Last year, I bought the MBT sneaker, which is supposed to tone your butt while you trot around town all day. Unfortunately, I wasn't coordinated enough for the curved wedge. On day 2, I stepped off a curb, fell on my face and broke my foot (as my children watched in awe.)  So much for a toned arse.

When my foot was better, I embraced ballet flats. Lovely, yes, but support-wise, they're pretty lousy. Now, I have become devotee of Hogan's "Interactive" sneakers -- so popular among NY's Upper East Side women that I've dubbed them "chic-ers."  I opt for gold or bronze and wear them only with bootleg jeans. Truly the most comfortable shoe I've ever worn. Too bad my husband thinks they're hideous.

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Just the thought of dieting sends me into anaphylactic shock (OK, that may be a slight exaggeration, but you get my point). So you can imagine my surprise when I not only attempted a detox but ended up loving it and wanting more. My detox of choice is Blueprint Cleanse, which offers different types of programs depending on how serious you are and how long you want to cleanse (read: not eat). At each of the three levels, you drink six prepared juices per day. Most of the juices are very green (spinach, kale, parsley, etc.) The evening "juice" is really a cashew nut milk that tastes divine.

My first cleanse was a bit of a shock to my system. I did Level 2 for five days and by day three, I was so cold and hungry that I drank the cashew milk for breakfast. I felt so amazing by the end of it, though, that I made plans to try one of the other programs two months later.

My second time around, I chose Level 3 for three days. Cleansing at higher level for less time seemed much more manageable to me. At Level 3, the drinks containing fruit with a high glycemic index (pineapple, apple) are replaced with green drinks, so I didn't have the sugar cravings and hunger pangs that characterized my first go.

I've learned that detox is a multi-layered process. Sure, some of it is simply not eating, but an even bigger part of it is about not polluting your body with flours, sugars and (for me) Diet Coke. Both during and after the exercise, I felt like I could fly.

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My family fell into a dinner rut, and it wasn't pretty. Family meals became a real drag with my three boys grumbling and moaning at yet another menu of baked salmon or spaghetti with meatballs. Yet, whenever I suggested a new dish, they'd respond with a chorus of "Ick! Yuck! No Way!" What gives?!

I breathed a sigh relief (and almost cried) when I read Jenny Rosenstrach's article, "30 Meals in 30 Days." On a whim, I showed the boys the pictures of her dinners, and the weirdest thing happened: They LOVED looking at the photos and wanted to discuss each dish in detail. After much deliberation and debate, they agreed on six of the featured dishes to try (it's amazing when they agree on anything - much less six meals!)  Now, we're integrating two new dinners each week, and the boys have to find something new to complain about.

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