Four great healthy recipe websites

I recently asked my friends, clients, and family what their favorite healthy recipe websites are.  I enjoyed reading everyone’s responses and chose four sites that I believe have the tastiest, healthiest and most unique recipes. Here they are:

Cardio exercise is very important for your body whether you want to lose weight, build muscle, or improve your health. The object of cardio training is to improve the body’s ability to utilize oxygen efficiently by increasing your heart rate throughout the workout.

The good thing about cardio is that there are plenty of exercises to choose from, many of which do not require special equipment. The best cardio exercise is simply the one that you enjoy and will commit to doing. Keep in mind, however, that if your goal is to lose weight, some exercises will expedite your results faster than others. I’ve picked a few of the most effective calorie burning cardio exercises, in no particular order. So read up, and get ready to sweat like crazy. (All calorie estimates are from shapefit.com.)

I’m sure you know all about holiday weight gain. Don't we all? It's the dreaded, seemingly inevitable extra pounds that pack on from Thanksgiving until New Year’s Day. But why indulge in high fat foods and gain extra pounds when you can instead consume those same holiday favorites, but made with a healthy twist? Here are two of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes that have been reinvented to include healthier ingredients. Rest assured, the taste has not been compromised.

Beginning or getting back to an exercise routine involves more than just scheduling your workouts and joining a gym. Exercise should be incorporated into your daily routine like eating, sleeping, and taking your morning shower. It shouldn’t be something you do only when you want to drop a few extra pounds or prepare for a 5K race. Sticking with your goals requires a few mental tricks to help keep you moving, focused, and motivated. The information below may help you stay on course when your motivation starts to waiver. Remember, the result is worth the effort.

Holidays should be a relaxing and joyous time, but you need to be mindful of what the stress of traveling and disruption to your schedule can do to your body. In order to stay healthy and fit during the holidays, you need to have a plan and stick to it. The following are some of my favorite health and fitness tips for dealing with holiday travel: 

You've been trying to eat less sodium—just a pinch of table salt on your baked potato and a dash on your scrambled eggs. But a pinch here and a dash there can quickly add up to unhealthy levels of sodium. Many processed and prepared foods already contain lots of sodium, and it's these foods that contribute the most sodium to your diet.

In 2006, I participated in the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) Physical Fitness Coordinator Program. I trained with some of the top federal government trainers who introduced me to some of the most effective exercises that both law enforcement and military personnel use in their basic training. These two exercises are considered compound movements because they work several muscle groups at the same time.

As we get older, many of us become more and more concerned about tightening up our triceps. The triceps brachii muscle (Latin for "three-headed arm muscle"), which is the large muscle on the back of the upper arm, is responsible for extension of the elbow joint (straightening of the arm). Here are some of my favorite exercises that I believe are both effective and challenging for toning up that area.

Running and/or walking a 5K race (3.1 miles) is an excellent goal to work towards because you’ll receive lots of motivation, as well as a sense of accomplishment from completing a race. Even if you're a couch potato, you can be ready for a 5K in a fairly short time.

After Halloween, the number one request I receive from my personal training clients is “how can I get rid of my Jack-o’-lantern belly?” First, throw away any candy that is easily accessible and will be hard to resist, especially when you are feeling hungry and vulnerable. Second, burn those unwanted calories with cardiovascular exercise, for at least 20 minutes, three times per week. Lastly, add strength training to your workout, which will tighten up and tone your muscles.