So you think you’re finally ready to give up all the refined grains and sugars and opt for eating bacon 24/7? We’re kidding about the bacon, but going low-carb may in fact be a great solution for your weight loss. 

Dreaded, feared and unfortunately, pretty much inevitable: the weight loss plateau. You know the story; you’re doing great, losing weight, feeling fantastic and then…bam! You’re stuck. No matter what you do, the scale does not move. Weight loss plateaus, they are the worst! But what exactly is a weight loss plateau, why do they happen? And more importantly, what can we do to get past them?

Total wellness expert Alicia Kirschenheiter says women should embrace weight training rather than turn and run scared for the cardio machines.Weight training will not leave a woman looking like a muscular freak. When done properly, weight training wll help you slim down, tone up and get healthier!Check out the 10 reasons you may want to put down that cell phone and pick up a weight.10 Reasons Women NEED to Lift WeightsIn the past few years there has been a barrage of information regarding the importance of strength training for woman, yet whenever I have introduced the idea to any of...

Dieting doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing proposition. So the next time you slip and scarf down an entire package of Girl Scout cookies or a carton of ice cream, don't throw in the towel, give up and gain back the weight you've lost.You wouldn't trash your car just because you got a dent in the fender, right? So why should you abandon your weight loss goals over a single moment of diet debauchery?Author and registered nurse Linda Spangle knows why we are so quick to call it a day and dive back into overeating. "Whenever you say, 'I...

EDITOR'S NOTE: Guest blogger Cynthia Parrott is a busy working woman who manages to find the time for fitness, diet and the writing of great advice for health-conscious women."Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: On purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally." ~Jon Kabat-ZinnLast week I shared with you some thoughts on mindful and mindless eating. We learned how to understand our relationships with food by being mindful of why we eat, when we eat, and what we eat.We eat when we are not hungry, and when we are nervous, bored or frustrated. We use food as...

When you hear the word core, what comes to mind? Abs? Lower back? Obliques? If you thought one or more of these answers, you're partially right. Basically, your core comprises all the muscles that are responsible for moving and stabilizing the trunk or spine.Simply, your core is your body without arms and legs. If there's any weakness in any muscle of this system, your core is compromised.I hear all the time about people who have strong abs, but a bad back. One of the reasons is because they do 5,000,000 crunches a day and neglect the other muscles of the...