tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327229622010-02-04T16:25:12.012-05:00Sugar Free Style is the scoop on how Audrey Taylor, a modern working gal, manages to tackle the trials and tribulations of the everyday, while staying fit and fabulous with the help of sugar-free foods and beverages. News and reflections on the Sweet Life-Style, sugar-free of course, are here waiting for youAudrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.comBlogger285125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-50700873152225205902010-02-04T15:46:00.003-05:002010-02-04T16:25:12.022-05:00

The Super Bowl is just around the corner...and if you're a huge football fan like me, this is one of the best nights of the year! Even though my beloved Bears are on the sidelines yet again, I'll joyfully be cheering on my second favorite team, the Saints. Who dat?! But regardless of whether you dig football, many view the big game as the perfect excuse to gather with friends, drink beer and eat

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-75973343302465193582010-01-29T15:36:00.002-05:002010-01-29T15:49:59.893-05:00

It's been a "hot" week for me, so to speak. On Wednesday night, I went out for Indian food with a friend who insisted we order our meals extra spicy (as in, a five on a one-to-five spice scale). And on Thursday, my office held the annual chili cook-off - and there were some particularly piquant varieties on the menu. Now don't get me wrong. I heart me some spicy food...to the extent that I

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-75321116758172346872010-01-22T17:09:00.003-05:002010-01-28T12:00:49.290-05:00

If there is one question I get more from readers than any other, it involves maintaining an active social life without gaining weight. Seeing as how this is Friday, and several people are now leaving work and heading to the local pub to meet friends, what better time to respond to that query? My answer is: yes, you can have your alcohol and drink it too. You just need to be smart about your

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-49265805762524220842010-01-20T11:34:00.004-05:002010-01-27T10:34:24.764-05:00

A group of Australian dietitians have come up with a list of 10 steps they say will help people lose weight in 2010. I don't know about you, but I'm all ears! Their primary advice? Ditch the fad diets and quick-fix weight loss programs and make a number of small, permanent changes that help keep the pounds off over time. Here are ten tips from the Dietitian's Association of Australia.1. Eat

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-88763524641664409922010-01-15T14:33:00.003-05:002010-01-15T15:00:44.281-05:00

Confession: I kind of blew off exercise for a couple weeks around the holidays. I just got so busy between work and gift shopping and holiday parties and excuses, excuses, blah blah blah...I know, I know. I did what I warned others NOT to do and I neglected my physical fitness. Anyway, I'm paying for it now. Determined to shave off that five extra pounds gained over Christmas, I went back to the

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-57598167151721364122010-01-14T16:45:00.003-05:002010-01-14T17:02:45.971-05:00

I admit it...I'm a gum-smacker. And yes, I'm very aware that the noise can be irritating to others. But as a former smoker, it's a habit that I've happily adopted because I know it won't take a toll on my health down the road. If anything, chomping on sugar-free gum helps shave a few calories from the diet. According to the Calorie Control Council, sugar-free gum is a great alternative to a

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-66287812547406894232010-01-07T17:30:00.005-05:002010-01-07T17:45:17.077-05:00

Hello, my favorite readers, I'm back! I spent a lovely week in Chicago catching up with family and friends and then had a few days of R&R here in Atlanta before returning to work. It was a wonderful and much-needed break. Speaking of, it's snowing here in the ATL today. Not much, mind you, but just enough of a sprinkling to send everyone scurrying home early. I'm hoping that means my commute

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-25123489633108961882009-12-23T11:29:00.005-05:002009-12-31T14:36:59.033-05:00

Not to brag or anything, but today is my last day in the office until 2010. Woot! If Mother Nature cooperates, I'll be landing in Chicago around 11 p.m. tonight. Don't fret, though. I'll be back in early January armed with insight on how to shed those holiday pounds. Speaking of, I've already started to compile a few realistic New Year's resolutions. After all, this is the best time to reflect on

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-57724932617036186532009-12-17T13:15:00.009-05:002009-12-31T14:36:59.035-05:00

As most of you know, I consistently preach the value of a low-calorie lifestyle. That being said, when a friend recently informed me that he had joined a weight loss plan that curbed his eating to between 600 and 800 calories per day, I got extremely worried. For starters, he only had to shed about 30 or so pounds - which in my opinion, was not a significant enough weight loss to require this

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-28739308995634362842009-12-10T11:36:00.004-05:002009-12-31T14:36:59.036-05:00

Anyone been watching the coverage of the Midwest blizzard on TV? Hot dang. That's a lot of snow and cold! Hailing from Chicago, I grew up dealing with brutally cold winters. My freshman year of college - at the University of Wisconsin - temperatures actually dipped to 30 below zero, meaning the wind chill factor made it feel about 60 below. That kind of weather spurred my eventual move to the

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-37684323865047648352009-12-04T14:47:00.005-05:002009-12-31T14:36:59.038-05:00

Seeing as how I lurve me some Jones Soda, this news just made my Friday! Jones Soda is unveiling a new soda line - Jones Zilch - that features no-calorie beverages. According to the company, the healthier versions are enhanced with 30 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C and sweetened with Splenda. They will be available in four-packs and singles in three flavors: Pomegranate,

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-91794685444911138172009-11-25T12:00:00.006-05:002010-01-05T13:29:46.722-05:00

Not that I'm watching the clock or anything, but it's almost time for the holiday weekend. Woooot! I'll be hitting the road in a few short hours and heading down to Florida, where I'll spend Thanksgiving with my boyfriend and his family before heading to a friend's wedding in Naples, Florida, on Saturday. I'm looking forward to a fabulous weekend filled with food, football, sun and good friends.

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-4332810634286739532009-11-19T11:49:00.005-05:002009-12-31T14:36:59.040-05:00

Okay, apparently it's time to add my two cents to the political firestorm surrounding the mammogram issue. Unless you've been living under a rock the past week, you've heard about the U.S. Preventive Task Force's recommendation that women in their 40s forgo annual mammograms unless they have certain risk factors, like genetic mutations that make them more susceptible to breast cancer. The task

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-90530640937696723692009-11-12T18:25:00.004-05:002009-12-31T14:36:59.042-05:00

Hmmm...I just found out it's Georgia Pecan Month. Since I live in Atlanta and love pecans, I should have no problem finding ways to celebrate, right? Heh. Seriously, though, if you're looking for a heart-healthy snack, pecans certainly fit the bill. Research published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that pecans rank highest among all nuts and are among the top category of

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-30631245540863321482009-11-03T11:04:00.013-05:002009-12-31T14:36:59.044-05:00

How did it get to be November already? Does anybody else feel like this year has flown by in record speed? Yeesh. Anyway, now that Halloween is over and Thanksgiving is in eyesight, many of us are looking forward to weeks of cooking and baking, attending parties, hosting parties, buying and wrapping gifts, decorating the house and more. What I mean is, 'tis the season of stress, parties and

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-66016950653639813732009-10-28T14:51:00.003-04:002009-12-31T14:36:59.045-05:00

Halloween always brings out my inner child. Seriously. Whether it's picking out costumes, watching scary movies or trick or treating, I love Halloween festivities. So perhaps needless to say, when some friends asked me to help them carve pumpkins over the weekend, I jumped at the opportunity. Did I ever mention that for four years in a row, I helped a former office win the company-wide

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-69345145895005668392009-10-21T14:50:00.004-04:002009-10-21T15:37:35.698-04:00

So after more than five years without a visit, I finally made my way back to my old alma mater - the University of Wisconsin - this past weekend. U-Rah-Rah, how I've missed you Madison! Although time, money and circumstances have kept me away from my beloved college town for so long, I will forever be a Badger ­- even while living amongst smug SEC people. Not that I'm bitter or anything...Moving

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-52226713475158963182009-10-14T16:13:00.005-04:002009-12-31T14:36:59.047-05:00

My head hurts, my allergies are acting up and I'm not getting much sleep these days...think it's due to the massive amounts of rain we've been getting? Or am I coming down with a bug? Either way, I've been eating super healthy the past few days and drinking copious amounts of tea, so I'm hoping to fight off whatever is headed my way. Still, I think the nasty skies are helping to bring me down, yo

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-18778947351983375782009-10-08T15:05:00.006-04:002009-10-08T15:49:57.328-04:00

Twitter this and tweet that...I'm sure you've heard those terms a lot in recent weeks. If you happen to be unfamiliar with the latest social networking craze, here's a quick explanation: Twitter is a micro-blogging service that allows users to send and read messages known as tweets. Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters displayed on the author's profile page and delivered to the

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-86739154462761913352009-10-01T18:37:00.002-04:002009-10-01T18:54:46.919-04:00

Does anyone else feel like there is a ridiculous number of birthdays in the months of August, September and October? Not only was my big day last week, but I've already been to two birthday dinners for other people in the past two days alone. How am I supposed to keep my girlish figure when I'm constantly forced to attend b-day celebrations??Along those lines, though, I baked a cake last night in

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-84039597251037331072009-09-24T16:00:00.004-04:002009-12-31T14:36:59.048-05:00

Sorry folks, but this post will be short and sweet. I just wanted to talk briefly about cakes. For starters, I went to a wedding over the weekend (I do believe it was my sixth of the summer!) and not only did they have a candy buffet stuffed with sweet treats like Nerds, Smarties and Fun Dip, but they also had possibly the best wedding cake I have ever tasted. It was German Chocolate and was to

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-32181763706582931852009-09-17T16:03:00.003-04:002009-09-17T16:24:35.860-04:00

What a dark and gloomy day! I don't know what it's like in your city, but Atlanta has been all sorts of rainy lately. And according to the 10-day forecast, we're going to have stormy weather for quite some time. Boo! Weather like this always bums me out…unless I have the ability to go home and curl up on my sofa with a good book and some hot cocoa. I guess I did have a bit of a sweet treat today,

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-69510502505972528152009-09-11T15:07:00.003-04:002009-09-11T15:20:06.153-04:00

Someone asked me today if I remembered where I was when the planes crashed into the World Trade Center the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. I don't think that's a moment I'd ever forget...I was living in Chicago at the time, and had just started to get ready for work, when I heard the news. I spent the next 30 minutes glued to the TV, watching in stunned silence as the smoke billowed out of the two

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-30404468068017509802009-09-02T12:00:00.005-04:002010-01-05T13:29:46.724-05:00

"There's nothing wrong with this team that more pitching, more fielding and more hitting couldn't help." Former Cub Bill Buckner Guess where I'll be this time tomorrow? WRIGLEY FIELD! Don't hate because you know you're just jealous! It's true, though, I fly back to Chicago tonight for yet another wedding weekend. And although the Cubbies continue their descent into total suckitude, Wrigley still

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32722962.post-75946965425459029402009-08-27T14:40:00.003-04:002009-08-27T15:31:58.254-04:00

Wow. You know how you just assume that certain things will always be around? Like flip-flops or denim or re-runs of Cheers, Sesame Street and The Golden Girls? Well, apparently some good things do eventually come to an end. After 26 years, "Reading Rainbow" will end its run on PBS this Friday. Although the show stopped production in 2006, they continued to show the old episodes on PBS. But the

Audrey Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02902240652881122046noreply@blogger.com0