Surefire recipes for healthy eating @yourlibrary

It’s been a month since your new year’s resolution was made. Have you been successful so far? If healthy eating was a goal and you now need more ideas, then the Muskoka Lakes Library is a great place to explore.

South Beach diet fans will appreciate The South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook: 200 Delicious Recipes Ready in 30 Minutes or Less.

Suzanne Somers has a number of books on the shelves of the library including Suzanne Somers’ Fast and Easy: Lose Weight the Somersize Way with Quick, Delicious Meals for the Entire Family! Both the South Beach and Somersize methods promote a diet higher in proteins and real fats, and lower in sugar and carbohydrates.

Another low-carbohydrate diet method is outlined in Robert Atkins’ series of books. Marilu Henner, Rose Reisman, Susan Powter, Jenny Craig, Jack Nicholson, Oprah and Chef Paul Prudhomme, among others, have all weighed in on diet cookery with their own books.

Jean Paré’s Company’s Coming series also offers low-fat cooking options, as does the Campbell’s soup company in its Low Fat Cooking book.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation expanded its Bonnie Stern repertoire of cookbooks with HeartSmart Chinese Cooking by Stephen Wong. Anne Lindsay’s series of cookbooks is another excellent resource for planning and cooking healthy family meals. Dr. Dean Ornish’s Program for Reversing Heart Disease claims that his is “the only system scientifically proven to reverse heart disease without drugs or surgery,” and may be just the diet method for you.

Along with healthy eating, increased activity is needed for a healthier lifestyle. Besides the exercise resources outlined in a previous column this month, the Muskoka Lakes Library also has books, videos and electronic resources on various winter sporting activities including curling, hockey, skating, skiing and snowboarding.

An excellent opportunity to increase your winter activity level is presented to everyone this weekend when Port Carling celebrates its 40th Winterfest.