February, the month of love, is also American Heart Month. Heart Disease is the number one killer of women and cardiovascular disease (which includes a number of conditions affecting the heart) is the leading cause of death for both women and men. While the statistics are dire, the solutions are definitely doable. Read more to see the top five ways to improve your heart health...

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner we thought it only fitting to focus this blog on showing our hearts some love with an article on heart healthy exercises. Our hearts are constantly working for us; it’s time for us to give back.

BMI: three simple letters that can mean so much. BMI stands for Body Mass Index and it’s becoming a universal health screening method. Understanding what exactly BMI measures, the reliability of BMI results and how to interpret those results, will go a long way in providing the information you need to take steps to improve your health.

 

The key to losing weight, and keeping it off, isn’t some secret potion or magic pill. The way to lose weight is by breaking bad eating habits and in exchange, adopting good ones. Despite promises by many advertisers, losing weight isn’t a quick fix. Losing weight (and keeping it off) is about establishing a common sense approach to healthy eating and exercise. It’s about changing habits in a way that is achievable and sustainable over the long haul.

Water is amazing! Water can reverse the signs of aging, increase energy level and improve your overall health. In fact, water may be the single most important nutrient in our lives. Every system in our body depends on water from removing waste, to regulating body temperature, to lubricating joints, to name just a few. But, not only does water play a vital role in our general well being, it’s also a key... 

 

It was the holidays, you were traveling, whatever the reason, the result is the same: it’s been awhile since you’ve worked out and getting motivated to start exercising after a break is difficult at best. But, you can get back into an exercise routine, no matter how long your break has been. It may not be easy, but it will be worth it.

Every year we do it. We tell ourselves we won’t. But we do. We make a New Year’s Resolution to lose weight, eat better, exercise or live healthier and then we break it. But this year can be different. This year, you can be resolute with your New Year’s Resolutions!

Dashing through the department store trying to find those last minute gifts you realize you forgot to pick up the dry cleaning and you still have to mail those cards and…the possibility of fitting in some exercise now, during this crazy holiday season seems impossible.

Unfortunately, fitting in exercise is often our last priority during the party-celebration-eating extravaganza that is the holiday season. But it shouldn’t be. Exercising is critical...

Lose weight while being social? Doesn’t seem possible. Especially now during the holiday season, it’s hard not feel like you have to choose: stay on the diet or be social. And many times instead of forcing ourselves to be bombarded with temptations, we choose to skip the party. But there’s no reason to lose your social life while losing weight. With a little planning and some tactical maneuvers, it is possible for you to lose weight while being social.

Imagine a food so powerful that it can help you lose weight, reduce your risk of cancer, make you look younger, strengthen your bones and has even been purported to even help you live longer? Imagine if this food tasted good, was readily available and relatively inexpensive. No need to imagine, it’s a reality and they're called...

Now that Thanksgiving is over, it’s officially the holiday season. And you know what that means…it’s inevitable, there’s no way around, of course you’re going to gain weight over the holidays. Wrong. It’s not a done deal. There are ways to avoid holiday weight gain. With some preparation and conscientious effort, you can buck the trend and not gain weight this holiday season.

It started off innocently enough: just a small taste of some leftover Halloween candy. And then a co-worker brought in some cookies and you had a sampling, and then there’s that party next week… 

How can you stay dedicated to your diet through the holidays? 

We all know how important exercise is to your overall health and weight loss efforts, but what about when it starts to get cold? Can you stay motivated and moving when it’s cold outside? Yes you can! Just because Jack Frost has started nipping at your nose doesn’t mean you need to be forced inside or give up your exercise routine. With just a few precautions exercising outdoors in the cold can be quite fun and beneficial...

Consider all the places you eat: home, restaurants, at friends’ houses, maybe even your car? Opportunities to thwart healthy eating are everywhere! But if you take the time to plan ahead you’ll be better able to handle the situation and won’t succumb to last minute temptations or just the (perceived) exhaustion of planning out a meal. Meal planning may seem like a daunting task but consider the benefits...

Life is busy. You barely have time to pick up your Diet-to-Go meals in between running errands, work and well, just life. If the thought of exercising on top of it all is just too much, don’t fret. There are easy ways to sneak in exercise every day. And the good news is, you don’t have to spend hours at the gym or run 10 miles a day to reap the benefits of exercising. You just need to...

We can't digest it, and it passes through our system without adding any nutritional benefits, but we still need it! We're talking fiber. Fiber is one of the most effective weight loss weapons out there. And chances are, you’re probably not getting enough.

Portion sizes have become huge! Over the last couple of decades the portion sizes of everything from pasta to hamburgers to bagels have doubled (sometimes tripled!) in size. And countless studies have shown that the bigger the portion size, the more we tend eat. We need to stop. The problem: We can’t control our portions if we don’t know what a proper portion size is.

You knew it was coming. It starts with the pumpkins, some hay bales, and then before you know it…it’s everywhere. Candy. Giant bags of candy everywhere you turn. And it’s all at irresistible prices. I mean, who can pass up a 5-pound bag of candy corn for only $1.50? The allure is overpowering. It’s almost Halloween and Halloween Candy is upon us, and that’s just plain scary when it comes to our diet. But it doesn’t have to be that way. This year you can...

Ooh imagine it...hot, salty French Fries or what about warm, gooey chocolate brownies, just out of the oven…are you suddenly hungry? Or are you just craving them now? Can you tell the difference?

We often confuse these terms -- hunger and craving -- but there really is a big difference between the two. And, before you can get your weight under control (and keep it there) you need to understand the difference between them, how to identify when you’re experiencing one or another, and manage your responses accordingly.

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