to 2023. Besides being reminded of my resilience, the marvels of modern medicine and the incredible community of family and friends that shows up for me in good times and bad, I’ve been able to reflect on the impact of small doses of goodwill.
For example, to diffuse the stress and awkwardness while walking up to the pharmacy counter with an eye that looked more like a hot pink golf ball than a facial feature 🤣 — amidst what appeared to be a really hectic and stressful morning for the pharmacy tech — I joked: “I bet you can’t guess what I’m here for?” We shared a good laugh, I thanked him for his time and hard work, and we went on with our days. That exchange took less than 30 seconds, but I know it made my day brighter. I hope it made his a bit different, too.
In good times and even more so in bad, I find myself thinking back often to one unforgettable quote by Peter Pan author, J.M. Barry, “Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.”
In a very fitting turn of events, I scrolled past this quote today in my Instagram feed:
I’d love to hear about a moment in which someone’s small act of kindness brightened your day! Chime in below in the comments; I’d love to share the highlights in a future newsletter to keep the courteous streak going.