Maybe he's not so bad after all.....

Every time Michael J. Fox puts out a book, I can't bear to read it. As a kid, he was a household name. Who didn't want to be part of the Keaton family on Family Ties, or hang out with "Marty McFly" in the Back to the Future trilogy? Around the time Fox announced he had Parkinson's Disease my father's battle with the same disease was getting worse. That was in 1998. Thousands, probably millions of people know of Parkinson's Disease but no one was able to bring it to...let's say...Cancer's notorious fame, as Michael J. Fox. It was nice to see that finally someone was making public the importance of finding a cure for this awful sickness. Unfortunately, my father wasn't able to live long enough to see a cure and passed away in 2004. I've heard news reports stating we are single digit years away but realistically, who knows if we'll ever get a cure. This is why every time I hear of Fox, or especially watch him on TV, specifically talk shows, I cant' help but burst into tears. Every movement he makes, the way he talks, walks, sits, basically all his mannerisms remind me of something all too familiar. My sister has his Lucky Man and Always Looking Up bestsellers, but I just can't open them. Anyway, it was about 2 weeks ago I saw Fox on Live with Regis and Kelly promoting his new book. Although this episode was a repeat, it made me aware that he had a new book that came out, terrible, I know! 

Well, the other day I was walking around the book store, trying to find my next read and saw his latest, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to the Future. The book looked inviting, and playful, and I didn't feel that it was going to be all about Parkinson's Disease, since I knew that phrase haunted me.  I bought it, read it, and actually enjoyed reading it. It's kind of like a how to guide, for anyone still waiting to learn all of those life lessons we hear about. He does reference his disease, but he also name-drops Hunter! He's humorous, while still keeping with the theme of the book- live to learn. This really was a big breakthrough for me, opening this book. I guess I'm one day closer to opening the others. 

Can this work for us?

I must confess, I am a huge fan of The Oprah Winfrey Show. It sounds cheesy, but I love it! Getting to my point, about a year or so ago, one of her guests was Valerie Bertinelli. Her book, "Losing It- And Gaining My Life Back One Pound at a Time" had just come out, and was already on the New York Times Bestseller List, eventually achieving #1. I already knew Valerie from her early days on "One Day at a Time", and her roles in several Lifetime movies, which I really don't ever watch, but there was always commercials about them! I was also aware of who her legendary rocker ex-husband was, Eddie Van Halen, and was more than excited to read about her cliched lifestyle of "sex, drugs, and rock and roll". The book was filled with fun facts such as Valerie's short fling with Steven Spielberg, her audition for the lead role in "Footloose" and "Adventures in Babysitting". I'm somewhat of a pop culture junkie so these stupid little details amuse me. Her young marriage to Eddie Van Halen, their nightly cocaine binges, and Valerie's struggle to maintain a healthy weight would leave her depressed and out of work.
As I dug deeper into the book, I realized that throughout her entire life, she struggled with her weight. Weight- the reason she lost the parts in "Footloose" and "Adventures in Babysitting". I believe it wasn't until a phone call from Jenny Craig a few years ago, that Valerie realized she was overweight. After starting the diet, she slowly shrunk from size 14, to 12, to 8, and states "even those are getting loose".
The thing with women is that they never feel they look good enough. For most of us, we can diet until we are blue in the face and still not achieve the perfect look. In Valerie's second book, "Finding It- and Satisfying My Hunger for Life Without Opening the Fridge", another bestseller, she shares her feelings on her journey to maintain a healthy weight. Her realization is that its not just about the food you eat. To truly get yourself to that healthy place, requires life changes as well. Some examples she mentions are to pick one realistic goal a day that you know you can achieve, so you aren't burnt out or sad that you didn't get everything done. Being on time, returning calls and e-mails are all things that will relieve stress, and lessen your "to do list". She asks the question "What if  losing weight meant getting rid of the 'weight' we carry on our shoulders and inside"? Obviously, eating the right foods is a great way to start getting your life onto that healthy track our world is now obsessed with, but I think that Valerie's onto something, and anyone that's ever had issues with their weight should invest their time into these books as inspiration to jump-start your own journey. P.S. did you see her on People Magazine?! She's 50 and looks great!