Remember how I bugged you about voting for the wonderful Gretchen Holt Witt in L’Oreal’s Women of Worth contest? The prize: $25,000 to her foundation, Cookies for Kids’ Cancer. Well, Christmas came early last Thursday night in New York City when it was announced that Gretchen won!

“It was an evening filled with many special moments and quite a few tears,” Gretchen says. “The only thing that would have made it better would have been having Liam there. He never met a party he didn't love and would have been completely in his element introducing himself to everyone who attended and hearing everyone's story.”

Even if you missed out on voting, there are still ways to help: Order cookies, the Best Bake Sale Cookbook, a Good Cookie spatula, or make a new year’s resolution to hold a bake sale in your community in 2012. The bottom line: Find a cause—any cause—that ignites your passion. And refuse to shut up about it. I’m not going to stop talking about Cookies for Kids’ Cancer until we’re all in a sugar-spiked haze. Until there’s a cure. Do it for the Gretchens and Liams in your life.

“Everyone who voted is officially a Good Cookie and part of the solution of impacting change. And I am so grateful and humbled by the support,” Gretchen says. “Together we are doing what Liam would want us to do—make it better for others.”

How are you doing with our November Healthy Habit of being more portion aware?  We're collecting lots of great tips from our Cooking Light community on how they keep portions in check, which will be featured in the upcoming Healthy Habits book. We also tapped several leading nutrition experts to tell us their thoughts about managing portions. Here's a sneak peek at what a few of them had to say...

Jill Castle, MS, RD, pediatric nutritionist and blogger, Just the Right Byte

"When eating out, be aware of words that warn of portion distortion -- value meal, combo, ultimate, tub, supreme, biggie, deluxe and super size.  It may be tempting to think more is better, but in this case, more is calories."

New York University's Lisa Young, PhD, RD, author of The Portion Teller Plan and one  of the country's leading experts on portion control

"People eat in units -- one bagel, one muffin, one soda or one steak -- and they don't really pay attention to how big that unit is. Just because you're eating one of something, it doesn't mean that's the appropriate amount of food you should be eating."

Michelle May, MD, mindful eating expert, blogger and author of Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat

"Once you have the amount of food you think you'll need, physically divide it in half on your plate to remind yourself to stop half way and check in again. This little 'speed bump' will slow you down so you can reconnect with your hunger and fullness level."

Marsha Hudnall, MS, RD, blogger, A Weight Lifted

"Think of portion sizes as a place to start.  It builds in an automatic stopping place that gives you the opportunity to think if you really want more.  Then pay attention to your internal hunger cues.  If you decide you want more, that's fine to have a second helping. But you're making a conscious decision rather than just eating all that's on your plate.

Manuel Villacorta, MS, RD, blogger, Eating Free

"Popular diets tend to demonize certain foods like potatoes, pasta, cheese and even fruit, yet the reality is no food is fattening unless you over consume it.  Food is not the problem, your portions are.  I think it's important to eat with pleasure and without guilt. Just keep sight of how much you're eating."

I especially liked Manuel's message that no food is fattening unless you over consume it.  It really all comes down to portions.  You can enjoy all foods as long as you're not over-doing it.  One way to keep tabs on your portions is to write down what you eat, at least for a few days.  It can be a real eye-opener.  Many of our readers said they rely on mobile apps to help do the tracking.  What about you?  Have you found some tricks to help you manage your portions?  Let us know what works for you!

Kristen did such a great job in her first week of portion awareness, I'm not even sure where to start. I think what's most exciting to me is the number of challenges that our newly-engaged road warrior is facing; the number of times she feels like she can't be in control of what she's eating and how she's turning that around. 

Here are Kristen's challenges, solved:

After-work Bonding Over Drinks: Oooh this is one of those places where road warriors get tripped up easily. Sure, you want to bond with your coworkers when you're traveling, and what better way than happy hour (on the company credit card)? The first time her team insisted on this kind of bonding, she went, and opted for chicken skewers and portabella mushrooms. The second time, she told the team she was going to skip it and head out for sushi. And you know what? They all went with her.

The Corporate Vending Machine of Hell: Who stocks the corporate vending machine with sodas, chips and cookies? It seems nice, but it isn't! Instead of falling prey to mid-afternoon hunger cured with some salty, sugary, fatty and ultimately unsatisfying treat, Kristen brought her own. She called the hotel where she was staying, asked for a mini fridge, and shopped in a local Target's grocery area as soon as she landed. She packed herself big bags of her favorite veggies and didn't heed the siren call of that vending machine.

Steakhouse Dinner?: This is not for the weak of will. Kristen took herself to Ruths' Chris (just thinking about this makes my mouth water). Instead of grabbing a rich steak, she opted for the happy hour special, and ordered Seared Ahi Tuna, and Tenderloin Skewers on a Bed of Mixed Greens. For $12 ($6 ea.) she satisfied her surf-and-turf craving with very reasonable portions.

The 'Eat-Anything-He-Wants' Fiance: We love our men, but a skinny hubby really puts love to the test. But Scott, Kristen's incredibly supportive fiance, did a little kitchen reorg before she returned home this week: he put all of his favorite junk foods in a cabinet that she can't see. Therefore, she's not going to "stumble upon" his junk food and be tempted any more; she'll need to really seek it out.

The 'Have-A-Cookie' Colleague: Ugh. Do you have one of these? Kristen does. The 'I-have-a-present-for-you' colleague, and that present is always caloric. Yes, the colleague knows that Kristen is trying to watch it, but a big (and I mean big) cookie is nobody's friend. So what did Kristen do? She said no thank you and took out a picture of her wedding dress. Nothing motivates like that photo.

Chinese Food At Home: When Kristen returns home from her travels every week, they go out for Chinese. Now Kristen isn't ready to face the portion challenges at a Chinese restaurant, so instead, Scott cooked Chinese at home. He made vegetables and coated chicken breasts with bottled teriyaki sauce. Their Chinese craving was tamed.

And the result? Kristen has lost 5 pounds and her engagement ring is fitting on her middle finger. Her shorts are looser, and she's working out 4 to 5 times per week. She's seeing the results of portion awarenesss: both in quality and quantity.

This week, she's experimenting with vegetables that she hasn't tried before. She plans to make:

- Butternut Squash Soup
- Brussels Sprouts
- Crunchy Green Beans
- Healthy Stuffing Recipe

Sounds like someone is getting ready for a delicious Thanksgiving, doesn't it?

Thank you for your motivating comments last week. Please keep them coming!

Allison

Some people just have that extra special something—a sparkle, a light, a ripple of good energy—that instantly draws you in and makes you want to share a pot of coffee and a plate of yummy cookies, lingering until only crumbs and dregs remain. Gretchen Holt Witt is one of those people for me. I’ve worked with her in a professional capacity during my ten years at Cooking Light, but my interest became personal when her son Liam was diagnosed with neuroblastoma (learn more about it via the National Institutes of Health) in 2007. Gretchen and her husband, Larry, soon started a blog to document Liam’s battle, the good, bad, and ugly ups and downs.

We all seem to (unfortunately) know that panicky, sad feeling of wanting to help someone in such desperate need, but it’s easy to feel helpless when you’re time zones away and fighting such a nebulous enemy about which little is known. We write checks or add it to our growing prayer lists. And these things are good and helpful, but Gretchen knew it would take more: a call to action and more attention for this cruel—and unfortunately common—killer. And thus Cookies for Kids’ Cancer was born.

“I wanted to come up with something that was so easy anybody could do it anywhere—something so innocent and warm and friendly and inviting that people couldn’t turn away,” Gretchen says. Her efforts have been successful in raising buckets of funds for research and to find less toxic and more effective treatments. Most of it has been done through bake sales held nationwide--a lot of small efforts adding up to big results. “The awful twist is that we started this when Liam was cancer-free, and then we lost him,” Gretchen says. “So as much as I would like to curl up in a ball and cry, I have to do it for him.”

And it’s amazing what can be done—even without going too far out of your way or your comfort zone. Our staff held a fall bake sale on a busy football weekend and raised $1,200. Those who could bake did so beautifully, and those who could not (ahem…me) worked on logistics. Another impromptu charity drive last week added an easy $800 to the pot. The point is, there is something you can do, no matter how busy or stretched thin you feel at this time of year. If not a bake sale in your community (visit CKFC’s site to see how easy it is), then start with one or more of the methods below. Let’s share the love with Gretchen. And Liam. And the countless good cookies out there.

1. VOTE. This one’s super easy. Let’s help Gretchen win L’Oreal’s Women of Worth contest. In addition to recognizing this worthy woman, it’ll earn Cookies for Kids’ Cancer another $25,000 to help fund new treatments. Just enter your e-mail address here (they promise no spam or solicitations) to cast your vote.

2. GIFT. Stuff your stocking with love: The OXO Be a Good Cookie Spatula is just $7 and benefits CFKC. Check out Gretchen sporting one above. Find them on Amazon or at select Bed Bath & Beyond stores. Bonus points for pairing it with CFKC’s Best Bake Sale Cookbook, which is just $11 at Amazon.com.
 
3. EAT. Order a batch of cookies from CFKC, which are beautifully packaged and shipped fresh to your (or your gift recipient’s) door. In nine flavors (Liam’s Lemon Sugar gets my vote).
 
4. CLICK. Glad is partnering with CFKC to match donations up to $100,000 during November and December. To start, they’re donating $0.10 for every virtual cookie sent through Facebook. Visit facebook.com/glad to find out more.

Rob and Jenny just astound me. When we started working together, they couldn't find much they liked about fish. Their highest compliment for any fish dish they've had, ever, was "not bad". There were lots of complaints about the texture, the flavor and the general fish fun.

And today, just fifteen days later; they've tried ten (count 'em, TEN) new fish, and added them to their repertoire. Here's a list of the fish and how they did it:

Tilapia: Anyone for tacos? Jenny tried this recipe, and her family got a chance to try the fish. Jenny and Rob were shocked by how well their children took to fish. No drama, no push back. Since they had leftovers, they tried tilapia again, with pasta and with a salad. They found they liked it more every time.

Anchovies: Pretty aggressive fish to start with, right? Not so for Jenny and Rob. They used a little bit of anchovy paste in their Caesar Salad dressing, and agreed it was the best Caesar dressing they'd ever made.

Tuna: Jenny wanted to try tuna noodle casserole with her kids, as it's a classic, economical dish. Jenny sent me a note that said:

    "Oh my. It was delicious. Miriam said it was the best lunch she’s ever had! It was satisfyingly filling, but the Cooking Light version didn’t feel too heavy. Even Gus enjoyed it and I went back for seconds. And there’s plenty left over for lunch tomorrow!"

Take a look at these photos:

Red Snapper, Calamari, Shrimp, Scallops: For date night, Rob and Jenny went to a local restaurant that always serves good food. There was a "seafood special" on the menu that night, including all of the fish mentioned above. Rob suggested they go for it, since it's always a good idea to try well prepared fish made by someone else as well as cooking it yourself. They sent me a photo of a clean plate; they loved it that much.

Crab: Rob was really on a tear this week, and one day he found himself in a sandwich shop that offered a crabcake sandwich. Why not? Well, here's what Rob had to say, "It had a lot of cheese, and was kind of greasy. It’s what you expect from a place like that." But Rob saw the light, "I didn’t like it as a sandwich, but I liked the crabcake." Good for you for trying, Rob!

Salmon: Rob found himself at a dinner meeting, and ordered the salmon. He said it was great, and is looking forward to making it at home this week. "I really like everything I’ve tried; I could be happy eating fish regularly. I really like the texture now. I like that I don’t have to take a knife and slice into it; it just falls apart on it’s own. There’s something that’s cool about that." I'm telling you, Rob sounds like a great guy to cook for; he's eager to try new things, and eager to come around to food that's good for you. He's the kind of eater that earnestly tries to like new things. You picked a good one here, Jenny.

Clams: Jenny made clam chowder this week, a childhood favorite of Rob's (OK, so there's one fish dish that made the cut prior to this month). Jenny was not crazy about it, but the problem wasn't the chowder; it was the clams. They used pre-chopped canned clams, and loved the flavor, but found the texture inconsistent with the rest of the chowder. Next time, they'd rather have bigger chunks of clams, and that's a simple fix. Next time, they'll opt for whole canned clams and chop them themselves.

Two weeks and ten new fish. Jenny and Rob, you're an inspiration!

The changes you’re making with our 12 Healthy Habits program are not just good for you – they’re good for your family.  Parents are powerful role models, and the new healthier habits you’re adopting are helping to instill these habits in your kids. But there are a few things you can learn from your kids, too.

Maryann Tomovich Jacobsen, a registered dietitian and nutrition blogger at Raise Healthy Eaters, is blogging about the 12HH and she offers this advice to help us tap into our inner child.  Here are 5 healthy habits that children can teach us -- if we let them:

1. Live an active life: Increasing our daily physical activity is so important. We need to do less sitting -- and be more active naturally.

How many times do you hear parents telling their children to sit down and sit still.  My two children, 2 and 4, skip, run and move everywhere we go.  Moving their bodies is a fun activity that is as natural as breathing.

Kid tip! Get up from your desk and walk around, take short walks at break time and keep moving throughout the day.  And if you can giggle while you're doing it, that's even better.

2. Listen to your tummy: I constantly hear parents insisting their young children take a few more bites of food.  In fact, 85% of parents say that they try to get their child to eat more at mealtime, according to a 2007 study published in Appetite.

No, no, no!  Kids are natural regulators of food intake.  They eat when hungry and stop when full with eating habits that seem erratic to us adults.  We need to protect this inborn ability in kids -- and, instead, ask ourselves if we are still hungry or have had enough.

Kid Tip! Feed yourself several times throughout the day (3 meals and 2 snacks) and listen to your tummy.  It'll let you know if you are done or even want to eat in the first place.

3. Enjoy every bite:  Ever watch a young child eat something that they love?  There's not an ounce of guilt -- just pure enjoyment. 

There's quite a bit of research that shows that guilt associated with eating -- thinking of food as good or bad -- causes people to eat more.

Kid Tip! Whatever you are eating, enjoy each bite and notice when you are satisfied.  Sitting at the kitchen table helps you focus on the food and eat more mindfully.

4. Fun takes precedence over food. Go to a party with kids present and your are bound to find parents chasing little ones around with a plate of food. 

I love that kids are too excited by festive surroundings to eat.  Adults can do the same thing by creating an exciting life. 

Kid Tip! Got a lifelong dream?  Start a project, take a class or simply pursue a forgotten passion and let food take second stage.

5. Become a picky eater: The other day my 4 year old, who loves sweets as much as the next kid, brought me a cupcake after taking one bite.  She said it wasn't that good.

While picky eating isn't always fun for parents, it's beneficial when kids are choosy about the not-so-healthy foods -- especially sweets.  

Kid Tip!  When it comes to foods without much nutritional value, be ultra picky.  Fit in (and enjoy) your absolute favorites and leave out the rest.

No doubt, kids have a lot to learn about healthy eating. But we forget that some of the most basic healthy habits are innate -- and little ones are great reminders of that.

So tell me, what healthy habits have you learned from your kids?

How are you doing with this month's Healthy Habit to eat seafood twice a week?   Looking at how folks responded to our question on Facebook, most people are falling short of this goal.  Only  32% are eating fish or seafood two times a week.

I tapped registered dietitian and blogger Jill Castle of Just the Right Byte to talk about her fish story.  

Everyone has a fish story.  Mostly, when I hear families talk about their fish story, I hear about struggles with finding a fish their child will eat, rejections they have experienced as a result of offering fish, or their own dislike of fish.

Even I have a fish story, flush with my own struggles: a shellfish allergic husband, a “meat and potatoes” mid-western upbringing, and a tribe of four young, impressionable children.

But that didn’t stop me from plugging ahead with a strategy to make fish a family favorite.

And you know what? I’ve succeeded.  I have four children who enjoy, even love, eating fish. A big part of this success was introducing fish early and including it on the menu regularly.  Another key to my success: patience.

I believe it’s never too late to introduce fish to your family. And even if you have your own seemingly insurmountable obstacles, go ahead and give it another try—you may reel in some willing eaters!

Jill offered these tips to “lure” your kids (and you) into a fish eating healthy habit:

Play the Name Game. Providing fun and familiar names for fish can ease a child’s natural skepticism.  Use "fishy" terms of endearment, such as pink fish (salmon), shrimpy shrimp (shrimp), looney-tuny (tuna), and white fish (cod). Be open and honest with the real name if asked—you don’t want your child to feel that something fishy is afoot.

Serve it with style. Kids are swayed by the appearance of food, and this alone can determine whether a child will try fish or not. Boost the eye-appeal and get creative with your presentation: fish skewered on sticks, sautéed on a bed of pasta, grilled, baked in a boat or crisped in the oven. Kids also like the “make your own approach.”

‘Tis the Season! Most kids I know like flavor, but many parents go for bland out of fear of food rejection. From basic sea salt to more complex spices or sauces, kids like food that tastes good. If your child shies away from combined or “dressed” foods, provide sauces or seasonings on the side for dipping.

Tailor the Flavor. Whether crunchy, cheesy, lightly browned, or mildly spiced, children have their taste-bud preferences. By making your own fish entrées, you can tailor the flavor to your family’s ‘buds and keep the odds in favor of fish favorites.

Keep your poker face, and smile on the inside. When introducing fish to children, it’s best to keep a neutral attitude.  Leave your emotions in the kitchen and remember introducing fish is an adventure! If you’re tempted to cheer or clap when your child takes a bite, or show disappointment when it doesn’t work out, know that this may ultimately influence how your child feels about fish.

So what’s your fish story? Share your successes with our seafood challenge, and let us know about your family-friendly fish recipes. 

It takes time to change a habit.  Commit to 30 days.  You can do almost anything if you give it 30 days.  

But adopting a new habit doesn't just meaning learning a new behavior; it typically means subtracting an old habit. What habits do you need to replace? And think about what's standing in your way. What are your habit hurdles?

For each of the 12 Healthy Habits we want to know about your specific challenges. What's making it tough for you meet each goal?  

We appreciate all of you answering our habit-related questions on Facebook.  We want to shape the 12HH book in ways that will help you with those hurdles.

Here's just a sampling of what we're discovering:

Get Moving Challenge- 

#1 thing that would help people exercise more:  Friends to do it with.

Some people also talked about the lack of time and motivation, while others said they needed more support from family and friends to exercise 3 times a week :  "Understanding from family and friends that my ME time is just that!"

Whole Grains Challenge-

#1 reason why people have a hard time getting enough whole grains: They're confused about what counts as a whole grain; can't tell what they're buying.

Get Cooking Challenge-

#1 reason why people don't cook more at home:  They need more ideas for quick, easy meals.  Well, we will definitely have that covered!

So join the conversation. If you have a story to tell, email me at healthyhabits.janethelm@gmail.com. What have you done to change your habits?  Are you having some success?  Let us know how you're overcoming your habit hurdles. 

(photo courtesy of beenbair on flickr)

With our 12HH, we’re focusing on one healthy habit at a time.  But when you string together all 12 of our healthy habits - it truly has the potential to change your life. (Keep in mind, however, that there are other habits that can work against your good intentions. It’s also vital not to smoke, to get adequate sleep each night, and to find ways to manage stress.)

Have you been following the 12HH?  Do you want to tell us about your struggles and triumphs?  Did you feel like you’ve really nailed one of our challenges?  Send me an email at healthyhabits.janethelm@gmail.com.  We want to tell your stories in the book!

Habits are all about behaviors that become automatic in our lives.  It doesn’t happen overnight.  So give it 30 days.  You can do a lot to change your life in 30 days.  I previously wrote about some ways that you can make new habits stick.  Here are some additional tips to help you adopt healthier habits:

Change your environment. Make sure your fridge and pantry help support your healthy habits. Get rid of tempting foods, snacks, and drinks that trigger regretted behavior. Keep fresh fruit in bowls on the counter, and wash and cut fresh veggies ahead of time and keep at eye-level in the fridge for easy snacking. Make the healthy choice the convenient choice.

See for yourself. Create your action plan and visualize yourself carrying it out. Researchers have found that visualization techniques—or mentally rehearsing buying, preparing, and eating healthy food—helps people actually change their eating habits.

Get inspired. Find someone who succeeded in making the positive changes you want to mirror. Use these successful role models to keep you motivated.

Celebrate victories. Pat yourself on the back for making some new, positive changes—no matter how small. When you begin to succeed, you gain self-confidence, which leads to greater success. As behavioral experts say, “nothing succeeds like success.”

Give it time. Don’t get impatient. It takes time to establish a new habit. One recent study found that it takes an average of 66 days before a new habit becomes automatic. So commit to 30 days, then the next month will be much easier to sustain.

What has helped you stay on track?  Tell us the ways you are successfully changing your life. 

(photo courtesy of michalfabik on flickr)

Each month Cooking Light magazine features tips, tricks, real-life stories and scrumptious recipes to help implement a different healthy habit.  But I hope you're not stopping there.  The 12 Healthy Habits project is multi-platform (and eventually it will be a book).  So join the conversation here on The Twelve or on Facebook --  find out how other people are successfully making changes or tell us what's working for you.

Social media can be a powerful tool to help you adopt healthier habits.  In fact, social networking sites and smartphones have transformed the health communications landscape over the last few years, according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project.  People are going online and listening to each other and learning from one another—a phenomenon dubbed "peer-to-peer healthcare."  Pew Internet research shows that 80% of Americans go online for health information—and people are even more motivated to consume and share information online if they're living with a chronic condition, such as high blood pressure, diabetes or heart problems.  

There are loads of ways social media can help with your healthy habits:

• -Gain support and inspiration. Healthy living can be a shared experience and online communities can be a powerful motivator.  No matter where you live, you can jump online to connect with others who want to make similar changes or have the same challenges as you.  Let us know how you've been doing with 12HH and share your successes with others. 

• -Stick to goals.  Joining forces with other people can help you be more accountable.  If you want to make changes, share it with your friends on Facebook.  Tweet about it (tag it #healthyhabits). Or blog about your journey. They're all great ways to get feedback, support and encouragement.

• -Track your progress. You'll find so many different tools that can help you monitor your daily successes—including social networking sites and iPhone apps to calculate your calories, evaluate the quality of your food choices or track your activity.  Self-monitoring has been shown to make a huge difference. When you see yourself making changes, enjoying small victories, it motivates you to do more.

So let us know how you've been doing with the 12HH.  Did you find a meatless meal that you really loved? What has helped you eat more whole grains?  Did you create a new breakfast routine? How did you find a way to be more active?  Share your success.  Give us your secrets.  It will reinforce your progress and inspire someone else.  

Your story might even be in the book. 

(image courtesy of panuarzc on flickr)