Try These on for Size

When I moved to Michigan in 2009, I decided it was a great time to start eating less and exercising more.

As the months went by, I discovered some health connections I hadn't seen before.

Here are a few:

* The oldest and most frayed gym bags belong to the people in the best shape.

* When a kitchen has a full salt shaker and an empty pepper shaker, the cooking in the house is healthier.

A Change in the Wind

Sometimes, when I'm out for my daily walk, I swear I can feel the Great Lakes air blowing in over the treetops. It's a cleaner breeze, with a shoreline taste to it. It's different than the drier air in Wisconsin.

Michigan has more shoreline than any other state. And there's no fence keeping the lake breezes from washing over the land.

I'm just not used to it yet, and it catches me by surprise when the air actually changes in mid-blow. Kind of fun.

Exercising Their Opinions

At my local health club franchise, ear buds sprout everywhere. Spoken messages have given way to electronic feeds into human heads.

While fewer points are uttered via mouth, however, plenty are broadcast via T-shirt. It's a kind of free speech -- what's displayed on someone's back speaks his or her mind.

A routine of circuit training gives me plenty of views. Today, I saw a Miley Cyrus purple and pink shirt reflecting the light on a nearby elliptical machine, while beer brands were advertised in the front row of treadmills. Wayne State T-shirts are as popular here as Bucky Badger UW tops are in Wisconsin. I wondered if I’d see a direct Democrat-Republican textile face-off anywhere in the club but, so far, no. Detroit Pistons and American flag motifs are favorites, along with Woodward Avenue Dream Cruise shirts. Some grassroots slogans intrigue me, like the one that proclaims the "Denim Cult."

For now, I've chosen the "no comment" approach in workout gear. The only message my plain turquoise top sends is that I like it to match my bottoms.

The Cold Truth

It's easier for you to read my words than to hear me right now. Why? Because it's February in Michigan and my voice has to travel through layers of clothing to emerge. My face is hidden behind a hat brim, scarf, and coat collar -- it's the only way to stay warm outside.

The air feels damper here than in Wisconsin. Maybe that's just my internal barometer, but perception is reality, right? I hear Michigan natives commenting about the cold, too. My book group at the local library usually chats for a few minutes after the last word, but lately we've just waved and bolted for our cars. Or as close to a bolting pace as we can manage while wearing hiking boots and two pairs of socks.

I have enrolled in the Fahrenheit School of Fashion. For ammo, I pulled out a long black sweater dress that's like a lengthy mitten. It goes over boots, tights, ski socks, whatever it takes. Sometimes I feel like the layers are wearing me.

My new look includes winter hats, not for the jaunty fashion of the berets and work caps, but rather for the warmth. When my hairstylist suggested a shorter hair length, I deferred until spring.

Meanwhile, I'm chillin', literally.