P90X: The Benefits of a Home Workout

I graduated from college today! Yay! With that being said, I have been extremely busy and unable to blog (*tear*, but I promise to make it up to you); however, I am thrilled to feature a guest post by John McKiernan. He is a health and fitness writer for Supplement Helper. I've done P90X and it is no joke of a workout, it kicks your butt. His quality post features the benefits of P90X and how it may be your solution to an effective home workout!

Enjoy!

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Reaching Your Fitness Goals Without Leaving Your Home

For many of us, the extra time and money spent on getting a gym membership and commuting to a gym make it an unattractive option, to say the least. Further there is a large population of people that don't like working out in front of other people. There's nothing wrong with valuing your privacy, especially when you’re at a point where you’re not comfortable showing off your body to strangers. And There's certainly nothing wrong with wanting to save some money and time (after all, time is money).

Achieving Total Body Fitness From Your Living Room

Fortunately there are some highly effective workouts that you can do in your own home that touch on every major aspect of total body fitness. Today I'm going to write about a workout program that includes elements of cardio, muscle endurance, strength, flexibility and overall athleticism.

P90X - The Ultimate Personal Trainer

My guess is that you've probably already heard of P90X. This is one of the most popular video workout series for good reasons. One of the most crucial reasons P90X works for people is that you're working with a time-line in place. When working to achieve any goal, setting a time-line will help keep you motivated and on track. With P90X the goal is to transform your entire body in 90 days.

With the P90X videos it's almost like having your own personal trainer. You have Tony Horton telling you what to do every step of the way. One of the main reasons people spend money on personal trainers is so that they can have someone there telling them what to do, when to do it and how to do it. When you have someone holding your hand, it takes the guesswork out of it. That's exactly what these videos do - they take the guesswork out.

Working Out Should Be Fun!

The thing I used to hate most about going to the gym is that it's boring, I'm was doing the same thing every time. I would either lift weights or run on a treadmill. One of the things I realized about fitness over the past few years is that the more exciting you can make it the easier it will be to get yourself to do it - and that means changing up your workouts constantly.

With that in mind the P90X videos includes kickboxing, yoga, Kempo karate, plyometrics, weight training and more. Every workout is like a new fitness adventure. You get to try something new and challenge your body at the same time!

Muscle Confusion - A Recipe for Faster Results

One of the ideas that P90X promotes is a technique called muscle confusion. This means the workouts are always changing, which keeps the body from adapting to one specific workout and plateauing. With muscle confusion the body continues to be challenged every step of the way. With this challenge comes faster and more efficient body adaptation, in other words - a better body in less time.

Have I Done P90X Myself?

Having completed P90X myself I can tell you firsthand that the workouts in these videos are no joke. They are pretty intense and I did have to pause the videos a few times myself so I could catch my breath. This is coming from someone who works out regularly and is in good shape. Although the workouts are a little bit intense for beginner you can always positive videos and take a break whenever you need to, and of course you can do the workouts at any level of intensity that suits you.

An Even Shorter Option - The 10 Minute Trainer

If you're looking for a really short workout, the folks at P90X released a new video series called the 10 minute trainer. It's essentially another version of P90X, but it's only 10 minutes of exercise per day. Although it sounds too good to be true you can actually getting great shape only working out 10 minutes per day. The trick is that the workouts are at a high intensity and they are pretty much nonstop.

Sum It Up

To sum it up P90X is like having a personal trainer guiding you through a total body fitness routine with a preset goal of changing your body in 90 days. And you can do it all in your own home with minimal equipment and no gym membership. I'm speaking from personal experience in writing this review, however I don't have any affiliation with the folks at P90X and I receive no compensation for writing this article. I've simply used the product and enjoyed it. I believe the concepts behind this program are rock solid and the way that it's put together is top notch.

About the Author: John McKiernan is a health and fitness writer at Supplementhelper.com

Guest Post: Jentry Nielsen & How to get Fit for Summer!

I am so excited to feature Jentry's post on my blog! She's a fellow health nut and has been a huge supporter of myself and my blog! I love her writing and you will, too! Don't forget to check out her blog and her great posts about everything health and fitness, she knows her stuff!

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I was so excited when sweet AnderBeth asked me to do a guest post for her, yet very nervous! I absolutely love her blog and did not want to let her down with any ho hum post on her baby here! So hopefully this makes the cut to match your amazing work Ander! J

Now with swim suit season coming rapidly, I’ve been a little more conscious of my body and wanting to make sure I’m prepared. Unfortunately I work a lot and go to school, which leaves little time/energy to get in a work out while still having ample time to hang out with friends and the boyfriend, which is what summers are for right?!

So I thought why not kill two birds with one stone, going on some  fun dates or group activities that get us all a little more active! Better than your typical dinner and a movie date, or card game night with friends, where you are sitting down the entire time!

I came across a fun slideshow from Spark People that had a list of active date nights, but felt a lot of them can be done as groups too. So here’s a fun list of ideas we can all do for either your next date night, or group hangout to get us all moving:

Go Dancing: you can do this as a fun date or group outing! This will help get your heart and blood pumping, plus it’s really fun! Check your communities to see if they offer any fun line dancing or ball room dancing lessons. It’s a fun, active way to learn new moves! Or just turn up the jams at home and bust a move! All of these are going to burn calories for everyone involved!

Go Bowling:  although you don’t move around too much here, it’s still fun and better than sitting down for 2 hours straight during a movie!  Plus you and your friends can dance around to that background music for some extra calorie burn while waiting for your turn! Yes you will probably get stares, they are just jealous! J Just make sure you skip the beer and french fries while you’re there.

Play Laser Tag: laser tag gets you running around like crazy! Get a bunch of friends together for a laser tag game night, play a little competitive boys verse girls. This will get everyone more active and have a fun competition as well.

Play a sport: speaking of competition, play a sport. Play a round of golf, and don’t opt for the cart! Or even miniature golf will get you up and moving around hole to hole. Get a group of friends and play basketball, kickball, or even some ultimate Frisbee. All of these will get you running around, all while getting in some quality friend time!

Game night:  now this is not your regular old monopoly and scrabble game night, this is modern day-in-age game night! With all the technology of game consoles like Wii and Xbox Kinect, there are plenty of games that can get you all moving. One of my personal favorites, Just Dance!

Take a hike and eat a healthy picnic: this will be a great dinner and activity date! You can find a fun hike that leads to a place you can lay out a blanket and take in some healthy eats, all while enjoying a great view. Plus it will allow for more talking and getting to know each other, better than when you are trapped in a theater.

Go to an amusement park: Ever noticed how exhausted you feel after a day at the amusement park?! That’s because you are walking around the ENTIRE time, or standing in line for a ride. Then you’ll sit for only those two minutes of that joyous ride! You’ll have so much fun you won’t even notice all the walking you’re doing!

Go swimming: with all the hot weather you’re going to want to cool off somehow! Go swimming with your friends! Swimming is one of the best exercises for burning calories and getting a total body workout. Don’t just float around soaking in the tan though; to get the full calorie burn make sure you are swimming around with your friends.

So get out and try some of these activities this weekend! Anything that gets you up and moving will beat sitting on the couch any day! Thanks again Ander for letting me post on your blog!

About the Author: Jentry Nielsen is a health and fitness nut currently attending school at Dixie State College for nursing with an emphasis in exercise science. She writes about her passion for health and fitness on her blog Such Good Exercise!

Weekday Veg TED Video

What's better than a hot cup of coffee and some TED? Nothing. Got 4 minutes? (of course you do), watch this talk by Graham Hill on how being a weekday vegetarian can exponentially boost your health!

Happy Thursday!

MARINA MARKET MAIL with packing peanuts!

Last year, I won a contest through a food blog community that I am connected with. The prize was a $25 gift card to Marina Market. If you're not familiar with the company they're located in Washington (the state not the providence) and they sell a hugeeee selection of food products; anything from frozen dinners to international beer to organic chocolate! Check the site out here!

Well, I forgot about my $25 credit and the months rolled on until one lovely March day I had an "AH HA" moment about my memory lapse.  How could I forget about free food... so unlike me. Anyways, I contacted the woman who awarded me the gift card and she was extremely responsive and accommodating; definitely 5 stars for customer service! All I had to do is send her the products that I wanted and my address, easy peasy. I selected some known brands and others that just spoke to me. I tried to buy as much organic as possible; since I have the money then why the heck now.

After I ordered, I waited.

And in less than a week, I GOT MAIL! Packing peanuts and all!

   

I have never heard of CB or his (her?) nuts, but I quickly learned that I love them-- the pistachios and pumpkin seeds are bangin'. 

If you have never has sweet potato chips then shame on you. I highly recommend the bag above. 

How good you ask? You're not going to want to share. 

Raw edamame has been my new passion, but I have never has it roasted.

 I'll try anything once, then twice.

Organic chocolate is a stable in my diet; it would be silly of me not to order a bar. The apple spread was the black sheep of my order. I initially thought: apple spread = apple butter. Wrong. It's more of an apple dip but it's yummy so I'm down.

Don't be a Fatty on St. Patty's

I do not have a drop of Irish blood in my veins, but I love St. Partick's as much as the next Connor O'Connor. Especially after visiting Ireland, I feel I have established roots within its green grasses.

The title of this post is not intended to be as harsh as it sounds... I just liked it because it rhymed; But, there  is a minuscule of true behind it regarding the amount of alcohol consumed. If you're Irish, you drink. If you're not Irish, you drink. St. Patrick's day is essentially an excuse to get a wee bit sham-rocked in a judgement-free environment. It's the day of green beer and good times, so by all means drink away. But, if you're like me.. I (1) don't drink a lot as a rule and (2) don't want to consume 1,000 + of liquid confidence. There is a way to enjoy yourself without while being cautions of your caloric intake. If you're mentality is "it's St. Patrick's day, I don't wanna worry about what I drink" then more power to you, Happy St. Patrick's Day and you'd probably want to stop reading here. If you are trying to enjoy yourself while being conscious of your diet, read on my friend.

Guinness is my beer of choice. It's dark, rick and fills me up. In all honesty, it's not as bad (calorie-wise) as you'd think. But what about the other beers? I present you, my St. Patty's Beer Survival Guide.
I found this on FitSugar, I love the brand and they always have the best health and fitness tips (@fitsugar).


St. Patty's Beer Survival Guide

Brand of Beer	Calories	Carbs (g)	Percent Alcohol
Amstel Light	95	5	3.5
Anchor Steam	155	16	4.9
Anheuser Busch Ice Pale Lager	171	12.5	5.9
Anheuser Busch Light Pale Lager	95	3.2	4.1
Beck's Pilsner	138	9	5
Beck's Premier Light	63	3.8	2.3
Budweiser	145	10.6	5
Bud Light	110	6.6	4.2
Budweiser Select	99	3.1	4.3
Coors	149	12.2	5
Coors Light	102	5	4.2
Corona Extra	148	14	4.6
Corona Light	99	5	3.2
Foster's Premium Ale	160	12.5	5.5
Guinness Extra Stout	176	14	6
Guinness Draught	126	10	4
Harpoon IPA	170	15	5.9
Heineken	148	11.3	5
Heineken Light	99.6	7.2	3.5
Killian's Irish Red	162	14.4	5
Labatt Blue	153	5	5
Labatt Blue Light	111	8	4
Long Trail	163	18.5	4.6
Magic Hat #9	151	14	4.6
Michelob Dark Lager	152	11.8	5.1
Michelob Ultra	95	2.6	4.2
Miller Genuine Draft	143	13.1	4.7
Miller MGD 64	64	2.4	2.8
Milwaukee Best Ice	144	7.3	5.9
Molson Ice	160	11.6	5.6
Molson Light	113	12	5.6
Natural Light	95	3.2	4.2
Newcastle Brown Ale	138	12.8	4.7
O'Douls	65	13.3	.4
Pabst Blue Ribbon	145	12	4.7
Pabst Blue Ribbon Light	113	8.3	3.9
Pete's Wicked Ale	172	17.5	5.3
Red Stripe	151	13.8	5
Rolling Rock Extra Pale Lager	132	10	4.5
Sam Adams Boston Lager	180	18.8	4.9
Sam Adams Light	119	9.6	4
Sierra Nevada Bigfoot	330	30.3	9.6
Stella Artois	154	11.6	5.2

Everyone have a fun and safe holiday! (drink responsibly.)

Full Body Home Work-Out

Hi Everyone! I feel like it's been months since I last blogged. I was recently in Ireland for 10 days and the lack of WiFi and beautiful scenery made it difficult to sit myself down and type (I did post pictures on my new blog if you have a wee bit of free time). AND when I returned, I have been swamped with school work.   So my apologizes, I understand this is a 2-way relationship and I will work harder to do my half of the work. Trust me, it's me not you.

ANYWAYS. Since I haven't blogged in a while, I am anxious to tell you about my morning! I have been getting a bad case of gym boredom. I love the gym but a person can only stair step so much. I needed something to mix up my fitness repertoire.

So, I decided I wanted to strive to be the epitome of self-motivation and work out at home. I have had bad experiences with this and I tend to slack off after rep 2. To silence my inner couch potato, I thought I'd YouTube a workout video to motivate me. I landed upon the Holy Grail of online workout videos.

Fitness Blender is a website that offers FREE full length workouts. There's a ton and you can select videos according to what kind of work out you're looking to do. The videos are easy to follow and I enjoy the male narrator. Plus the video descriptions tell you what kind of exercises are included, the level of difficulty and how many calories you'll burn. This was my morning work out:

At first, you're thinking "psh, I should be teaching this video" but by the end you're whimpering through your sweat (or are those tears?). But in all honesty, t's a great work out and I like how you can mix and match different routines to personalize your own fitness plan. 

I'm sore but it's a good sore, the soreness of champions. Who says you need a gym to sweat it out?

Dontcha Wish your Sauna was Hot like Mine

Tis' the season of chilled to the bone temperatures and pasty white people that blend in with the snow we don't have (hooray for grass!). I can usually deal with the pastiness but I crave warmth. This would be the time of year that I would retreat to the tanning bed to soak in harmful rays while being enveloped in a cocoon of heat. In order to apologize to my skin and forgo a future of skin like cow leather, I've swapped the bed for the underrated sauna room. 

My gym has had a sauna forever and for some reason I've never gone out of my way to experience its hotness. Maybe I was afraid of walking in on topless women or melting like the wicked witch.... the reasons are unknown but I've overcome my fears and met my new best friend.

Saunas are beneficial for your health when used appropriately (Don't stay in longer than 15-20 minutes or you'll melt...). Here are some fun health facts that saunas offer:

Increases circulation  

Your heart rate can rise from 60-70/min. to 110-120/min. in the sauna and body temperature rises as blood vessels expands and circulation increases! 

Breathe, my friend.

Burns Calories

Sweating itself takes a lot of energy therefore converting calories into sweat! 

A positive for looking like sweaty, yet healthy and pretty, pig!

 Skin cleansing 

When deep sweating occurs, the skin is cleansed and dead skin cells are replaced, keeping your skin in tip top condition. Sweat rinses bacteria out of the epidermal layer and sweat ducts, its cleans out pores and flushes out toxins therefore making your skin booty-ful. 

Sweat is your friend.

Body relaxation  

Saunas can relax sore muscles (I go after I work out) and the increased blood flow expedites the body’s natural healing process: soothes an achy bod and speeds up of the healing of cuts and bruises. 

I sometimes call the sauna the "magic box".

Mind relaxation

Saunas relax your body and mind and can help create a better night's sleep.

Sweat on my friend. I love these magic boxes. Actually, I may go right now. K, bye!

The picture above was taken for the sake of my blog. The days of MySpace pictures are overrrrr.

Bubble Tea...health friend or foe?

Oh no she didn't. 

Yes, I did.

I'm re-posting one of my most popular posts.

Bam.

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Bubble tea always seems to attract the same initial reaction from those who have never experienced it. Here's a typical dialogue between an experienced bubble tea drinker and a newbie.


Newbie: What is that? 
Expert: A bubble tea.
Newbie: Uh, what's a bubble tea? 
Expert: *Ahem* ..well it's a milk based or flavored, usually fruity, tea that contains tapioca balls.
Newbie: Hm okay, well, what are tapioca balls?
Expert: They kinda look like black, slimy fish eggs.
Newbie: Uh ew, no way are those going any where near my mouth. *Walks away*

The End.

I agree that tapioca balls are not super appealing and, sadly, have no physical relation to the pudding. They're chewy and contain no true flavor...are you drooling yet? I'm sure you're craving a big bowl of tapioca balls, mhmm. The straws are extra wide in diameter to fit more balls per sip. Need a laugh?, witness a person's first bubble tea. The initial shock of someone sucking tea followed by these chewy, slimy tapioca pearls is priceless.

I am Team Bubble Tea. My friends and I get it all the time. With that being said--I don't wanna kill your bubbly high and turn into Healthy Helga (but I will), but I was curious on how healthy bubble tea really was. I mean, tea is calorie-free and how bad can fish eggs be? I was sad about my findings.

My bubble tea of choice? Pineapple or apple green tea with tapioca balls. I don't get a milk based tea, but if ordered the milk (or non-dairy creamer) is usually not low in fat or calories. Then if you choose a fun flavoring (pineapple!) they are way high sugar content. Now the most depressing part: the "bubbles" are pure starch, they are made from cassava roots (looked that one up). Maybe their starchiness was common knowledge but for some reason I thought these balls would be made of some magical, low-calorie ingredient.  Tapioca pearls can have over 200 calories per serving (yikes!), and the tea houses I've been to are not light on the balls. They are actually pretty generous with their balls, so beware. So what was once thought of as an innocent, fun loving tea (see picture above) can rack up to over 500 calories depending on size, flavoring, and ball count.

Sigh. So another disappointing experience where something so delicious isn't so healthy. To have your tea and drink it, too?, opt out of the tapioca pearls. If you really can't part from them (and who wants ball-less tea?), then resist adding a sugar flavoring and keep it plain and simple...or just decrease your size from a medium to a small. Too attached and can't make any modifications to your bubble tea order? Well, just like everything else that isn't technically good for you, it's okay in moderation. You may not get a full serving of fruit (sorry V8), but I don't see an issue with an occasional bubble tea, I actually support it. Go balls out (or in?). 

Guest Post: How to Make Delicious & Healthy Meals

Woohoo, my first guest post! I'm always excited when fellow foodies reveal themselves and share their thoughts. I want to thank Brett H. for her great article and interest in Eat Simply. Live Healthy.

Interested in writing a guest post? Shoot me an e-mail, we'll make it happen!

Enjoy!

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How to Save the Foodie from the Health Freak: 

Making Delicious Healthy Meal Plans

Yes, we all know that eating healthy is better for you in the long run. But following healthy meal plans seem to imply that you have to give up your love for food, the joy of tasting and savoring, that post-bite bliss. Indulging in fatty foods bogs down your system, causing heart complications and high blood pressure. No arguing with that. But why is it that health food is so darn bland? It doesn’t have to be!

There are tons of ways that you can make food both healthy and delectable. And the best part is, you don’t have to be a chef of have hours at hand to prepare the meal. Here are some easy ways to eat healthy, while jazzing up the same ol’ diet routine.

1.     Balance your Meals

Try and make balanced meals when you cook. This means that every meal should include an array of foods, like fruits, veggies, grains, protein, and dairy.

Take steak and fries, for example. This classic combo only gives you starch and protein, providing your body with a limited array of nutrients. Instead of eating an enormous portion of steak, limit your intake to about 2-3 ounces. Trade in those fatty fries for a bit of whole grain pasta and some string beans. String beans can be easily “jazzed up” with clove garlic, shallots, parsley, ground black pepper, salt, and a couple drops of olive oil. This combo of spices complements the steak and brings out its flavor. Now, you have a dish that includes a mouthwatering steak and equally delicious side dishes at a fraction of the calories. Not too shabby!

2.    Know your Portions

So your meal-balancing is going well and you’ve completely given up heavy, fatty foods. But then, someone in the office brings in fast food for lunch and your stomach starts to growl. Loudly. Or another person gaily exclaims, “That was a piece of cake!” and you suddenly feel the urge to drop everything and order a slice of tuxedo cheesecake at the nearest restaurant. News flash: you don’t have to give up the good stuff when you’re eating healthy. When you get cravings, grab a friend and split the piece of cake, thereby cutting your calorie intake in half. Smart. Also, moderate the finger foods. Instead of digging straight into the bowl, put the number of chips you want to eat straight onto your plate, that way you can see exactly how much you’re eating. Also, try taking smaller bites of your food. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that chewing for 9 seconds resulted in “significantly less food intake than quickly chewing for just three seconds.” 

To better control your intake, know your portion sizes. For example, 1 oz. of meat is about the size of a matchbox and 3 oz. of meat is about the size of a deck of cards. You should never eat more than three ounces of meat in a serving. If you’re feeling really ambitious, invest in a scale. This way, you can accurately weigh out each portion to better count your calories.

Just keep in mind: you can still savor your favorite eats, just don’t overdo it!

3.    Get in the Kitchen

Have you ever heard the expression, “Eat to lose weight?” Well, maybe it should be changed to “Cook to lose weight.” When you cook at home, you can not only better control your portions, but you can ensure that the food you’re eating isn’t loaded up with tons of butter, oil, and other fatty additives. Maybe instead of going out for pizza with the family every Friday night, you should cook something at home. Change your traditions to include eating in, rather than dining out. You can also learn new recipes to liven up your old diet routine. Try experimenting with different spices and colors. A colorful dish is not only visually appealing, but it contains lots of different types of nutrients. For example, yellow fruits and vegetables contain beta-carotene and vitamin C, whereas blue and purple fruits and vegetables include zeaxanthin, resveratrol, and fiber. Trade in that iceberg lettuce (snore) for some deep purple eggplant, butternut squash, or red peppers. These yummy vegetables can stand in for you typical starch. Instead of going out for Italian and ordering lasagna, prepare a dreamy eggplant parmigiana. Try this recipe, which is quick n’ easy, taking only 45 minutes tops.  

Not only will eating in save you money, but it can also save you time. Taking aside a Sunday afternoon to cook a homemade meal will provide you leftovers that will tide your kids over for the next few days, saving you from having to think about what to prepare for the next meal.

Still skeptical? Try it out. If it doesn’t “pan out” (pun intended) then your cynicism is reaffirmed. But what do you have to lose, except the lbs.? Give these healthy meal plans a try and make a system that works best for you. Who knows? Maybe it will turn out to be a “piece of cake.” 

Maggie goes on a Diet: Childhood Obesity

When I was a little girl, I was never a twig. I ate Happy Meals, but I was a three sport child so I was always active. I never thought twice about what I ate, and my parents never shunned my eating habits. I was a happy and healthy tomboy. I will never be petite; it's not in my genetic make-up, and you know what?..that it A-OK with me. I admire my tree-trunk thighs and strong calves, they complete me.

Of course, everyone has a few body parts they'd like to shrink or enlarge, but I'm lucky to have grown up in an accepting and supportive family environment. But I stop to wonder: if my parents were judgmental during my "heftier" years, would my self-image suffer?

There is a semi-new, contraversial children's book titled, Maggie goes on a Diet. Maggie is an overweight, insecure, little girl who resembles Pippy Longstockings. The book describes her journey to a healthier life-style with the help of exercise and a hard-working mentality. The crazy thing is that the book is being marketed to youth as young as four. Four! I think if a four-year-old is overweight (minus genetics), then the parents are responsible for the unhealthy life style not the children. A child isn't going to say "No mother, I don't want a Happy Meal; it will go straight to my hips." No!, they're gonna be like "Hell yeah, I want those fries and Transformers toy". 

At the end of the book, Maggie is a skinny soccer star. The book is basically telling children that they have count calories to be successful. Skinny = Popular. Fat Maggie = Sad. Skinny Maggie = Happy. I understand the concept the book is trying to make, but it's not the child's responsibility to take that initiative...it's the parents. A four year old is not going to pick up this book and instantly enroll in Weight Watchers. The key is living a healthy lifestyle because diets are often short-lived and unsuccessful.

It's the family's responsibility to raise their children in an environment where health is valued and not a value-meal.
   

Stevia: The Sweet Superman

When looking for something to spruce up my coffee or tea, I am a victim of no calorie sweeteners. It's a fact that sugar imitations like Sweet n' Low and Splenda aren't good for you, but it's so hard to avoid them when you want something sweet without all the calories. I love agave nectar on my oatmeal and greek yogurt, but a few squirts can add at least 80 calories (or more if you have a mouth full of sweet teeth like moi). Plus it's processed and high in fructose (70-80 %). If you don't want to give up agave, like me, look for products with 30-40% instead.

The Sugar Imitation Villains (yeah, we're on to you)

Ugh, I feel so stuck in my non-sugary sugar options. Can the health gods answer our prayers? Well, they may have. It's a bird! it's a plane! No, it's Stevia! Yay...finally a natural, zero calorie sweetener to save the day!

If you've seen the Truvia commercials with the cheesy jingle, that sweetener is only partly made of the Stevia plant. 

*FUN FACT ALERT* 

Coke and Pepsi just got the green light to use Truvia instead of Splenda (sucralose..bad!) to sweeten their diet drinks. Thumbs up for a slight step forward in making soda kinda-sorta healthier; I actually am really excited about this because I also am a huge victim of diet sodas. Sigh, no one's perfect.

The question on everyone's mind (or perhaps not) is: what exactly is a Stevia plant? Well, I Googled it and it's a plant from South America whose leaves are 30x sweeter than sugar; many companies are starting to use it because of this. It looks like any other plant you'd see outside, but hopefully it can be the sugar superman to beat all the imiattional villains.

Hm, now what to do with all those Sweet 'n Low packets? 

Here's an idea:

Have a Sweet Hump Day!

Not all Calories are Created Equal

I follow Eat This, Not That (they have awesome healthy eating tips daily) on Twitter and this tweet caught my eye. It's from Men's Health Magazine but its health information can apply to men and women. After reading this article, I realized I was pretty calorie clueless and am now incorporating more protein into every meal. Enjoy and let me know what you think! The Truth About Calories

Click to Enlarge; I hope my body is a Corvette...Vrooom

Recommendation: LUNA Bars

I love Luna bars--no, not boozing on the moon or moon pies (though they do come in equally delicious flavors). These nutritional bars are focused towards women because they include the DV of folic acid (good for when woman are ready to pop out babies), and other essential nutrients and vitamins that are geared towards females.

The equivalent of a Luna bar for a man = Clif bar. I steal bites from my boyfriend's and they're scrumptious (don't worry ladies, you won't wake up with a beard or a penis--I actually like them when I'm outdoors-ing).

All of Luna's different flavors kinda make me feel like the women in the Yoplait commercials-- Where she's on the phone with her friend and yakking about all these mouth-watering desserts in her fridge: strawberry cheesecake, apple turnover, key lime pie...which we sneakily find out are yogurts (to her husband's poor dismay)!

In all seriousness, I vote Luna. They are so yummy (I recommend Blueberry Bliss and Dipped Chocolate Coconut) and less than 200 kcals! So that's my Luna pitch, and I'm enjoying one right now (Iced Oatmeal Raisin, if you were curious).

 I'm over the moon for Luna and you should be, too! Over and out.