We do it all the time. We make a plan for the project at work which is supposed to be completed by next week. We sit down and figure out the perfect route for the cross state trip next weekend. We determine how much paint we’ll need to paint our living room before we go to the store. We create a plan. So why wouldn’t we do it for or health?

I’m not talking about scheduling a minute-by-minute agenda and menu for the next six weeks to get you bikini-ready, although that is the general idea. A six-week plan might be a little overwhelming and to be honest, I have learned from my own history that I’d get lost somewhere around week three and end up somewhere in Mexico.

Plan. I know it doesn’t sound exciting, but it helps. It’s one of those things that sounds like a good idea but we rarely do it because, come on … can creating a plan REALLY help? Yes. The answer is yes. When you sit down to write down your intentions, you are more likely to follow through with them. You are prepared and are ready. You aren’t leaving it up to fate.

• Plan your weekly meals: There’s a fear that often spreads over me on a Monday night when I open the fridge and realize nothing is defrosted, we are out of fresh produce and the only thing I can make with the items left would be cheese and pickle sandwiches served with a side of ranch dressing. I only recently began meal planning and realized how much of a time saver it is. Sundays are my day to sit down and think of meals to make for lunch and dinner. I grocery shop and tend to actually stick to my list since I know exactly what I need for each week instead of wandering around buying things that just look good. When I get home, I spend an hour or two prepping. I boil pasta and sauté vegetables. I prepare meals so on weeknights when I get home, I just have to put them in the oven and wait for them to bake. I package my lunches so in the morning, as I’m rushing around, I can just grab and go. If I didn’t do this, I’d  go out to eat, which leads to its own dangers.If planning weekly meals seems a bit overwhelming, take it slow and try just doing lunches or dinners first, separately. If you have children, get them involved. Have them decide what vegetables will go with what dinners.
• Organize your workout bag: I’d like to pretend I wake up every day and casually sit down to watch the news for a few minutes while I sip my coffee before taking my time to get ready for work. The truth is, I wake up on the second (or third) snooze alarm, jump into the shower before I take my first breath, and rush through my morning routine with just enough seconds to pour a cup of coffee before I run out the door for work. Every night before I go to bed, I spend five minutes putting my workout clothes, shoes and a magazine in my gym bag. By planning this the night before, I avoid the “I’m late for work and don’t have time to pack a gym bag” excuse I’ve used so often before.
• Plan your weekly workouts: I use excuses. A lot of them. Planning what days I’m going to work out helps to prevent me from relying on excuses like “oh, I’m too tired because it was such a long day at work” or “I’ll just go tomorrow.” Tomorrow never seems to come and it tends to be long days at work every day. By planning my weekly workouts and having my workout bag with me, I just have to go. I’ve already planned on going, I have my workout bag in the car, and the only thing left to do is to drive to the gym.

Healthiness takes work. It isn’t as easy as others make it appear. Taking a few minutes out of every week to plan on how you’ll be healthy can make all the difference in the world. You are equipped and organized so when it comes time to actually be healthy, it’s easier. Plan to be healthy; don’t leave it up to chance.

About the author

Jen Emmert

Jen Emmert is the owner and lead author of the blog PriorFatGirl, which she started to document her own healthiness journey of losing one hundred pounds. Losing a hundred pounds turned out to be the easy part -- Jen quickly found blogging to be a therapeutic resource as she not only faced dealing with losing weight but also the most unimaginable and tragic of lives events; the unexpected death of her mother, who was her best friend and number one supporter. PriorFatGirl.com has since turned into a community of support and motivation for readers as they are encouraged to fight through everything life throws at them in order achieve their healthiness goals. Jen's story and PriorFatGirl.com has been featured in Shape Magazine and Women’s Day Magazine, on WCCO-Minneapolis, Minneapolis Star Tribune, aol.com and many other media outlets. Jen lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with her fiancé Carlos and their furry child, Iggy.

The background: I am 29 years old. I have chronic acne and scarring on my chin. I love to exercise. I love to run outside. I love to participate in road races.

The problem: I always use an SPF moisturizer when I run, but I am extremely self conscious about my skin. When I have to meet up with people after a run or get on the subway or stop into a store, I pray I don’t run into anyone I know. I keep my head down when speaking to anyone. I worry that my friends will say, behind my back, “Wow, Dori really has bad skin.”

The treatment: None. I’ve spent years at dermatologists trying different medications and combinations of medications. Not only did they not work, but because of my severely dry skin (unusual with chronic acne), all the medications made my skin unbearably dry and painful. Now, I just try to use products that don’t make it any worse.

The solution: Because I won’t work out with makeup on (it clogs pores and is gross to sweat off), I was at a loss for years – until now. I happen to work at a skincare company called Hydroxatone and we recently came out with the product that changed my exercise life: Hydroxatone Anti-Aging BB Cream.

Tell me more: Well, since you asked! BB cream (which stands for beauty balm, blemish balm and even beblesh balm – explanation here) is an all-in-one multitasking product. Depending on what brand you get, it can hydrate, conceal, protect from the sun’s harmful rays and brighten your skin. My company’s version also reduces the look of aging. And it does all of this in just one step, so you’re not using multiple products. That’s really important to me because I am lazy and forgetful. I wear the Anti-Aging BB Cream when I work out and I also wear it on regular days — it gives me a flawless complexion and I don’t need foundation with it!

You can’t be serious. Do you have proof? Why yes, I do! I happened to record a Before & After BB cream - Part 1 to show how the BB cream perfected my skin and this is Before & After BB cream – Part 2,  to show how well the BB cream held up while running and sweating for 6.2 miles. The lighting’s not great, but my acne is much worse than it appears and I also have under eye circles and dry skin. The video was inspired by this photo I snapped of myself in an apartment building hallway after the last race I ran wearing the BB!

Enough of your rambling. Wrap it up! Even though I wear BB cream regularly now, it improved my daily life but it DRASTICALLY changed my exercise life. Before and after I work out, I no longer have to worry about running into someone I know. I don’t have to wonder if people are judging me. I don’t have to hide my head and hope whoever is speaking to me will just GO AWAY. And best of all, I feel confident and beautiful.

About the author

Dori Manela

Dori Manela manages Fit-A-Licious. Welcome! After years of not understanding why exercise was important, Dori learned firsthand how much her life changed for the better once she embraced health and fitness – and now she hopes to show women all over just how attainable living a healthy lifestyle can be. Dori is the social media manager at Hydroxatone. In her free time, she writes Dori’s Shiny Blog, where she shares her experience in fitness and the randomness of life. Her writing has appeared on NBC New York: GO Healthy NY and Blisstree. Dori’s devotion to sharing her love of exercise was the subject of a Bing: Friends Matter webisode. Her greatest fitness accomplishment was finishing the Richmond Marathon in November, 2011.

Summer is here which means amazing weather!  Some of my favorite things to do in the summer include going to the beach, swimming, barbecues with friends, and of course…day drinking!  Summer cocktails are delicious but most are nutritional wastelands and loaded with calories.  Replacing a few ingredients with lower calorie booze or including fruit is all you need to do to keep things light.  Try one of my healthy cocktail recipes below and see for yourself!

Cosmopolitan

Get your Carrie Bradshaw on with this healthy recipe.

• 2 ounces of vodka
• 2 ounces club soda
• splash of cranberry juice
• Juice from 2 lime wedges plus 1 lime wedge to garnish

Combine all of the ingredients except the garnish in a shaker full of ice. Stir and pour into a chilled martini glass.

Melon Kiwi-Tini

This drink is filled with Vitamins C and E.

• 1/2       ripe honeydew melon, flesh only
• 2          kiwis, peeled
• 1          oz lime juice
• 1          oz agave nectar (more to taste)
• 4          oz sake

Dice fruit. Puree all ingredients in blender on high speed until completely smooth. Add agave nectar as needed, toss in large handful of ice, and blend again until smooth. Divide between 2 large martini glasses and garnish with mint or thin slice of peeled kiwi.

Basil Gimlet

Replacing the gin with soju (an alcohol commonly distilled from rice) in this recipe will save you about 100 calories and the combination of basil and lime gives the cocktail a nice light, clean taste.

• 4-5 large basil leaves
• 1/2 ounce agave nectar or simple syrup
• 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
• 2 1/2 ounces shochu
• ice

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the basil leaves with the sweetener of your choice.  Fill shaker three-quarters of the way with ice cubes. Add the alcohol and lime juice and shake well. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with the remaining basil leaf.

Margarita

You can’t have a list of summer cocktails and not include the margarita!

• Ice
• 1 1/2 ounces of 100 percent agave blanco tequila
• 1 ounce fresh lime juice
• 1/2 ounce Cointreau
• Squirt of Agave syrup

Fill rocks glass with ice; add tequila, lime juice, agave and Cointreau. Stir ingredients together until chilled.

Bloody Mary Martini

This martini is packed with Vitamin C to start your summer Sunday brunch off right.

• 1 medium-sized piece fresh horseradish, peeled and julienned
• 20 black peppercorns
• 1 pint vodka
• 5 cups chopped ripe tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 4 celery stalks

Place horseradish and peppercorns in vodka bottle; seal; chill at least 24 hours. Puree tomatoes; Add celery salt. Fill a shaker with ice; add 2 oz vodka , 1 oz tomato puree; shake. Strain into martini glass. Garnish with celery stalk. Serves four.

About the author

Melissa Howard

Melissa Howard is an aspiring health writer living and working in Boston, MA. Her approach to fitness is to focus on being healthy, not on losing weight or trying to live up to unreachable standards set by magazines or Hollywood. Her favorite ways to stay fit include walking, yoga and pilates. When she's not walking around the city of Boston, she can be found cheering on her favorite Boston sports teams and trying to teach herself to cook.

No one wants to be unhealthy. We are bombarded with studies, articles and doctors every day telling us that exercise is important, but the majority of people still feel like there is not enough time in the day to fit in fitness.

Between work, the kids' extracurriculars, errands and other tasks on your to-do list, exercise might fall to the bottom, especially if you feel exhausted by everything else. Trying to fit in an hour at the gym every day might seem a little too ambitious for your schedule, but what about 10 minutes? Try these mini workouts to sneak just a little fitness into your daily grind.

Boost your blood flow

Cardiovascular exercise is vital to your overall health, but you don't necessarily need a gym membership to get your heart pumping. Any way you raise your heart rate throughout the day is an improvement over nothing at all, so try these quick heart-healthy methods.

•     Jump. Whether you jump rope or simply jump in place, jumping is one way you can get your heart rate up. Break your jumping into sets of five minutes. Do a regular jump with your feet together for five minutes, then do a running foot, lifting every other foot, for another five minutes. If you have time and endurance, you can work up to three or four sets, totaling 15 to 20 minutes of cardio! Just be sure to maintain a slight bend in your knees and keep your core braced to ensure the safest, most effective workout.

•     Bike. Taking a bike ride – to the park, the grocery store or simply around the neighborhood – is a perfect way to fit in fitness while still accomplishing the tasks on your to-do list. If you are only riding a short distance, adjust the gears to make it a little more challenging.

Strengthen your muscles

Sure, pumping iron at the gym is a fantastic way to tone your muscles, but if you only have a few minutes between errands, try these quick muscle-strengthening moves.

•     Move your arms. Pushups are one way to work your arms (and your chest, back, core and shoulders), but arm circles might be easier to pull off during breaks in your workday. Move your arms in circles in front of you, out to your sides and above you. You can alternate small circles with large ones. Do these for 30 seconds each – you'll feel the burn!

•     Tighten your tush and thighs. Using a chair, lower your body into an almost-squat, keeping your back flat and abs pulled in. Holding your hands out straight in front of you for balance, bend your knees and lower your tush down like you are sitting, allowing your bum to graze the chair without actually resting on it. Stand slowly, and repeat this 12-15 times. You can also do this with no chair – the sitting movement is the same. 

About the author

Casey Summerland

Casey Summerland is a healthy lifestyle writer from Connecticut. She is always on the hunt for the hottest new fitness trend and when she isn't running around Jersey in search of chia seeds (they're delicious - Casey promises!) you'll find her training for her very first Tough Mudder race.

Chances are, there’s a whitening toothpaste in your bathroom. And perhaps you stop and check your teeth in a mirror after meals to make sure no food was unintentionally left behind. We women want our smiles to look good, after all.

Brushing, flossing, and seeing your dentist regularly can help keep your pearly whites in tip-top shape. But the foods we eat also affect our smile’s appearance. As if you needed to hear another reason to have good nutrition, eating healthy foods can keep your mouth looking fresh and can even help ward off gum disease.

Nutritious foods for healthy teeth

Certain vitamins and nutrients help keep gum tissue healthy, strengthen teeth, and protect tooth enamel. Eat plenty of the following to keep give your oral health a boost:

• Protein: Opt for lean sources like fish, chicken, tofu, and beans.
• Iron: Dark, leafy greens, and red meat and egg yolks in moderation.
• Calcium and vitamin D: Choose low-fat or nonfat dairy products..
• Vitamin A: Orange fruits and vegetables, such as carrots and sweet potatoes.
• Vitamin B: Whole grain breads and cereals and green, leafy veggies.
• Vitamin C: Citrus fruits, like oranges and grapefruit.
• Vitamin K: Dark leafy greens, broccoli, and brussels sprouts.
• Fluoride: Tap water and most toothpastes contain fluoride.

Munching on crunchy fruits and vegetables- like apples, pears, carrots, and celery- is good for you because it makes your mouth produce more saliva, which helps wash away food debris from your teeth. Chewing gum also has the same effect. Just make sure you chew the sugarless variety.

Foods that harm your smile

Eating certain foods can put your healthy smile in jeopardy. Avoid:

• Sweets. Sugar releases acids that harm your teeth and can lead to cavities and gum disease. If you must indulge your sweet tooth, do so only once per day. The more often you eat sugary foods, the more frequently acid forms that can harm your teeth.
• Anything chewy, sticky, gooey, or that dissolves slowly. These items tend to be high in sugar and they stay in the mouth longer, which causes even more damage.
• Foods that stain teeth. Experts say anything that can stain a white, cotton t-shirt can also stain your teeth. Limit the amount of coffee, tea, dark sodas, wine, and juice you drink. Stains on teeth become more visible with age.
• Caffeinated, carbonated, and acidic drinks (like sports drinks) can lead to tooth decay and gum disease.

Sources

• http://www.aetc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123268542
• http://www.adha.org/oralhealth/nutrition.htm
• http://www.ada.org/2984.aspx
• http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/ss/slideshow-10-secrets-to-whiter-teeth

About the author

Jen Matz

Jenilee Matz, MPH is a Charlotte, NC based blogger and freelance writer who specializes in women’s health, fitness, and chronic disease prevention. In previous roles, she was a staff writer for myoptumhealth.com and a health communications specialist at The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When she’s not writing, Jenilee can usually be found running, attempting yoga, cheering on the NY Giants, eating cupcakes, or spending time with her husband, son, and black lab mix.

When you slug down your morning coffee or indulge in a glass of wine at night, you may not be thinking much about the health benefits you are reaping. This is especially true since some of the most common beverages we all consume do not come with nutrition labels! Here is an easy guide to making your favorite drinks even healthier.

Coffee: If you can’t do without your daily cup of Joe, don’t feel bad! Coffee used to get a bad rap, particularly because of caffeine’s addictive quality. But there are plenty of benefits you can feel good about.

•     Why it’s good. Antioxidants in coffee have been found to offer cardiovascular protection. Several studies show they are probably responsible for the reduced risk of endometrial, liver, breast, colon and rectal cancer, as well as basal-cell carcinoma. Plus, it has been proven to reduce the risk of diabetes and lowers cholesterol.

•     How it can be better. Just like chocolate, the purer your coffee, the better. Loading up on sugar and cream might neutralize any health benefits, so if you can, take your coffee black. If you must have cream, choose half & half, since nondairy creamers have been found to interfere with the absorption of coffee’s antioxidants. Additionally, too much caffeine – more than 500 to 600 milligrams a day –  can interfere with sleep, cause restlessness, jitters, a fast heartbeat and irritability. Try to set some limits for yourself.

Water: Your body is 60 percent water, so it’s no wonder drinking the stuff is good for you. In fact, your body depends on water to flush toxins out of your vital organs, carry nutrients to the cells that need them and keep tissues healthy throughout. It also aids in digestion.

•     Why it’s good. In addition to keeping your body healthy on the inside, H2O can go a long way in making your hair and skin look radiant. Also, it protects the spinal cord and lubricates and cushions your joints.

•     How it can be better. The age-old advice is to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day, but remember that other beverages as well as juicy foods contribute to this daily total. Of course, drink more water if you feel dehydrated. Just note that drinking too much water can flush your body of vital nutrients, too, so keep a healthy balance.

Wine: Indulging in a glass of vino can have some great health benefits (in addition to helping you kick back and relax!)

•     Why it’s good. It has been proven that moderate amounts of alcohol can raise the good cholesterol and make your blood thinner – all great for heart health. Chemical components of wine like reservatrol and flavanoids act as antioxidants, preventing free radicals from damaging your cells.

•     How it can be better. Moderation is key when it comes to wine! If you don’t drink, you should not necessarily start, but if you love wine, choose red and try to limit it to one glass per day. Red wine has more reservatrol because this component comes from the skins of grapes, and red varieties are fermented with the skins longer than whites.

About the author

Casey Summerland

Casey Summerland is a healthy lifestyle writer from Connecticut. She is always on the hunt for the hottest new fitness trend and when she isn't running around Jersey in search of chia seeds (they're delicious - Casey promises!) you'll find her training for her very first Tough Mudder race.

Oh, have you heard? According to a new study, women choose to break a sweat only half as often as men. Just what we need to learn on top of the raging war on women by our potential Republican presidential candidates, and the repeal of equal pay for equal work in Wisconsin.

The study results showed that women are less likely than men to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day.

Approximately 1,000 men and women participated in the study women who participated in the study (published last month in the journal Preventative Medicine) did 18 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise each day, while the men did 30 minutes per day. All participants wore a device called an accelerometer around their waist to keep track of movement for four days minimum. Those who participated in the study and did not work out for at least 30 minutes a day were at increased risk of metabolic syndrome – in other words, a host of symptoms tied to cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and lower levels of HDL, or “good” cholesterol.

While the female participants had healthier behavior than their male counterparts (such as being less likely to smoke) the lack of physical activity still put them at risk for metabolic syndrome. One weakness of the study is that it did not address why women exercised less than men, though researchers noted that childhood patterns of activity typically follow you throughout adulthood.

My coworkers think I’m some kind of superwoman for cranking out, on average, six miles a day (~55 minutes), five days a week. I tend to brush it off because, hello, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines recommend five hours of moderate-intensity exercise each week for greater health benefits for adults ages 18-65.

I guess you could say I’m a bit anal about hitting my weekly mileage and rounding out on an even number. If I hit less than my 30, you can bet I’ll be making up a couple of miles the following week. Also, if Boyfriend has us do 7.5 miles like we did last Sunday, I’ll run X.5 the next day to round it out. It tends to irk me when I see someone post, say, 2.75 miles on DailyMile. Come on; why not just finish your third mile?!

Still maintaining that you don’t have the time to work out? Try your hardest to make it happen in the morning (especially if you don’t have to be in the office before 9 a.m.) so that you won’t have it looming over your head all day. At the very least, make an effort to fit in “mini-workouts” like taking the stairs instead of the elevator or taking a walk while on the phone.

About the author

Emilia Benton

Emilia Benton received her degree in print journalism with dual minors in Spanish and women’s studies from Hofstra University in New York. After spending two years working for magazines such as Glamour and Fast Company, as well as medical trade publications at Wolters Kluwer Health, she recently moved back to her hometown of Houston, where she currently works as a grant administrator at Baylor College of Medicine. She lives for long distance running (she recently completed her third marathon) and loves traveling, country music and all things ‘80s. Fun fact: She shares her Valentine’s Day birthday with her identical twin sister, Carla.

It’s pretty much common knowledge that Hollywood and the media are damaging for our body image and partly responsible for society’s obsession with thinness, but now, according to a recent study, we have Facebook to worry about too.

The Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt in Maryland surveyed 600 Facebook users, ages 16 to 40 about their body image and self-esteem.  More than half said that Facebook makes them more self-conscious about their bodies and weight. Of those surveyed, 75% of the women and 58% of the men said they’d like to lose some weight.  Surprisingly, it was the men who were more likely to post a negative comment about their weight on Facebook, with 40% of them admitting to doing so versus 20% of the women.

When you’re unhappy with the way you look, it’s easy to avoid mirrors. But it’s becoming pretty tough to go without Facebook. Eight percent of those surveyed log onto Facebook at least once a day. It’s impossible to avoid seeing photos of yourself and your friends. But we’re not just looking — we’re comparing.  With a click you can see what you looked like five years ago, and the comparison can be depressing. Nearly a third of people felt “sad” when comparing photos of themselves and their friends, and 44 percent wished they had the same body or weight as a friend on Facebook.

Steven Crawford, associate director at the center, told TechNewsDaily: “People are now constantly aware of their appearance, thanks to Facebook. A common reaction is, ‘I need to be thinner’ And it’s that kind of thinking that can lead to hazardous dieting.”  He then went on to add that Facebook is an influential factor in developing severe eating disorders.

It’s definitely understandable that Facebook can make us more self-conscious.  It’s easy to go through the old online photo albums and compare how we looked over time. Friends tag us in photos and we immediately check them out to see if we should untag ourselves…or is that just me?  I don’t think so because Crawford also added, “Facebook is fueling a “camera-ready” mentality,” “People look at photos before an upcoming high school reunion and decide not to go.” Why? Because they think they don’t look good enough.

Is that enough to lead people to radical diets and eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia?  I think it could be if you’re already predisposed to that way of thinking.  To help people who are struggling, The Center has tips for people suffering from Facebook-induced body envy, including subscribing to Facebook pages such as “Adios Barbie” and “End Fat Talk.”

About the author

Melissa Howard

Melissa Howard is an aspiring health writer living and working in Boston, MA. Her approach to fitness is to focus on being healthy, not on losing weight or trying to live up to unreachable standards set by magazines or Hollywood. Her favorite ways to stay fit include walking, yoga and pilates. When she's not walking around the city of Boston, she can be found cheering on her favorite Boston sports teams and trying to teach herself to cook.

We North Americans sure do love our sweets, don’t we? The growing number of sweeteners on store shelves these days surely reflects that preference. But we all know that sugar (refined or otherwise) is bad for us. So what’s a sweets-loving, health-conscious, Diabetes-averse gal to do?  Go for stevia, an all-natural sweetener that’s quickly gaining a huge following, that’s what!

What is Stevia?

Stevia is an all-natural sweetener derived from the Stevia rebaudiana plant, also known as sweetleaf, native to South America. The green leaves are naturally sweet; on their own, about 50 times sweeter than sugar.  When the individual compounds stevioside or rebaudioside are extracted from the plant, on their own they are about 300 times sweeter than sugar.

Most stevia you buy at the store is either a suspension (in liquid) or a powder (which usually contains some kind of filler, such as cellulose, added for bulk). Stevia offers 0 calories and does not raise blood sugar levels (that is, it’s “0” on the Glycemic Index). Most stevia you buy is, therefore,  considered safe for diabetics as well.

How Do You Use Stevia?

Because stevia is so much sweeter than sugar, a little goes a long way.  You can actually use the fresh leaves on their own, steeped in boiling water, as a kind of “tea.”  More often, liquid or powdered stevia that you purchase is measured in drops or 1/32s of a teaspoon. About five drops is equivalent in sweetness to one teaspoon of sugar.

A great way to introduce stevia to your foods is to use it where you’d normally require only a little sweetness—drinks, or otherwise savory dishes.

• It’s great in any beverage: smoothies, coffee or tea, lemonade, or even salad dressings.
• Add a little stevia to sweeten creamy foods, such as puddings, oatmeal, whipped toppings, ice creams, or candy.
• You can use stevia in baked goods, but it’s a bit more challenging here because of differences in volume (a cup of sugar is likely replaced by a mere teaspoon or so of stevia). However, a few recipes out there do venture into baking with this sweetener.

Are There Any Drawbacks?

• Keep in mind that not all sweeteners are created equal; be sure to seek out products made of 100% pure stevia.  Processed or blended stevia-based products, such as Truvia or Purevia, are either extracts of Rebaudioside-A only (ie, only part of the whole leaf), or contain fillers or other chemicals and may not be 100% stevia. Whole, 100% stevia is available only as a dietary supplement in the US and Canada.
• Some people report an unpleasant, licorice-like or bitter aftertaste when using pure stevia.  However, I’ve found that in the case of stevia, “less is more.”  In other words, a slightly less-sweet result actually works better. Or, use part stevia and part of another natural sweetener—you’ll still cut down on calories, but not on taste. Two stevia brands for which most people do not notice an aftertaste are NuNaturals and NOW.
• After some initial reports about health hazards associated with stevia (which is why it took so long to receive approval in the US), further study has never reproduced any negative results, in any test.  In fact, stevia is the most-used sweetener in Japan, where it has been available for over 40 years.

Want to Give Stevia a Try?

Here are some recipes using stevia to get you started:

• Happy Hemp Two-Bite Brownies
• Raw Vegan “Pistachio Ice Cream” Smoothie
• Homemade Ginger Ale
• Crazy Simple Raw Kale Salad
• Dairy-Free Rice Pudding
• Walnut-Cacao Nib Butter

About the author

Ricki Heller

Ricki Heller is a whole foods chef, TV personality and author of the Canadian bestseller Sweet Freedom: Desserts You’ll Love without Wheat, Eggs, Dairy or Refined Sugar (one of only three cookbooks endorsed on Ellen DeGeneres’ website) as well as three e-cookbooks. She has appeared on Canada AM, Breakfast Television and appears regularly to discuss healthy eating on Rogers’ Daytime and In the Know. She writes the popular food blog Diet, Dessert and Dogs, where she chronicles her ongoing challenges with candida, offers entertaining anecdotes about life, shares sugar-free, vegan, whole-foods recipes and provides a platform for her two chatty lab-border collie cross dogs, Elsie and Chaser. She lives near Toronto with her husband and two “girls.”

Like many women, I dread this time of year. It’s almost- gulp- bikini season!

I used to think the secret to a toned tummy was hundreds of sit-ups. I did crunches day in and day out, but I never saw results. It turns out, you can do sit-ups all you want, but if you don’t do any cardio, that flab on your belly won’t go anywhere.

Crunches and other exercises strengthen and tone ab muscles, but only cardio can whittle your middle. You may have a six-pack buried somewhere in your stomach, but you’ll need to do regular aerobic exercises to flatten your belly and make your toned abs visible.

Head out for a run, hop on the elliptical, or take a spinning class and then do these abdominal exercises to get an enviable midsection:

1. Suck in your gut. Regularly tightening and releasing ab muscles is one of the best ways to tone your core. Go ahead and suck it in while you’re working, in the car, or watching TV.
2. Embrace the plank. The plank is a Pilates move that strengthens your whole core. To do a proper plank, get into a push-up position, lower down to your forearms, engage your stomach, and be mindful to keep your booty at the same level as your shoulders. Hold this position for as long as you can. In time you’ll be able to hold a plank for longer and get a stronger stomach.
3. Rotate it. Doing side planks is one of the best ways to tone your obliques (the muscles on the sides of your stomach) or “love handles”. Start in a regular plank position, then rotate to your left side, and prop yourself up with only your left forearm or hand. Stack your right hip directly over your left hip, and hold your right arm up in the air or rest it on your hip. Hold this position for as long as you can, and repeat it on the right side.
4. Do the bicycle. This move tones every part of your abs, including those tough-to-engage inner abs. Lie on your back, bend your elbows, and place your hands under your head like you’re getting ready to do sit-ups. Raise your legs and bend your knees to a 45-degree angle. Then move your legs as if you are pedaling a bicycle. When your right knee comes toward your head, touch your left elbow to it, do the reverse on the other side, and repeat until fatigued.
5. Crunch on an exercise ball. Simply doing crunches on an exercise ball instead of the floor makes you engage more ab muscles and keep your torso tight throughout the exercise. For even more of a challenge, bring your feet closer together to target oblique muscles.

Source

• http://www.medhelp.org/healthy-living/slideshows/15-Moves-to-Lose-Belly-Fat/23/11

About the author

Jen Matz

Jenilee Matz, MPH is a Charlotte, NC based blogger and freelance writer who specializes in women’s health, fitness, and chronic disease prevention. In previous roles, she was a staff writer for myoptumhealth.com and a health communications specialist at The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When she’s not writing, Jenilee can usually be found running, attempting yoga, cheering on the NY Giants, eating cupcakes, or spending time with her husband, son, and black lab mix.