8 Super Snacks to Try This Year

If you've been struggling with the "no eating between meals" rule, you're in luck: in recent years, that diet myth has been debunked. Snacks are important, especially when are active or trying to lose weight. Go too long without eating, and your blood sugar will drop. Your stomach will rumble. You'll get grouchy--and you'll turn into the cookie monster (or the chip monster or the "will eat the first thing I find" monster).
However, it's easy to fall into a snack rut. If you're tired of eating the same old snacks, you'll love today's "Stuff We Love" list: I'm sharing some new-to-you foods you might want to swap into your snack rotation this year.

I keep snacks in my purse and car at all times to ward off hunger-induced grouchiness and overeating. Believe me: I'm a mild-mannered yogini and health food lover when I'm fed regularly, but when I am starving, watch out! I get cranky and will eat anything in sight!

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Tune in to SparkPeople Radio for Weight-Loss Support

If you haven't checked out SparkPeople Radio, now's the time! We've been on the air just since November, but this on-demand show is already a hit. Each week, hosts Lily Hills and Karen Hudson share the latest and greatest stories to help you become healthier and happier, with interviews from SparkPeople members and experts.

We launch a new show each Tuesday morning, but this radio show is available anytime, anywhere--and you can listen to all the episodes whenever you want. No matter where you live (even outside of the US), you can always tune in to SparkPeople Radio! Plus, you get SparkPoints for tuning in. (Find details at the end of this blog or at www.sparkpeople.com/radio)

Here's what we've been talking about lately on SparkPeople Radio:

Worst New Year's Resolutions
SparkPeople sure does love New Year's resolutions, but not all goals are created equal. Find out which goals aren't worth setting, and how to ensure you'll stick with your resolutions all year long.

Your Guilty Pleasure Foods
After SparkPeople Dietitian Becky Hand wrote about her love of Ho-Hos while mourning the demise of Hostess confections, Lily and Karen decided it was time to divulge their own guilty pleasure foods. Tune in to find out why you shouldn't feel guilty after all.
 
Fitness Gadgets: Gimmicks or the Real Deal?
Did you get a fitness gadget this holiday season? Thinking of buying new equipment to get in shape for 2013? Don't spend a single cent until you learn how to spot a gimmick.

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The 11 Worst Foods of the Year

Fast food and chain restaurants have evolved significantly over the last few years. Burgers, fries and sodas are still the status quo for many diners, but those who seek healthier foods have plenty of options, from fruit and yogurt parfaits and baked potatoes, to apples cut like fries and grilled chicken. Trans fats have been reduced and eliminated; lowfat milk, fresh fruits and vegetables grace the menus at even the most ubiquitous roadside eateries; and more companies are disclosing nutritional information.

Despite those changes, fast foods menus remain dichotomous: Healthy choices reside next to triple-stacked burgers and extra large fries.

We've rounded up 11 of the worst foods we've seen this year.

Stay far, far away from the foods listed below, and instead select from the plentiful healthy choices at each of the restaurants included in this article.

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The 10 Worst Foods of the Year

If 2009 was the year of cutting back, 2010 was the year of adding on, at least when it came to food. The year's top catch phrase: More cheese, please!

On menus from Taco Bell to the Cheesecake Factory, cheese was piled on, in several varieties. Melted, fried, sandwiched, stuffed and slathered on anything and everything, it's safe to say that, if you're eating these foods, you're meeting your dairy quota.

We've rounded up the worst new foods of the year and compiled some fun fitness facts to help put these caloric monstrosities in perspective!

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21 Light Beers to Toast with This New Year's Eve

Updated by Melissa Rudy, 12/27/16

3-2-1, Happy New Year!

If you choose to toast the New Year with a cold one, pick a beer that's not going to weigh you down. Beers vary in calories, so choose one of these lighter versions (all servings are 12 ounces):

1. Bud Select 55: 55 calories
2. Miller 64: 64 calories
3. Beck's Premier Light: 64 calories
4. Michelob Ultra: 95 calories
5. Busch Light: 95 calories
6. Natural Light: 95 calories
7. Amstel Light: 95 calories
8. Miller Lite: 96 calories
9. Yuengling Lager Light: 99 calories
10. Corona Light: 99 calories
11. Heineken Light: 99 calories
12. Budweiser Select: 99 calories
13. Keystone Light: 104 calories
14. Coors Light: 104 calories
15. Labatt Blue Light: 108 calories
16. Bud Light: 110 calories
17. Bud Light Lime: 116 calories
18. Sam Adams Light: 119 calories
19. Michelob Light: 122 calories
20. Natural Ice: 130 calories
21. Bud Light Platinum: 143 calories

How to Read a Beer Label

The nutritional information on a beer label is more or less the same as what you'll see on food packages and non-alcoholic drinks. At a glance, you can see the number of calories, fat grams, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, sugars, protein and various vitamins and nutrients.

You may also see some non-nutritional information, including ABV (Alcohol by Volume); IBU (International Bittering Units, which indicates the volume of hop resins in the beer); FG (Final Gravity, which measures the density of the beer); Plato (a measure of the amount of fermentable sugar); Lovibond, SRM or EBC (indications of the beer's color); and the bottling and expiration dates.

Not a Beer Drinker?

Get some ideas for slimming down cocktails and learn which high-calorie drinks to avoid at all costs, and sip on some suggestions for diet-friendly alcohol choices. 

What to Consider Before Drinking

• Just because a beer is "light" doesn't mean it has less alcohol than full-calorie beers. The alcohol volume will vary by brand, so be sure to check the label.
• The effects of alcohol last longer than you may think. In most cases, the liver processes approximately one ounce per hour.
• Coffee doesn't magically erase the effects of alcohol. The only "cure" for intoxication is time.
• The CDC warns that drinking excessively can have dangerous short-term and long-term risks.
• Always drink responsibly. Choose a designated driver or call a transportation service if you've had too much to drink.

Happy New Year from all of us at SparkPeople!

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The 25 Best Blogs of 2012

This is one of my favorite times of year. As editor of dailySpark.com, I get to take a look back at what our readers are into and what they're not. Today I'm sharing the top 25 most-viewed blog posts in 2012! Some of these are oldies but goodies, and others are new this year. All of them are sure to interest you!

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5 Minutes to Less Stress

Are you feeling tense? Do you suffer from back pain or stiffness? Whether you're an experienced yogi or a fitness newbie, whether you can touch your toes or are very inflexible, this 5-minute yoga-inspired stretching routine can help you unwind anytime of day or night.

You don't need any equipment, and, as long as you have a floor you can kneel on, you don't even need a yoga mat. Since it's just five minutes, you can even do this in your regular clothes.

If you're spending a lot of time in the car this holiday season, give this routine a try! For your convenience, I not only provide detailed instructions below, but I also created a printable, downloadable, pinnable graphic for you (scroll down!)

Child’s pose:

Starting in a kneeling position.
 
Keep your knees together but separate the feet and allow your bottom to rest on the floor. Roll your calves away from your thighs (use your hands) to help you get comfortable.

For a deeper stretch:
Sit back on your heels, shins together, tops of the feet pressing onto the mat. (Place a rolled-up towel between your heels and hips to ease this stretch.)

From here, start to lower to the floor. Your belly will rest on or between your thighs, and your forehead will reach towards the mat. (Place a towel or a yoga block under your forehead if it won't reach the floor.

Stretch the arms alongside the body, with the fingertips facing the toes, to stretch between the shoulder blades.

TIP: Roll your forehead back and forth across the mat with your arms along your sides to help alleviate sinus congestion.

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Listen Up! The Latest and Greatest from SparkPeople Radio

Thanks for making the first month of SparkPeople Radio such a successful one! If you've been listening regularly, thank you! (And please share your feedback with us.) If you haven't tuned in yet, what are you waiting for?

This radio show is available anytime, anywhere, and you can listen to all the episodes whenever you want. No matter where you live, you can always tune in to SparkPeople Radio! We launch a new episode each Tuesday--and you get SparkPoints for tuning in. (Find details at the end of this blog or at www.sparkpeople.com/radio)

Here's what we've been talking about on SparkPeople Radio in the last few weeks:

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40 Ways to Lighten Up a Holiday Party Menu

Wondering what to make for your upcoming parties and special occasions? Need a new brunch dish, a sweet treat for a cookie exchange, or something special for the holiday meal? Look no further than "The SparkPeople Cookbook"! With more than 160 mouth-watering recipes and hundreds of additional meal ideas, tips, and tricks for adding flavor while cutting fat, this book is a healthy hostess' best friend.

Today we're sharing some of our favorite holiday recipes from "The SparkPeople Cookbook." You can take a sneak peek at a few of them, but the rest are available exclusively in the cookbook. But because 'tis the season of giving, we've also rounded up Chef Meg's favorite seasonal appetizers (including a brand-new one), plus a money-saving entertaining tip!

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7 Ways to Ward Off Holiday Stress

Stress comes in infinite forms, and this time of year, it's hitting us on all sides. Be pro-active and take steps to reduce your stress level, integrating some of these products into your daily routine. Whether you give these to someone you love or treat yourself, we think you'll start to enjoy the holiday season a little more!

New Acupressure Roller Wood Foot Massager Stress Relief: We have thousands of nerve endings in the bottoms of the feet, so it's no wonder that a foot rub feels so good, especially at the end of a long day! When there's no one around (or no one willing around) to give your feet a rubdown, grab one of these and start rolling. Your feet thank you in advance.

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Listen While You Spark with Our New Radio Show

As you might have seen--or heard--by now, SparkPeople has launched our own radio show!

We're excited to share with you SparkPeople Radio, a premium on-demand radio show that lets you listen to our latest and greatest content anytime! This is unlike anything we've done before, though we have done radio interviews in the past. This time, we have our OWN SHOW, designed with you in mind! WooHoo!

Here's what people are saying so far:

"I listened yesterday and LOVED it. I am addicted to podcasts, so this one will definitely go on my playlist. Thanks."

"I'm excited about this! The SparkCoach videos have really been helping me to keep motivated every day and my daily work commute is just about an hour long. It'd be perfect to stick this broadcast on my iPod and listen on my way to work.
Cool idea! I look forward to the 10 minute segments (good call on that, I'd never be able to do the full hour at once)."

"I tried this last night. I love their upbeat talk and information! Thank you SP."

"I had never been very interested in talk radio as most "talk shows" cover very dull topics, are filled with trivial nonsense, or have such monotone, dry commentators that I can't keep the peepers open.

NOT SO WITH SPARKRADIO!!! I really enjoy listening to Lily and Karen - what great ladies!!! I have a little over an hour commute - just the perfect time to fit in a show (or most of one at least).

I love that the episodes are broken into smaller segments for the times that I don't get to hear the entire show, I can just pick up at the last segment. The downside, now I want more than once a week programming - the upside, at least as a digital version I won't be wearing out the tape re-listening to my favorites!! ;-)

Lily and Karen -- Welcome!!! Thanks for being so positive, energetic, sincere, and enthusiastic while presenting relevant, important topics!!

SparkPeople -- Thank you for adding such a wonderful element to your great program!!!"

About the Show
We have paired with some of the best in the business--this is a partnership with ERN (Entertainment Radio Network), where we are working with veteran TV and radio host Alan Taylor and the former head of ABC Radio, John McConnell, who launched ESPN radio! Plus, we have brought on two fantastic hosts who are also SparkPeople members.

Best friends, authors and empowerment experts Lily Hills (above, right) and Karen Hudson (above, left) are the energetic and inspiring hosts of SparkPeople Radio—and SparkPeople members. This lively duo delivers a weekly mental tune-up as they bring you an hour of SparkPeople Radio that is enlightening, empowering, and entertaining. Learn more about Lily and Karen (those links go to their SparkPages, so leave them some comments!). They are fun!

Here's a quick video that they taped to share with all of you:

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8 Creative Ways You Can Squeeze in Exercise

Do you find it hard to sneak away from your desk, your family, or your other obligations to squeeze in a workout? I certainly do, especially when it comes to strength training.

But then I was sidelined by back pain yet again, along with a couple of other minor ailments. I knew I had to get serious about strength training in addition to my yoga, running, and other workouts. (Coach Nicole also reminded me that women lose about a pound of muscle every year. Yikes! I'm 31, so that matters to me. I want to be strong and healthy for as long as possible.)

I decided to practice what we preach here at SparkPeople: I squeeze in those strength workouts, even on my busiest days. A few times a day, I step away from my desk for one-minute strength intervals. A wall sit here, a plank there, or some lunges or squats. It adds up! I also schedule two 15- or 20-minute workouts weekly, and stick with them. In just a couple of months, I've noticed a difference in my muscles and, more importantly, my back pain.

That's what works for me, but I'm not the only one who makes time for exercise on a busy schedule. Here's what other SparkPeople members are doing:  

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19 Reasons You Need Yoga in Your Life

When I tell people that I practice and teach yoga, I hear one of two responses from those who've never tried it:

1. "I always wanted to try yoga."

2. "I could never do yoga because I can't (insert physical limitation here)."

My answer is always the same: "You should do yoga!"

It doesn't matter if you can't touch your toes. (I know many a yogi who have never touched their toes). It doesn't matter if you're not flexible, if you're not strong, not patient, not able to sit still. Everyone starts somewhere. Most people who have a regular yoga practice started right where you will--from the beginning. They're not dancers, not gymnasts, and not "yogis." They're just people who wanted to give yoga a try. They wanted to control their breathing, move their bodies, and find even a few moments of peace in this crazy life.

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15 Tips to Feed the Vegan or Vegetarian in Your Life

Vegetarian Awareness Month is wrapping up, but the meat-free mealtime fun doesn't have to end! In addition to giving away 5 copies of our e-book "Easy Vegan Meals by SparkPeople: The No-Stress, No-Guilt Way to Reap the Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet," today I'm sharing tips for anyone who might need to cook for a vegetarian or vegan. With the holidays on the horizon, I hope you find these tips to be of use.

When I wrote "Easy Vegan Meals by SparkPeople," I intended it to be for vegans, vegan wannabes, and those who love them. Don't worry--SparkPeople isn't taking the stance that we all need to ditch meat forever. But with at least 325,000 vegetarians and vegans on our site, we know that many of our members are interested in eating less meat and more plants. We believe there's room at the table for all of us. This book fills a niche, and I wrote it with the SparkPeople philosophy in mind--moderation, no fad diets, and taking small steps along the way to a healthier you.

That said, let's segue into tips for feeding the vegan or vegetarian in your life.

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Stay-Young Secrets From 10 Fit Grannies Who Rock

We round up the week's top stories in health, fitness, and more.

Stay-Young Secrets From 10 Fit Grannies Who Rock (Shape.com) These ladies are older and wiser, and we should certainly follow their lead!
 
Work Life Balance Isn't Merely A Women's Issue (Forbes) This one's a must-read! Says Jan Bruce, co-founder of co-founder and CEO of meQuilibrium.com  and former CEO of Whole Living.com/body+soul: "Work life balance is an issue of best practices for business leaders and innovators. Just as we need empowered and creative work forces, we need them focused and productive, not stressed, tired and overwhelmed. Let’s take this out of the kitchen and recognize that a balanced, resilient entrepreneur has a sharper toolkit for creativity, staying power and success."
 
 
The 10 Worst Halloween Candies for Kids (Womansday.com) Woman's Day talked to nutritionists and dentists to find out which candies should stay on store shelves this season. What they learned about these sweet treats is scary!

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