Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is publishing a monthly series of e-only essays to correspond with Katherine Paterson's two-year term as the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. The subjects of the essays include: writing and literature for young people, the wonder and imagination found within great books, common questions novice writers ask, and Katherine's own personal experiences throughout her historic career.

Your body is in energy balance when your daily energy output is exactly balanced by the energy of the food you consume. In this lecture, you will learn about the caloric content of food and how to choose specific foods to help you adjust your energy balance for desired body composition.

Confused by so many conflicting messages about nutrition and exercise? In this course, you'll learn the latest from the field of performance nutrition, with scientific research backing up every concept presented. Clear, easy-to-understand explanations will provide all the information you need to set your personal body composition goals--and reach them.

If you want to feel, look, and perform better--whether that means lifting the grandchildren with ease or running a marathon--your weight is no way to chart your progress. Learn why your proportion of fat to muscle is a better gauge of health, and see how that ratio can be measured.

If we don't like what we see in the mirror, we tend to think, "Wow, I really need to lose some weight!" But the truth is you might not need to lose weight. What you really need to do is lose fat and gain muscle. That change will make you look better, feel better, and perform better--whether your bathroom scale tells you any weight is lost in the process or not. If you truly change your body composition, you'll see and feel the results you've been...

While the breakdown of carbohydrates provides the energy needed for all human functions, excess carbs can significantly disrupt good health. Exploring the complex relationship between carbs and the hormone insulin, you'll learn which carbs are best eaten at certain times of the day based on your individual total nutrition and workout schedule.

Marketing messages from the multi-billion-dollar sports nutrition industry come at us loud and clear. But have rigorous scientific studies revealed any supplements that can safely and effectively burn fat or increase muscle mass? You might be surprised, as you consider whether or not to add these products to your diet and exercise plan.

Explore how vegetarians can get the protein they need without turning to animal sources, how children can be provided the optimal exercise opportunities and nutrition to address their unique needs for growth, and how appropriate nutrition and exercise can help maintain and improve the quality of life for older adults.