Guess These Emmy Guns!

There was some heavy artillery at the Emmys last night. Bare-shoulder dresses showed off some of the best biceps on some of Hollywood’s hottest stars. Bronzed and buff or slim and peachy, the celebs were out to let their limbs shine on the red carpet. See if you can guess the face behind the guns.   Question 1 of 7 Whose upper arms were cut to perfection? Jada Pinkett Smith Serena Williams Rutina Wesley

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Guess These Emmy Guns!

Minutes to a Healthier You: When the Whistle Blows, Unplug

The Internet seems to occupy a good chunk of my life. As a writer I’m constantly online, whether it be posting stories, doing research, or chatting with colleagues. And on a personal level I have my vices: Facebook, Twitter, and an RSS feed that seems never ending. But in the last month I’ve been questioning the amount of time I spend online; I’m starting to show slight signs of carpal tunnel syndrome , and I’ve been told by numerous friends that I’m on my iPhone way too much - they call it iRude. The point is, I need to slow down. While staying connected is a good thing, being online isn’t the only way to make that happen. Unplugging helps your body recharge , and it lets you reconnect with the world around you. Turning off electronics gives you more time to be active and also gives you more time to focus on the relationships in your life. To make this more of a priority, I have a new rule in my life: when work is over for the day, I turn the computer off. I also leave my phone at home when I’m out with friends for the night. And even though it may sound crazy in this day and age, it’s actually liberating. And more importantly, my friends appreciate it because I am completely focused on the present moment. See if you can challenge yourself to unplug when work is over. Keep your laptop shut off, put your phone away, and go on a walk, take your BFF to dinner, or read a book instead. Let me know how it works for you!

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Minutes to a Healthier You: When the Whistle Blows, Unplug

Why This Reader Thinks Bell Peppers Rock!

Check out this fantastic photo from the OnSugar blog Fit Dish from Ask Fitness Coach . Guess what? Bell pepper-lovers know something you don’t! To learn more about the health benefits of bell peppers and get some great recipes, head over to Fit Dish from Ask Fitness Coach . While you’re at it, start your own OnSugar blog !

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Why This Reader Thinks Bell Peppers Rock!

While You’re at It, Pack Yourself a Lunch

Some of life’s lessons need to be taught over and over again. For me the importance of packing a healthy lunch is one of them. Riding on the back-to-school momentum, I thought I would remind you all (like I was reminded by a dietitian at a mommy and kids Luna Bar nutrition event) to make yourself a lunch. Especially all you mothers out there. Every mother is a working mother. Whether you spend your day behind a desk or behind a steering wheel, all moms need proper fuel to make it through the day. Oh how low blood sugar can make a mom snap! If you’re driving around all day erranding in between drop-offs and pick-ups, soccer practice, and ballet lessons, you need lunch, too - even if it’s not a scheduled hour. When packing lunches for your brood, make a lunch for yourself and keep your freshly packed midday meal with you for when the hunger pangs start. While your palate might be more sophisticated than you kids, you can always fill your lunch box with leftovers from the previous night’s dinner. In a pinch, peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat bread with carrot sticks is better for you (and cheaper) than drive-through. Did you pack yourself a lunch for today? Tell me, what’s in your lunch box?

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While You’re at It, Pack Yourself a Lunch

Food Combination: Good or Bad?

Synergy exists in foods; it is true. Pairing certain foods can make the sum of the meal healthier than the individual ingredients. While some food combinations are best avoided. Take this quiz and see if you know how to combine foods to eat your way to health. Take the quiz

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Food Combination: Good or Bad?

What’s in Your Tap Water?

The age-old question: how safe is tap water? With reports that range from praising the purity of your tap to warning about the possibilities of pharmaceutical-tainted water , do you know the basics of US drinking water? Take this quiz to find out! Take the quiz

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What’s in Your Tap Water?

Tame Your Sweet Tooth With These Tips to Cut Back on Sugar

I know that eating too much refined sugar increases my risk of heart disease , type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke, but it’s so hard to resist sweet treats. If you have a hard time saying no to all things sugar-sweetened and chocolate-covered, here are some ways you can cut down on the white stuff. Don’t go cold turkey. This plan usually backfires and you end up missing the sweet stuff so much you binge on an entire bag of M&Ms. It’s best to limit the amount of sweets you eat gradually. Decrease the amount of sugar you add to foods. Stir less into your morning cup of joe and sprinkle less brown sugar on your oatmeal. Choose one sweet treat per day. Moderation is key, so if you can’t live without a piece of chocolate after lunch or ice cream after dinner, then don’t. Designate one time each day to indulge in a little dessert and limit your sugar intake for the rest of the day. Read labels and watch out for natural sugars. Brown sugar, molasses, Sucanat, and organic sugar are still sugar. Curb your sweet tooth with these other tips when you read more. Say farewell to soda and other sweetened beverages. These sugary drinks are also high in calories, so choose water flavored with fresh lemon or lime, seltzer, tea, milk, or plain water instead. Modify your favorite recipes. I often find that cutting back on the sugar in baked goods doesn’t change the flavor too drastically. Or you can whip up healthy alternatives to your favorite decadent treats such as this Frozen Raspberry Creamy, Dreamy Pie made with skim milk and egg whites instead of cream - the fruit makes it naturally sweet. Choose plain yogurt with fruit instead of flavored yogurt. You’ll end up cutting back on sugar and the fruit offers vitamins and fiber as well. Curb cravings with fruit. Fresh fruit is full of natural sweetness, so the next time you have a cookie craving, reach for a juicy peach, some luscious strawberries, or dried mangoes instead. Have tips that worked for you? Share them below!

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Tame Your Sweet Tooth With These Tips to Cut Back on Sugar

Back to Basics: Protein Quiz

Since it’s back-to-school time, I thought we should review some nutrition basics starting with protein, the building block of life. Use this quiz as a refresher course to see how much protein you should be eating daily. Take the quiz

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Back to Basics: Protein Quiz

What Kind of Workout Avoider Are You?

There are times when even the most diligent exerciser just does not want to work out. Whether it’s yucky weather, sore muscles, or just a bad attitude, there are some days when we’ll stop at nothing to avoid a workout. What kind of avoider are you? Take this quiz to find out. You went to bed with big plans for a 6 a.m. outdoor workout. You wake up and a gross, misty rain is falling. You: Forget it. It’s gross outside, you’ll get blisters from running in the rain, or sick from the cold. Tell yourself you’ll work out after work; the weather will surely get better before the afternoon. Hit the snooze button, only to wake up an hour later feeling like a failure. The mister took your car and you have no way to drive to your spinning class. You: Hit the road on your bike. Missing class will just make you feel awful for the rest of the evening. Sign up online for a class that starts three hours later. He’ll be back by then . . . right? Stay home. You can’t get to class, there’s no use getting upset about it. It’s 5:30 p.m. and every single treadmill at the gym is taken. You have exactly 45 minutes until you have to leave. What do you do? Sweet talk one of the runners into finishing her workout 15 minutes early. You’ll trade your stationary bike for her treadmill. Lift some weights and call it a day. No use waiting around. Realize you should have gotten to work 30 minutes earlier so you could have left 30 minutes sooner and gotten a treadmill. Your usual yoga class has a substitute teacher you just don’t like. You: Suffer through it anyhow. Unhappy yoga is better than no yoga. Skip. There is no way you’re dealing with the sub. Complain that the studio should have notified you of the switch before you hauled it to yoga class. You made plans with a friend to work out together, but you’re just not feeling it and decide to cancel. What’s your excuse? You’re sick/have a migraine/have too much work to finish. You’re so sorry. No, really, you’re terribly sorry. And you hope it doesn’t put her out. You’d rather do it another day. Is that OK? Impromptu afterwork happy hour with co-workers - woohoo! Except you had plans to hit the gym. You tell yourself: One drink - two, max - and you’re in bed early and up early the next day to hit the gym. You have to go to the work event. Your boss will be there. Her boss will be there. You’ll look lame if you don’t show after work, even if it does mean missing class.

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What Kind of Workout Avoider Are You?

Bigger Burn: Running vs. Biking

I love my bike and my running shoes equally. But some days, the open road and the wind in my hair call to me, while other days I just want to feel my feet connected to the Earth. Let’s see how these two compare when it comes to burning calories. Take the quiz

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Bigger Burn: Running vs. Biking

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