Thoughts From Pilar Gerasimo

It makes me happy to see that a growing number of us have lost interest in dog pills slathered in peanut butter. We’re hungry, instead, for the unvarnished, nutritious truth.

It is strange, perhaps, to open an issue dedicated to helping readers get more done with a caveat about overdoing. But as a person prone to doing just that, I feel it is, um — the right thing to do.

There's something in the air as we head into this new year.

This is the season of celebration. So let us pause a moment to reflect on all we have to be happy about, and to appreciate all the wonderful gifts the past year has delivered.

I think it’s not often enough acknowledged that embracing healthy foods—and avoiding less healthy ones—isn’t necessarily a matter of white-knuckled willpower.

It wasn't until my early 30s that I decided to try running again. By this time, I had a lot more knowledge under my belt. I also had a secret weapon of sorts — a heart-rate monitor.

Ten years ago, I had this crazy idea: I wanted to create a healthy-living magazine with substance — one that would help change people’s lives and maybe even help change the world.

For better or worse, most of our moments are already spoken for. So what are we going to do with the remaining time we have to spend as we wish?

The concept of a Blue Issue came to us courtesy of Alexandra Cousteau (granddaughter of marine legend Jacques Cousteau), who was the cover subject of our “Get Into Nature” issue back in June 2009. She proposed the idea during the course of our photo shoot, and we were instantly sold.

The world of social media isn’t just another warehouse for information or den of networking diehards - it’s a portal for daily discovery.

I believe passionately in the power of people to change the world for the better. For us to do that, though, we need to develop our best gifts and give them with gusto.

Goods and experiences that generally cost less than $50 (in some cases, they're free), that are time-efficient, and that I can whole-heartedly recommend to almost anyone. 

Every time our attention is gobbled up by a six-pack-abs promise, it can feel like a little of our focus is siphoned away from the goals and priorities that matter more. 

Making big life changes may not be effortless, but with an empowered perspective and some decent advice, it’s eminently doable.

As the result of setting a clear intention and committing just a few hours a week to self-renewing activities, I’ve felt an amazing influx of inspiration and energy.

Some of the most effective ways to increase positivity include becoming more aware of human kindness, paying attention to the present moment, and rearranging your life around your strengths.

I would like to officially invite you to become part of our happy little online family.

While light-hearted amusements may not seem like a top priority right now, getting daily doses of fun, joy and comic relief may, in fact, be more important than ever.

Studies and statistics will always have a place in my heart, but when it comes to designing a life of optimal vitality for my own body, I’ll choose living proof over warmed-over statistics every single time.

In an era where calls for personal responsibility are becoming more popular, I would love to hear our President and elected officials call on Americans to lay off the burgers, sodas, fries, white bread and cheese dip and get out for a morning walk or evening yoga class.

My list of seven relatively simple things a person can do to lighten or offset some of his or her earthly burdens.