When it comes to leading a healthy lifestyle, there is no doubt that what you put into your body on a regular basis is going to have a huge effect on how you feel, what you look like, and just how happy you are. A lot of people eat junk food because they do not care enough about themselves to stop. In order to start shaping your body and becoming healthier, you will need to develop a certain level of self-discipline which will allow you to do what you have to in order to get healthy and stay that way for good.

By getting a regular amount of exercise on a daily basis, you will be able to stay healthy and feel good as much as possible. Those who exercise regularly are on average healthier and happier than those who do not. If you do not already belong to a gym, you should really think about joining one. A simple gym membership will allow you to start getting in shape and becoming healthier than you ever thought possible. Even though you may want to improve your looks as well, being healthy should be your top priority.

1. Eat as a snack. An apple a day keeps the doctor away, right? Well, an apple (or apricot) a day is a delicious, healthy snack. Keep a basket of fruit at your desk to enjoy for a quick afternoon pick me up.
2. Use in baking. An apple or an apricot pie is a wonderful after-dinner dessert. Grab a case of fruit at the grocery store during the month and then bake away. Bake a pie, tort, or even a layered dessert, all with the delectable fruits.
3. Use as medicine. Yes, it’s true. Apricots can be used in medicine. Apricot seeds are actually used as an herb in alternative herbal treatments, especially in Chinese medicine. Want your skin to shine? Try an apricot scrub.
4. Make jam. These fruits, especially apricots, make delicious jams. Make a batch to eat now and then freeze some jars to use later on in the year.
5. Dry the fruit. Dry apples and apricots in their pure form to crate dried fruit that can be used in trail mix or granola bars. Makes a great snack, plus, it helps the fruit last longer.
6. Make a caramel apple. If you haven’t had enough sugary sweets from the holiday season, dip an apple in a pan of melted caramel for a yummy treat. Then, top with your favorite morsels like chocolate chips or walnuts.
7. Create a drink. Apples work wonderfully in drinks of all kinds. Move beyond the traditional apple cider and try chai spiced cider, an apple shake, apple smoothie, or even an apple punch.

About the Author: Greg Buckskin gets his exercise playing in the Utah mountains. He writes for CableTV.com.

Let’s begin with proper diet and good nutrition. Here are five tips for eating healthy in college:

1. Don’t skip meals. How many times have you heard this line but kept on doing otherwise? Eating regular meals will keep your body healthy because regular food intake is essential in stabilizing nutrient and energy levels. When you eat regularly, you can avoid taking unnecessary meals. Make it a habit to eat breakfast everyday, especially before you go to school. Fruit, milk, and whole grains are good sources of fiber, protein, calcium, and vitamins to start your day.

2. Eat the right food. A college student like you needs to meet daily vitamin and mineral requirements to stay fit. Why not try to eat iron and vitamin B rich food to fuel your brain cells? You can try some red meat, cereals, spinach, and other green leafy vegetables which are full of iron. You can also add some whole grains, eggs, and nuts which are rich in vitamin B. Fish and peanuts are also good sources of nutrition.

3. Take in whole food items. Whole food items such as bananas, carrots, and apples are rich in vitamin C, fiber, minerals, and beta carotene. So make it a daily habit to include these foods in your diet.

4. Eat fruits and vegetables. Fruits are good sources of sugar so when you’re always on the go, try to munch on some fruits to boost your energy. Natural sugars in fruits are better than other sweets such as chocolates and candies. On the other hand, you can also try some power vegetables like spinach, lettuce, bell pepper, sweet potatoes, and broccoli to boost your immune system.

5. Learn how to prepare healthy foods. Finally, you can eat your way to a healthier body by getting simple recipes for healthy foods. When you have time, you can practice making your own healthy meal.

As you can see, there are some great ways to become more active, as well as healthy throughout your college years.

Whether you’re looking for the most important college school supplies or you’re interested in finding your first student credit card, FindCollegeCards.com, can help you out.

This is a guest post.

The internet renounced Wikipedia describes running as “a means of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot.” The average person associate running with a time consuming, daunting task that they feel that they have to do to lose those extra packed on holiday pounds. Some people call themselves ‘runners,’ and actually enjoy running and do it for fun, as well as, a variety of other reasons. There are many benefits of running which include, weight loss, better general health, disease prevention and social benefits.

Step 1: Start Running

There are many different factors that motivate people to start running. Have you put on a few extra pounds since college, or maybe you want to get in better overall shape or you just signup up for your first race. One thing about running, you don’t need to break the bank, chances are you have the goods already at home. First thing is first, you need to get a good pair of running shoes, so head down to your local running store and get fitted for a decent pair of running shoes. Most people have a pair of gym shorts and an old tee shirt. Check out the runner’s 101 for a ton of good tips how to get started. A word of warning, DO NOT try to set out for a six mile run if the last time you laced up a pair of sneakers was 10 years ago in high school. That will most certainly result in an injury and will deflate your motivation faster that you can rip those sneakers off when you get home. You know yourself better than anyone, so you know if you can run or ten minutes or if that is way out of the question. Be sure to avoid these 5 biggest fitness mistakes and that will help you stay away from injuries.

Different Running Surfaces

There is no ‘best surface’ to run on and no one type is better than another, but each person has their own personal preferences. The three main terrains to run on are the treadmill, road, and on the trail. Here is a further breakdown of each one.

Treadmill Running: Some benefits of treadmill running is you are in a climate controlled building, watching old episodes of Mash and rocking out on your iPod either at home or the local gym. You don’t have to worry about being too cold, too hot, rain, sleet or snow, but let’s be honest running in place for too long gets boring very quickly. I might recommend an audiobook or an attention keeping TV series to watch while you hammer out those treadmill miles.

Road Running: Hate being stuck indoors and LOVE getting some fresh air? Then running through the neighborhood or around the city is for you. There are cracks, curbs and roots popping up through the sidewalk which add an interesting variable to your run. Want to add an extra challenge into your run, plan out a route that has a few hills in it, which is not hard to do in San Francisco.

Trail Running: There is a natural progression from road running in trail running. If running, ducking tree branches and jumping over exposed roots sounds more like your thing then trail running is for you. Trails are great for pushing your running to the next level and really challenge you both mentally and physically because it will make your body work a bit harder to balance because of the unpredictable nature of nature. There are shoes made for trail runnings they have extra texture and nubs to increase your traction in dirt or mud. Be sure to bring a water bottle, insect repellant, and a flash light or head lamp to keep the trails and your path well lit.

Health Benefits

The end all weight loss tip: You need to burn more calories than they take in. Running burns a solid amount of calories making it a great way to lose weight. The quick calculation is one pound of weight loss you must burn 3,500 calories MORE than you eat. If you run a 10 minute mile, or 6 mph, for 30 minutes you can look at burning 350-400 calories. That won’t get you all the way to your 500 calories, but if you spend half your lunch hour, or 30 minutes for you mathematically challenged, that will burn you 150-200 calories. Those two exercises combined will send you dropping the pounds by the week. If you want to take a day off be sure to ramp up your runs to 45 minutes or hour.

Running will not only shrink your waistline, but will increase your overall heath. Running can help fight disease, prevent muscles and bone loss by keeping you and your body moving. Running helps improve your bone density in your hip and legs which will reduce your risk of osteoporosis and will strengthen your muscles, but not make you bulky like a bodybuilder. Running is also an amazing way to relieve and reduce stress because nothing clears your head like a nice run. Less stress can help eliminate your depression symptoms and will help you sleep better.

Social Benefits

Running stores in most cities have clubs, which is a great way to get in some fun runs and meet some new people. Nothing keeps you more honest with yourself than when other people count on you to meet up with them. Some clubs are labeled ‘serious’ clubs meaning they are doing some seriously long runs, intervals and meet ups. If marathon training isn’t your thing you might want to look out for a ‘casual’ running group which take the runs a bit slower and some even stop for beer afterwards. So join up with the right running club for you and who knows you might make a new friend or two.

If you need an extra push or motivator to keep you going search for a local 10k race and sign up. Post that you are running on Facebook and Twitter to hold yourself accountable to yourself, your friends and family. Any benefits that we missed or want to tell us why your started running? Be sure to let us know in the comments!

This is a guest post.

The best thing you can do when you are trying to take care of yourself is to eat right and have a balanced nutritious diet. You will definitely need to think about which foods are going to be best for you, because you will want to avoid anything that will inhibit your health in the slightest. It might also be a good idea to take vitamin supplements if you find that you are not getting enough of a certain something through the food you eat on a regular basis.

With all of the different healthy living tips you have to follow, it will be important to carefully review them so you will be able to make the necessary changes to your own life. You will also need to make sure that you are getting enough exercise on a regular basis, because this is one very important part of staying healthy. There are lots of different ways to exercise so you can stay in shape, including playing sports, going to the gym regularly, or just jogging around your neighborhood. It will be absolutely essential for you to consider as many different ways of staying healthy as possible, because the more you have the better your chances will be of staying healthy.

Set a sleep schedule

Your body needs a schedule. Even when you are caught in the chaotic day-to-day routine that can develop around the holidays, your body may still keep a schedule of its own. When your daybook doesn’t match your body’s internal schedule, however, you can end up very tired. Going to bed and waking up at the same times each day will fix this problem. This sleep schedule means you will feel tired when your body hits the pillow, and won’t be lying in bed waiting to fall asleep or be feeling tired while you’re still trying to finish the tasks of the day. You will also be ready to wake up when your alarm goes off in the morning.

See the light of day

Your body’s circadian rhythm is regulated by light. If you spend most of your day in a poorly lit office building – or just simply inside – your circadian rhythm is probably already off. When daylight savings time begins in the winter, this can be further affected because the sun sets earlier; depending on where you live within a time zone, you could be drastically affected with a 4:00 sun set. Spending at least an hour in sunlight each day can do wonders to help fix your circadian rhythm. If your schedule is busy, try walking or biking to work or for your lunch break. If you really cannot fit any extra sun-time into your schedule, consider buying a very bright lamp for your desk – even this can help!

Exercise

When you are already tired, exercise is likely the last thing you want to do! However, the end result is a huge raise in energy thanks to the hormones that start flowing. Thirty minutes of morning exercise can still help you in the afternoon. Over the long-term, you will cut down on lethargy and, chances are, you’ll be happier.

Watch your food intake

Five small meals really are better for you than three large meals. While it may be a strange change to make to your diet, the benefits are worthwhile. Three standard meals give you three bursts in energy as your body receives nutrients. However, the meals are typically spaced throughout the day in an unhelpful way. Breakfast and lunch are close together, while dinner generally happens close to bedtime. This means you may have a sinking spell after lunch and then be energetic at night. Five small meals spaces out your food intake lessening the chance of overeating and meaning your energy level may stay even throughout the day.

Liz Childers stays alert throughout the day by making sure she always eats breakfast and takes an exercise break from work in the midafternoon. Drowsiness has such a negative affect on work performance, so she considers these things important. Liz works from home writing for a birdhouse supplier and seller of Spyderco knives.

So, we all know that fiber is great for our health, but how can we get enough of it? Here are a few simple tips to help you add more fiber to your everyday diet:

1.  Choose Brown Carbs over White Carbs

This is a simple rule of thumb that can help you make an easy choice between whole grains and refined carbohydrates. When you do your grocery shopping, opt for brown rice over white rice, choose whole wheat pasta over traditional pasta, and purchase whole grain bread over white bread. There might be a small price difference between these items, but the small added cost is definitely worth your health. If you do a lot of cooking with flour at home (bread, rolls, pizza crust, etc), choose to use whole-wheat flour over refined white flour, or if you prefer to keep the taste same, choose to use half whole-wheat flour and half white flour. Not only will these choices provide you with more fiber, but because they provide your body with more nutrients, you will probably eat less and stay full longer.

2. Re-Vamp Your Breakfast

Eating a wholesome breakfast can really set the tone for healthy eating habits during the rest of the day. A lot of people have strong preferences in what they have for breakfast, and a lot of that depends on how much time is available to eat in the morning. Even if you’re dead-set on keeping cold cereal as your breakfast staple, you can still make healthy choices that are high in fiber. Instead of choosing cereals with high sugar content and virtually no other nutritional value, opt for more whole-grain options like frosted shredded wheat or bran flakes. There are even specific brands that specialize in producing high-fiber cereals, so you could also try those as well.

If you’re open to trying something completely new for breakfast, consider hot cereals like rolled oats or steel cut oats. Combined with fresh fruit, this can be a great high-fiber option that will keep you full until lunchtime.

3. Snack Smart

Most snack foods on the market are considered “empty calories,” as they provide little nutrition for the amount of calories they contain (think soda, potato chips, crackers, etc). The next time you get the urge to munch, try making simple substitutions like fruits and vegetables instead of sugary, salty, or fatty snacks. If you’re fighting a sweet tooth, opt for raspberries, strawberries, and apple, or a pear, as they all have high fiber along with other valuable nutrients. If you’re looking for something crunchy and/or salty, try carrots, celery, or broccoli.

Guest author, Erika, is a nutrition guru and loves educating people about how to make healthy lifestyle choices. Erika works as a freelance writer for Davis Vision, one of the leading providers of cataract surgery and LASIK in Utah.

Keep hydrated

Dehydration causes a myriad of problems, whether you are pregnant or not. Morning sickness, one of the most common pregnancy signs in the first trimester, makes dehydration more likely. Even without morning sickness, many women don’t drink enough clear fluids. Staying hydrated lessens your chances of being constipated, having diarrhea (yes, really!), having those horrible pregnancy headaches, and even of suffering from water retention (edema). Lots of expectant moms have swollen ankles due to edema, and while it may seem counter-intuitive that drinking more makes water retention go away, proper hydration really does relieve edema. Heartburn, too, can be caused by a lack of hydration.

Natural vitamins and minerals

Every pregnant mom is advised to take a prenatal supplement containing all the vitamins and minerals she needs. This advice certainly makes sense in a world where most peoples’ diets don’t meet all their nutritional needs, but the real thing is still better. Besides eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and consuming foods from all major food groups, sipping herbal teas can give you a great boost in vitamins and minerals. Nettle leaf tea, for example, is rich in iron, calcium, potassium and sulphur. And you’ll also find vitamins A, C, D and K in there. Great stuff!

Regular exercise

Yes, we know that you know pregnant women should exercise regularly. But we’ll mention it anyway, because regular exercise helps with much more than weight loss after pregnancy. If you are in shape, you may be setting yourself for an easier labor and delivery. Exercise – especially a workout that you really enjoy – alleviates stress, which will be good for you and your baby. And if you spend time outdoors while exercising, there are even more advantages; higher levels of vitamin D, a lower chance of depression, and sometimes even relief from such pregnancy ailments as morning sickness and headaches.

Choose your healthcare provider wisely

Having the right healthcare provider is extremely important – and this refers to both the medical and the personal side of things. Research your prenatal care options and interview several healthcare professionals before you make your final choice. Depending on your wishes and your pregnancy, this may be a high-risk OB, a homebirth midwife, a family practice doctor, or anyone else you feel comfortable with. As long as you have done your research, you will make the right decision.

There is no one “recipe” for a healthy pregnancy, and complications do happen sometimes. Usually, having a good dose of common sense – and honoring your intuition – is all that is needed to get through those nine months successfully and healthily.

Olivia blogs about women’s health at Trying To Conceive. If you are trying to get pregnant, her free ovulation calendar can help you track your most fertile days.

In an attempt to save the bread basket, I like to prepare a few “healthy” dishes each year—so that if I indulge in them, I won’t feel quite as bad. If you can relate to this feeling, read on for a few of my favorite healthy holiday recipes. Having a few healthy alternatives available and practicing self-control will lead to a delicious holiday season—without the food-hangover the next morning.

Chestnut Soup

This creamy, delicious soup is high in protein and vitamin C and an excellent source of fiber and iron. So you can enjoy guilt-free. Be sure to purchase peeled chestnuts, not candied chestnuts which are used in baking.

Ingredients:

-          One 7-8 ounce jar roasted chestnuts

-          2 cups vegetable stock (watch the sodium count when deciding what to buy)

-          1 onion, chopped

-          2 carrots, peeled and chopped

-          2 stalks of celery, chopped

-          1 cup whole milk

-          Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.      Saute the onion in butter until soft. Add broth, chestnuts, carrots, and celery.

2.      Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes, or until carrots are soft.

3.      Let the soup cool, then blend or puree in food processor.

4.      Just before eating, whisk in milk, then reheat. Do not let the soup boil.

5.      Add a sprinkle of fresh or dried cranberries if you like.

Aunt Ellen’s Green Beans

This super simple recipe was introduced to me by my lovely (and also health-conscious) aunt. Substitute this baby for the green bean casserole and save yourself hundreds of calories.

Ingredients:

-          1 lb fresh green beans

-          2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

-          2 Tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard (or your favorite tangy mustard)

-          Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.      Trim green beans—a great task for little helpers.

2.      Fill a bowl with ice water, set to the side.

3.      Cook beans in a large pot of salted boiling water just until crisp-tender; about 3-4 minutes.

4.      Drain beans and transfer to ice water. Drain well in colander and pat dry.

5.      Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat. Saute the green beans with mustard and salt and pepper to taste, stirring until heated through; about 4 minutes.

Apple Crumble Bars

This fabulous recipe was adapted from one of my favorite food bloggers, Chocolate Covered Katie. Forget the apple pie, these delicious bars are always a hit. Plus at about 120 calories a bar, you can afford to have two!

Ingredients:

-          1.5 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (or white flour, spelt, or oat flour)

-          ½ teaspoon baking powder

-          ¼ teaspoon salt

-          ½ cup brown sugar

-          1 Stevia packet

-          1 ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

-          ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons cold vegan butter (I suggest Smart Balance Light for a low-cal version)

-          2 tablespoons nondairy milk (I like almond milk)

-          2 cups peeled, chopped apple

-          2 teaspoons cornstarch

-          3 tablespoons maple syrup

-          1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.      In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, Stevia, cinnamon, and butter. Break the butter up well so that small crumbles form.

3.      Scoop 2/3 of the dough into a 4 x 7, oiled glass dish and press down firmly.

4.      In separate bowl, stir together remaining ingredients.

5.      Layer the apple mixture on the dough in the dish. Top with the remainder of the dough and press down slightly.

6.      Bake for 45 minutes.

7.      Store uncovered for a crispy crust. If you prefer a soft crust, cover completely with saran wrap.

Enjoy the holiday season, one bite at a time!

Guest author, Maggie, truly is a self-described health nut and loves cooking up delicious healthy alternatives to traditional foods. Outside of the kitchen, Maggie is a writer for a discount socks supplier, specializing in athletic socks—which come in handy for her other passions, running and biking!

By changing your diet and including more foods like fruits and vegetables as well as cutting out sugary junk foods, you will begin to look and feel better. There is no doubt that most people do not eat the way they should and the reason they continue to do so is because the effects of these foods are not instant, similar to cigarettes. You will need to consider what some of the long-term effects of your current bad habits are, whatever they may be. When you do this, you will be able to summon up the strength to quit whatever destructive behaviors you are indulging in and quit them for good.

Perhaps one of the primary benefits of healthy living is a longer life. When you do something like change your diet for the better or quit smoking, you are potentially putting years more onto your life. It is extremely important to make certain that you do everything you can to live as long as possible, including taking a close look at what some of your own bad habits are right now so you can change them. Another very important of healthy living is making sure you are happy and have the right outlook on life as a whole, so make sure you are always thinking positively.