Food Showdown: Banana Chips vs. Chocolate Raisins

Editor's Note: We are excited to announce that SparkPeople's popular "Food Showdown" feature now has a new home here on the dailySpark! Every Saturday, we will be posting a different round of food duos to battle it out in a survival of the healthiest.Try to guess which food is the best choice and check after the jump to see if you picked the victor! Be sure to let us know what you think of Food Showdown, and to share your ideas for future food comparisons in the comments section below. Happy reading!

People will add all kinds of things to fruits and veggies to disguise their natural flavors and make them more appealing. Canned fruits stew in corn syrup, dried fruits are covered in sugar, and these two popular snacks are no exception. Banana chips. They look healthy and aren't super sweet--basically fruit, right? What about chocolate-covered raisins? Raisins are nutritious and chocolate can be healthy in moderation, but how are they together? One of these snacks is masquerading as healthier than it is.

Can you pick the low-fat winner?

Are You Using Your Foam Roller Correctly?

If you've ever used a foam roller, then you probably have a love-hate relationship with it (I know I do!). You love it because it works, but you hate it because it hurts. I liken it to a good massage. When you're "rolling out" on a foam roller, it hurts so good.
 
For those who have never massaged their sore or tight muscles with a foam roller, here is a series of videos I created to teach you the ropes!

Great Excuses to Not Work Out

I've heard every excuse in the book and even tried some of them myself. Exercise…who needs it? You do! Here are some of the best excuses ever to skip a workout. Let's see how great they really are!
 
I'm in horrible shape.
That may be true, so if that's the way you want to remain, don't work out today. People who are in shape get that way by exercising. Regularly. No, they were not born with six packs.
 
I don't like it.
I don't like a lot of things—flossing my teeth, waking up to an alarm, paying bills—but I still do them. Be the mature grownup that you are and do the things you know you should or have to do even if you don't like them. A lot of things worth doing aren't always fun or enjoyable. (And hey, if I can learn to love vegetables, you can learn to love/like/tolerate exercise.)
 
I can't afford it.
Your body is yours and moving it is generally free unless you want to get all fancy. Here are 25 ways to get fit for $25 or less (many of them free), plus over 50 free workout videos. Better yet, just get out the door and walk.
 
I don't want to mess up my hair.
What is really more important: How your hair looks or how your body looks, feels and performs?

Cut Your Workout Time in Half

How do you fit in the ideal amounts of cardio, strength training, stretching, balance exercises, and core training—without living in the gym?
 
Well, you could do multiple workouts a day: cardio in the morning, Pilates at night. Strength training the next day and a yoga workout before bed. Or you could do one long workout per day, such as 30 minutes on the elliptical followed by 30 minutes of full-body weight training (stretching each time, of course). While both of these options will work, they also take a whole lot of time. And when "lack of time" is No. 1 on the list of excuses people cite for not exercising, I'll give you one guess how far longer, more frequent workouts will get you.
 
How about we all start working out smarter instead of harder? When you combine the right elements of cardio, strength-training and flexibility into a single workout, you're in and out of the gym in half the time—and still getting the results you crave.

How to Design Your Ideal Workout Plan

You know that exercise improves your health and helps with weight loss, but if you're an average Jane or Joe (aka not a certified fitness coach or trained exercise physiologist), your best intentions may not be enough. What exactly should you be doing anyway? How do you know what exercises to do? How long should you exercise? How often? What types of exercises are best? Before you even set foot in a gym, you are feeling like a fish out of water. For many people, not knowing what to do is a big barrier to doing anything at all.
 
You don't have to hire a trainer to think like one—or to get started with exercise or even create your own ideal workout plan. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

Reviews of SparkPeople's '28 Day Boot Camp' Workout DVD

When SparkPeople approached me about creating the 28 Day Boot Camp DVD you’ve been hearing so much about lately, I was excited of course! I love creating workouts (with you in mind!) and shooting videos for the SparkPeople.com. It’s one of the highlights of my job and such and enjoyable experience. When you work so hard on a project like this, you fall in love with it and you hope that others will love it, too. How couldn’t they? Don’t they know how much time and effort was involved and that you think it’s great?
 
Well, unfortunately I’ve learned that not everyone will love what you do, and some can be really negative and hurtful in their comments. When we released one of SparkPeople’s first DVDs, some people went out of their way to criticize me (not my workouts, but my appearance). And then of course I’ve seen countless comments on our YouTube workouts doing the same over the years.
 
28 Day Boot Camp is our biggest DVD to date—professionally produced (I got the real star treatment!), widely distributed in stores nationwide, and sent out to countless writers, reporters and bloggers in hopes they’ll write about it for the masses. It’s reaching so many more people that I’ve been bracing myself for more harsh reviews since day one of this project. I would second guess everything during the process—the exercises, my cueing, what I wore—just thinking about all the things others could find “wrong” with it.  Two things really saved me from going crazy as I anticipated what others might think about the DVD (and me):
 

1. I reminded myself that my intentions were good and pure. I was trying to help people and spread a positive and healthy message. Some people may find fault in the way it was executed, but I shouldn’t let it get to me because I did the best I could. I suppose I’d rather get some backlash by putting myself out there and going for it than never try for fear of how I might be perceived.
2. I remembered the quote a member shared with me years ago that I still remember today: “If someone else has a problem with you, it’s their problem, not yours.” This is such great and comforting advice!

The Easiest Motivation Technique You Haven't Tried Yet

When it comes to goal-setting, I’ve been around the block. I’ve been setting all kinds of goals since I was just a kid. But these days, most of my goals are health and fitness related: Run a half marathon (did three last year), score first place in a race (so proud of that one!), cross experiences on my bucket list (like the Krispy Kreme Challenge and hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon), grow more of my own food each year (my garden continues to expand), etc. I also set a lot of career goals, and I’ve had a lot of fun and interesting successes in that area, too (hello self-on-a-shelf in Target stores!).  I figure I’m a goal-setting, goal-getting machine. When I set my mind to something, I work hard and I make it happen.  
 
In late December last year, I still hadn’t decided on any new goals for the 2012, so I went to a free goal-setting workshop hosted at my local Lululemon store for some ideas (I know, I know as if I needed more reason to bask in their delicious clothes). I didn’t expect to have any epiphanies during this hour I spent writing down ideas and talking with strangers about my goals. But sometimes, inspiration hits you in the face when you least expect it.

Making an Exercise DVD: The Good, the Bad and the Sweaty

The new SparkPeople: 28 Day Boot Camp DVD is on Target shelves nationwide right now. It's glossy and new and ready to whip your butt into shape if you're willing to let it. It's hard to imagine that the process of creating this DVD started almost a full year ago! Just last summer, I was on a set in New York City filming these boot camp workouts, a process that was fun, challenging and interesting to say the least.

Here are some of the good, the bad and the sweaty things I experienced during the two-day video shoot.

You Asked: What's the Best Diet/Fitness Program for Weight Loss?

There are thousands of diet plans available these days, and there are just as many different workout programs. The trendy diets and workout plans of the past couple of years (think Paleo, Dukan, the 17-Day Diet, hCG, PINK, P90X, Insanity and more) will rise, peak and fall just like the popular diet and workout plans of the past. There will always be a new, trendy diet or workout plan. As different as they all may be, they all have one thing in common: They promise to be "the program" to help you take off the weight. But can they all be telling the truth?
 
As a health and fitness professional, the question I get asked most often revolve around my opinion on other diet or fitness programs.

SparkPeople's '28 Day Boot Camp' DVD is Here!

I am beyond thrilled to announce the nationwide release of SparkPeople's newest workout DVD 28 Day Boot Camp. This DVD is specially designed to get you better results in less time, which makes it perfect for anyone with a New Year's resolution to get fit or lose weight. These fat-burning workouts offer endless variety so you can keep your muscles guessing and avoid exercise burnout. These never-before-seen workouts are unlike any of the videos I have created for SparkPeople to date and feature 100% all-new exercises that you won't find in our existing video library! The DVD includes four full-body, fat-torching routines (from 12 to 30 minutes long) that each show three intensity levels for beginner, intermediate and advanced exercisers.
 
Want to learn more about the workout segments and where you'll find the best deal?

31 Real-World Tips to Reach Any Resolution

If you're like most people, you've been reflecting on your life as of late and looking forward, setting new goals and envisioning where you want to be in the future. If you've set some goals for 2012, great! That is the first step to making your dreams become a reality. But you may not be sure just how you're going to take the steps necessary to bring those goals to fruition. That's OK. I've got some help for you.
 
Behavior experts say that it takes about one month to form a new habit, and many people try to create (or break) habits at the start of each year. With the right attitude and focus, you can stick to your New Year's resolutions and achieve long-term success.
 
Here are 31 smart goal-setting tips that will help you do exactly that.

Follow SparkPeople on Pinterest!

I have a confession. I am obsessed with a website that isn't SparkPeople. com. I think about it during the day. I visit the site before I go to bed each night. I even had a dream about it once. Don't get me wrong, I love SparkPeople and would recommend it to anyone for all of your healthy lifestyle needs, but I have a new flame. It's name is Pinterest. I could waste spend hours a day looking for cool ideas and pinning the ones I stumble upon on Pinterest. Sometimes I do! Pinterest has changed my online world for the better.
 
Those of you who have a Pinterest account probably "get it." Those of you who have no idea what Pinterest is are probably scratching your heads and saying, "Huh?"
 
Allow me to explain.

Stuff We Love: The 'Body Groove' Workout DVD

So you think you CAN'T dance?

Do you feel like most workouts don't work for your size or physical limitations?

Or maybe you simply don't like to follow structured workouts like classes or DVDs?

I promise you that this DVD will change that. It's the most innovative workout I have ever seen. Ever. I don't use those words lightly, and I've never used them before today.
 
Misty Tripoli's Body Groove: Delicious Dance DVD belongs in every exerciser's collection. Whether you love to dance or hate it. Whether you're super fit or just starting out. Whether you have mobility issues, physical limitations, or are the epitome of health. Every single person can enjoy and benefit from this DVD. Find out why everyone who has tried it at SparkPeople loved it so much—including one tester who (formerly) hated dancing and workout DVDs in general!

8 Fitness Trends and Predictions for 2012

The last few decades have brought so many changes in the fitness industry.  When VCRs became affordable, the first home exercise videos (thanks, Jane Fonda!) revolutionized the way people worked out. Aerobics even inspired fashion trends in the '80s. Fitness has become such a part of American culture that gym-based fitness programs like Zumba and Spinning are household names, even among people who have never set foot in a gym.

The fitness industry is ever-evolving with new faces, concepts, and workouts. That's great news for exercisers who are interested in establishing a lifelong fitness habit—and those who are just getting started—because it allows you to explore countless options to find what really does work for you and keep you excited about exercising.

Here are the workout trends I'm predicting you'll see more of in 2012.

Habits of Healthy Eaters: Don't Make Extra Food

Next week will be the fourth time that my husband and I host our families at our house for Thanksgiving This year, I'll be cooking for 15 guests—a new record! I like cooking and I tend to make the same Thanksgiving dishes each year: rosemary roasted sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, steamed green beans, garlic mashed potatoes, homemade stuffing from whole-wheat bread, honey-glazed tofu, whole-grain couscous with pumpkin seeds, and of course, turkey (courtesy of my mom). We usually have a beautiful seasonal salad, too, and small amounts of fixings like cranberry sauce and gravy. And don't forget the dessert! I make pumpkin pie from scratch every year (starting from an actual pumpkin!), my sister will usually make a baked apple or pear dessert, my sister-in-law will make some gluten-free cookies, and my mother-in-law brings her delicious rice pudding.
 
It can be a challenge to cook so much food for so many people in my tiny kitchen, but I think it's fun. I see it as an opportunity to show my family members that you can eat healthy over the holidays and still eat plenty of delicious food! No one ever complains that the bread we serve is whole-grain or that the bulk of our sides are vegetables.
 
But one holiday tradition I don't believe in is stuffing yourself like a turkey!
 
Just as I work out on Thanksgiving and other holidays, I treat holidays like any other day when it comes to food. That means practicing moderation when it comes to what I put on my plate and how much I eat of it.
 
But whether you make all the traditional Thanksgiving foods or you try healthier versions of the classics like I do, one thing we could all benefit from is making less food. Here's why.