Stepfanie Romine is a writer, recipe developer, published author and certified yoga teacher who has lived--and cooked--on three continents. She currently calls Asheville, North Carolina home. 
Read More of 's Blogs:
Weekly Healthy Links: What We're Reading
Michelle Obama to Grocery Manufacturers: Let's Move
3 Steps to a Healthier Body Image
Study: Do we have a taste for fat?
Posted 3/21/2010 11:55:22 AM By: : 45 comments 26,090 views
The Secrets of Success: Follow the 80/20 Rule
When you need help fixing your car, you go to a mechanic. When your sink clogs, you call a plumber. Why? Because they know what they're doing. You wouldn't trust your dog groomer to fix a leaky roof, and you wouldn't ask your yoga instructor to recaulk your bathroom. You trust your belongings to the experts, so shouldn't you do the same with your body? When it comes to losing weight safely and keeping it off for good, SparkPeople members know what they're doing. That's why we asked our top members to tell us what they did to change their lives forever. Grateful for the support they found at SparkPeople, they eagerly spilled the beans. Now we're sharing their best tips with you. We published all 27 secrets of success in The Spark, but we're leaking 15 of them to you.
Secret #15: Follow the 80/20 rule.
Posted 3/15/2010 6:00:00 AM By: : 101 comments 38,484 views
The Secrets of Success: Stop Dieting
SparkPeople doesn't endorse "diets." We don't sell pills, and we don't have a gimmick. What we have are success stories, committed members and proven results. Last year, we reached out to the members who have lost weight (more than 100 pounds in some cases) and kept it off. We shared their 27 Secrets of Success exclusively in our best-selling book, The Spark, but then we realized that some secrets--including these--are too good to keep to yourself.
We're spilling the beans.
Secret #13: Stop dieting.
Posted 3/13/2010 6:00:00 AM By: : 76 comments 25,174 views
The Secrets of Success: Get Cooking
There's no secret recipe when it comes to weight loss, no magic ingredient that will make the pounds melt away. Still, there are tips and tricks that help ease the process--and change lives forever. The weight-loss experts at SparkPeople (members who have reached their goals) told us how they did it, and now we're telling you. Until now, the 27 Secrets of Success could only be found in our best-selling book, The Spark. We're sharing 15 of those secrets here.
Secret #11: Get cooking.
Posted 3/11/2010 6:00:00 AM By: : 135 comments 51,480 views
The Secrets of Success: Make A Plan
Life is what happens when you're making other plans, as they say. Whether your life follows a straight and narrow path or one that meanders, there will be bumps, detours, and traffic jams along the way. That doesn't mean that you should stop--and you can't turn back. The same goes for weight loss. For it to last and become a part of your life forever, it isn't always easy--but it can be done. That's what we've learned from our most successful members, whose weight-loss successes are detailed in The Spark. We're sharing 15 of those 27 Secrets of Success here on the dailySpark.
Secret #9: Make a plan.
Posted 3/9/2010 6:00:00 AM By: : 84 comments 47,685 views
The Secrets of Success: Start Small to Achieve Big Results
Every journey begins with a single step--even your journey to a healthier you. We know that losing weight and improving your health isn't something that happens overnight but rather gradually, as small steps add up to something bigger. That tip is just one bit of advice we learned from our top members, the ones who lost weight and stuck with it. Until now, their sage advice has not been shared on the dailySpark and was found only in our best-selling book, The Spark. These strategies are so effective that we wanted to shout them from the rooftops, so we decided to share our 15 favorite Secrets of Success on the dailySpark from March 1-15.
Secret #7: Start small to achieve big results.
Posted 3/7/2010 6:00:00 AM By: : 91 comments 39,135 views
The Secrets of Success: Eat Your Fruits and Veggies
While there are no magic pills or quick fixes when it comes to weight loss, there are plenty of tips and tricks that can help you commit to a healthy lifestyle. SparkPeople members know what works, so we reached out to our most successful members--those who reached their goal weight or lost more than 100 pounds using our program. We discovered 27 "secrets" of success, which we shared in The Spark. Now we're sharing them with you.
Secret #5: Eat more fruits and veggies.
Posted 3/5/2010 6:00:00 AM By: : 126 comments 58,791 views
The Secrets of Success: Be A “Goal-Getter”
When we were researching and writing our best-selling book, The Spark we discovered 27 secrets of success that thousands of successful SparkPeople members have used to reach their goals, lose weight and keep it off. Some secrets--including these--are too good to keep to yourself.
We're sharing our 15 favorite secrets of success on the dailySpark from March 1-15.
Secret #3 Be a “goal-getter.”
Posted 3/3/2010 6:00:00 AM By: : 56 comments 39,598 views
The Secrets of Success: Know How Much You're Eating
Today we're launching a special 15-day series called "The Secrets of Success." When we were researching and writing our best-selling book, The Spark, we discovered 27 secrets of success that thousands of successful SparkPeople members have used to reach their goals, lose weight and keep it off. Some secrets--including these--are too good to keep to yourself.
We're sharing our 15 favorite secrets of success on the dailySpark and in our daily Best of SparkPeople emails from March 1-15.
Secret #1 Know how much you’re eating.
Posted 3/1/2010 6:09:10 AM By: : 146 comments 82,402 views
Win 1 of 5 Mrs. Dash Prize Packs
Finding food that's high in flavor and low in salt can be challenging. A few months ago, I shared my salt-free secret weapons--and you shared your own.
Soon after, the folks at Mrs. Dash reached out. As purveyors of salt-free seasonings, they know a thing or two about flavor. I asked them if they would be willing to give away some of their 15 flavors of their salt- and MSG-free seasonings to a lucky reader.
They are giving 5 bottles of seasonings to 5 readers. And they've shared 10 tips for reducing sodium intake:
Posted 2/26/2010 2:46:21 PM By: : 133 comments 27,144 views
Our Exclusive Interview with 4-Time Olympic Speed Skater Jennifer Rodriguez
Jennifer Rodriguez might not have taken home any medals at this year's Winter Games, but she is still quite a decorated speed skater with a diverse history. Rodriguez, 33, began her career as an artistic roller skater, then switched to inline speed skating, becoming world champion in 1993 (at age 17!). In 1996, she headed to the ice, participating in the 1998, 2002, 2006 and now the 2010 Olympics. She brought home a pair of bronze medals in 2002 in the 1,000 and 1,500 meter speed skating events.
Stepfanie: You came back from retirement. How does it feel to be competing in your fourth Olympics?
Jennifer: I'm the oldest person on the team now; I was the youngest person (back in 1996). The difference is experience. I'm actually listening to myself, listening to my body, whereas before I was soo stubborn and I overtrained and burned out--and that's why I quit in the first place. 
This time around, I'm having fun with skating. I'm coming back because I really want to be here. It's a challenge, I want to see what I can do.
I am trying to enjoy myself outside of the training field, trying to mingle a little bit, get out a little more, whereas before I was super closed and didn't let myself have any fun.
Before I would never skip out on a workout, but now if I'm exhausted, I give myself the morning off. That way I have more to give for my more important workouts.
Posted 2/25/2010 6:04:27 AM By: : 39 comments 20,275 views
Exclusive: Olympic Curler Nicole Joranstaad Talks to the dailySpark
Nicole Joranstaad has been curling since she was a teenager, but this marks her first Olympics. This 29-year-old Madison, Wisconsin, resident is committed to healthy eating and goal setting to help her achieve her Olympic dreams. Though they're out of the running for a medal, they're still playing and giving each match their all!
Stepfanie: What is your favorite go-to meal?
Nicole: Turkey enchiladas! I use ground turkey, enchilada sauce and then whole-grain tortillas, with low-fat Cheddar cheese. That's pretty much one of my favorite things to cook.
Posted 2/24/2010 10:50:07 AM By: : 71 comments 13,714 views
An Exclusive Interview with Olympic Alpine Skier Julia Mancuso
Remember last year when I got a sneak peek at the Vancouver Olympics venues and met some amazing athletes? Well, for the last week or so, I've had my eye on some of those athletes. I wanted to bring you some of the interviews I did with them--and update you on their successes. Starting today, you can read their stories!
Julia Mancuso is now the most accomplished American skier in Olympic history, thanks to her gold in Torino in the giant slalom and a pair of silvers in Vancouver (downhill and combined). She chatted with me in between training sessions. Earlier in the day, she also demonstrated some of her off-the-slopes training moves--including standing on a stability ball!
Stepfanie: You're very into giving back. Could you tell me why you think that's important?
Julia: I just feel really fortunate for all that I've been given, and to be getting paid to do what I do--the most fun thing in my life. I feel like it's really important to share the wealth and spread the love to people who need it and causes I believe in, like climate change.
Posted 2/22/2010 5:17:18 PM By: : 38 comments 16,930 views
Weekly Links: What We're Reading
Debunking the Agave Myth
Gear Review: Gaiam All-Grip Yoga Brick
Carnie Wilson: Holding on for One More Day
Banana Apricot Spelt Oatmeal Cookies
Posted 2/20/2010 6:14:54 PM By: : 28 comments 14,652 views
Make Your Own Yogurt--It's Easy
When I was younger, my favorite author was Laura Ingalls Wilder, and of her books, Farmer Boy, was the one I reread most often.
Recounting the childhood of her husband, Almanzo Wilder, on an upstate New York farm, Farmer Boy is full of details about cooking from scratch and feeding a family. Together with the Little House cookbook, this book fueled my daydreams of cooking from scratch and being a pioneer girl. Fast forward 20 years, and some of those daydreams are a reality. I cook almost everything we eat from scratch, from spaghetti sauce and soup to granola and yogurt.
Yes, yogurt. While Almanzo and Laura milked cows, I buy mine from the supermarket--a local brand that makes milk the old-fashioned way.
A few months back, I started thinking about ways to cut out even more processed foods and saving money on our food bills. We're keen on granola, berries and Greek yogurt as a snack or breakfast. I already make my own granola, and I picked berries last summer and froze them. The only place to scrimp was the yogurt. We eat Greek yogurt, but it's really pricey--sometimes up to $5 or $6 a quart for the organic brand I like. I knew I had to find a cheaper alternative. When my boyfriend's mom gave us her slow cooker, I found my answer.
Posted 2/19/2010 2:00:00 PM By: : 250 comments 73,640 views
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