Category: Books and articles

Complexity Involved in Saving Our Seas

If you are going to start a movement, like I am with ZooFit, Eating Green, Experience Nature, and Conservation Fitness, it’s important to get as much information as possible on the topics you are passionate about. When I started reading “Cartoon Introduction to Climate Change”, I also had another book I had borrowed from the library about the fishing issue, called “A World Without Fish”. This book was overwhelmingly helpful in understanding the complexity  involved in saving our seas. Continue reading Complexity Involved in Saving Our Seas

Making Light of Climate Change

Whenever I discuss Conservation Fitness and turn the subject matter over to climate change, I often get feedback that I am too pessimistic and overshadow my program with doom and gloom. Frankly, climate change is a bit doom and gloom, but I understand people wanting a more light and positive approach to the problem. So when I came across a copy of “The Cartoon Introduction to Climate Change” at the library, I immediately thought it might be helpful. Continue reading Making Light of Climate Change

Positive Reinforcement for Punishing Situations

I’m reading an interesting book called Triggers: Creating Behaviors That Last, Becoming the Person You Want to Be by Marshall Goldsmith, and I just had the most interesting insight from reading the book. 

When discussing our most powerful triggers, they tend to be one of four specific types- Encouraging triggers (associated with what we want), discouraging triggers (what we don’t want), productive triggers (what we need), and counter-productive triggers (what we don’t need).   Continue reading Positive Reinforcement for Punishing Situations

The Game is Afoot!

The past few weeks I have been engrossed in books with similar theme as A Zookeeper’s Guide to Fitness. I finished Level Up Your Life by Steve Kamb last week, and I’ve started on a new fitness/diet book called The Game On! Diet by Krista Vernoff and Az Ferguson. Vernoff is the executive producer (or is it Executive Producer, I’m asking for a friend) for Grey’s Anatomy, so she has a strong writing background, but I’m not digging her approach with the book. It was a little difficult to adjust to her style, although I understand her process. The book is about really having fun with your fitness, and taking things up a notch by not just turning our fitness into a game, but making it a team-oriented, competitive game as well. Continue reading The Game is Afoot!

Willpower- Part 2

Willpower is having the ability to do what you need to do, regardless if you feel like it or not.  I concede, I falter on this virtue more often than I’d like to admit.  It’s not even things I don’t want to do or don’t feel like doing.  I’ll be super motivated to get something accomplished and the time comes for me to muster the willpower to finish, and I just collapse.   Continue reading Willpower- Part 2

100 Ways of EarthFit- Day 94: What If We Poached Eggs Instead of Rhinos?

I’m reading a great and helpful book to get me revved up to write my cookbook.  It’s called “The Joy of Writing a Great Cookbook” by Kimberly Yorio, who has been Jamie Oliver’s, Julia Child’s, and Emeril Lagasse’s publicist.  She has seen thousands of cookbook proposals, and her book has helped me hone my craft a little, while taking some of the incredibly valuable lessons I learned in my Social Media workshop with Tom Trimbath.  In a nutshell, I want to ask a poignant question to cooks, readers, food enthusiasts, and people who like to eat-  “What if we poached eggs instead of rhinos?” Continue reading 100 Ways of EarthFit- Day 94: What If We Poached Eggs Instead of Rhinos?

100 Ways of EarthFit- Day 85: WHY Animals Matter

The book “Animals Matter” was incredibly frustrating to read.  So when I came across another book, “Why Animals Matter” by Marian Stamp Dawkins, I was hesitant to say the least.  But by Chapter Two, which was entitled “Seduced by Words”, I had a much better opinion and feeling on the topic.   Continue reading 100 Ways of EarthFit- Day 85: WHY Animals Matter

100 Ways of EarthFit- Day 84: Animals Matter (but apparently only to Animal Rights Activists)

I have always considered myself someone who deeply cares for the well-being of animals.  Whether they are my food, my pets, or my job, I have always considered myself devoted to the humane and ethical treatment of the creatures with whom we share this earth.  But after reading “Animals Matter” by Marc Beckoff, I have discovered that my whole life has been a lie.  I obviously don’t care about animals, or how could I ever eat them, or products made by them.  As someone who respects animals, how can I ever deny even my pet who I cherish as my own child anything they desire?  And no person who serves to protect animals would ever think that any animal can ever have their needs met living at a zoological facility.   Continue reading 100 Ways of EarthFit- Day 84: Animals Matter (but apparently only to Animal Rights Activists)

100 Ways of EarthFit- Day 51: Animals Make Us Human

I just finished a remarkable book by a remarkable woman and really felt it was necessary to share.  I may have fallen in deep infatuation with Temple Grandin.  She truly is an amazing woman, and I admire all the work she has done to improve the welfare of not just livestock, but all animals in the care of humans.  I read “Animals In Translation” e few years ago, and I remember having a few “aha” moments, but not as strongly as when I finished reading “Animals Make Us Human”.  The experience and knowledge that Grandin holds and openly shares with the public is admirable.  But the degree of understanding that she incorporates in her narrative is truly eye-opening.animals.make.us.human.cover Continue reading 100 Ways of EarthFit- Day 51: Animals Make Us Human