10 Apple-Inspired Snacks to Help Keep the Doctor Away


Updated 02/15/12 2:05 AM · Posted by · 0 comments

Eating an apple a day may not prevent you from ever having to see your doc, but they are full of nutritional goodness: one medium apple is 95 calories with 4.4 grams of fiber and 195 milligrams of potassium. The high fiber content keeps you full, which helps prevent weight gain, and also keeps you regular, which results in a healthier body. Crunching on an apple is good for your smile because the fruit acts like a toothbrush, cleaning your teeth as you chew.

Another bonus is that apples are supersweet, so they're a healthier way to satisfy your sugar cravings. Here are 10 delicious, good-for-you snack ideas, all made with the goodness of apples.

  1. Shredded apple mixed into plain yogurt
  2. Warm apple toast made with whole-wheat bread, peanut butter, and sliced apples
  3. Apple slices drizzled with honey and sprinkled with sliced almonds
  4. Applesauce mixed in cottage cheese and sprinkled with Craisins
  5. Baked apple filled with raisins, walnuts, and a little maple syrup
  6. Diced apples sprinkled with cinnamon and warmed in the microwave
  7. Apple, peanut butter, and pumpkin stacks
  8. A piece of homemade apple cinnamon cake
  9. Slices of apple paired with slices of Cheddar cheese
  10. Apple chips made with apples, cinnamon, and sugar (using this recipe)

From the Community: The Fab 15 Total-Body Circuit Workout


Updated 02/15/12 1:25 AM · Posted by Fit Community · 0 comments

Reader FitFabCities has a simple 15-minute workout for you — no equipment needed! She shared it with us in our FitSugar Community.

Want to know how Jennifer Lopez, Angelina Jolie, Sofia Vergara, Penélope Cruz, Minka Kelly, and Brooke Burke get their killer curves? Well, their superfit shapes come courtesy of Gunnar Peterson. Gunnar is one of my favorite celebrity trainers, and he’s the go-to guy for actresses, models, musicians, and even professional athletes who count on being in amazing shape for their jobs.

Learn more about this workout after the break!

Debloating Chia Seed Drink From Celebrity Trainer Valerie Waters


Updated 02/15/12 12:05 AM · Posted by · 0 comments

If you've been feeling sluggish and bloated, it's time for a new morning ritual. Celebrity trainer Valerie Waters always starts the morning with this prebreakfast, preworkout drink. It's a simple way to get a jump-start on your daily fiber, omega-3s, and other nutrients, and helps with elimination to keep you feeling bloat-free.

Valerie recommends it to all her clients, famous or not, "I can't tell you how many people said it made such a difference," she says. "Most people don't get enough fiber, and they especially don't get enough fiber when they are cutting carbs, and they're cutting carbs because they eat too much crap and that's where their bad foods are — carbs. When they're on my plan and I've asked them to take those out and focus on vegetables and fruit and sweet potatoes and things like that, I get them to drink this to increase their vegetable intake to bring the fiber back up. It also helps them during the detox period because it helps with elimination."

You'll just need three ingredients for this drink, and don't worry, the coconut water masks the taste of the supergreens. Read on for the debloating drink recipe.

Sugar Shout Out: Jenna Lyons on Sequins, Hidden Talents, and a Manolo Blahnik Collaboration


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Sugar Shout Out: Jenna Lyons on Sequins, Hidden Talents, and a Manolo Blahnik Collaboration originally posted on PopSugar

Flattering Fitness Tops That Hide a Pooch


Updated 02/14/12 8:20 PM · Posted by · 0 comments

Whether you overdid it with late-night snacking, or you're in the awkward early weeks of pregnancy where it just looks like you did, slipping on a skintight exercise top doesn't inspire. If a softer middle makes you feel self-conscious, here are eight fashionable options to keep your belly hidden.

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5 Staples of a Mediterranean Diet


Updated 02/14/12 11:36 PM · Posted by · 1 comment

There are already many proven benefits to following a Mediterranean diet, and now we can add another one: a new study of the dietary habits of about 1,000 people found that the high levels of monounsaturated fats found in a Mediterranean diet may help your smarts by protecting against small vessel damage in your brain. That benefit may help slow cognitive decline as well as prevent strokes.

Past studies have found that following a Mediterranean diet can help lower the risk of heart and eye complications, control your weight, and help you live longer, so there are more than a few good reasons to eat like you live overseas. Read on for five staples of the Mediterranean diet you should be eating.

Sources: Thinkstock, Flickr Users bochalla and Gustty

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