If you want to keep from getting sick one of the best ways is to wash your hands frequently. Also, keep the surfaces that you touch frequently clean and free from germs. Your telephone, cell phone and computer keyboard are surfaces you should clean every day if possible.

Research shows that bacteria thrive on computer keyboards. In one study, keyboards had 52 times more bacteria than doorknobs. These microbes can survive as long as 24 hours.

Experts recommend two simple ways to fight back:

Wash your hands frequently – Use warm water and soap, scrub for 20 seconds, and rinse well.

Clean your keyboard – Disinfecting wipes can kill more than 95 percent of bacteria. The effect lasts for up to 48 hours.

So this is not the kind key board cleaning you do with compressed air and q-tips but a simple wiping down of the keyboard with a disinfecting wipe. Make sure the wipe is not too wet or you may damage your keyboard. You may want to consider wiping down your cell phone, ipod and other electronic devices you use frequently.

There are so many diet apps out there, how do you choose the best one? Well, checking out reviews is one way. So, here is latest review on best diet apps. One of these apps even helps you find an online diet buddies if you need one. Dr. Oz mentions in his weight loss tips that support is very important if you are trying to lose weight, so an online buddy may be just the thing for the busy woman. Certainly the success of Weight Watchers groups has given us proof that having a support network for weight loss really works.

Livestrong Calorie Tracker - Livestrong.com has gone mobile with the Calorie Tracker. Record what you eat from a database of 625,000 foods, then check out more than 2,000 exercises to calculate how many calories you need to burn to reach yoiur goal.

Cost $2.99 go to: livestrong.com/calorie-counter/mobile
for iphone, iPad, Blackberry

Fit Pro-sport and diet – Great for fast-food lovers. This database covers options from Wendy’s Taco Bell, pizza hut, Popeyes, KFC and others. Exercise info. is included.

Cost $8.99 Go to appworld.balckberrry.com/webstore/content/5029
for BlackBerry

Calorie Counter by Fatsecret – With a food diary to record what you eat, a calorie database of supermarket brands (use the barcode scan to download nutritional info), and an exercise tracker, this is one of the most complete programs available. It automatically syncs to fatsecret.com where you can search for recipes and find diet buddies to connect with.

Cost: Free go to: fatsecret.com/connected
For Android,iPhone,BlackBerry, i Pad

One of our readers commented that she recommends Diet2Go Mobile App. She says ” the app helps me not to forget about my meals and it’s good support and the community is very helpful. Diet2Go is also a free app.

Here are five trends for fitness that were described in our local paper. Some of them such as “time efficient fitness” seem perfect for the working woman. Also discussed are “boomer fitness” which is described as an “ageless” approach to exercise. I think that means it will help us hold on to what we’ve got.

Technological Advances –

Expect to see more innovative fitness video games, such as EA Sports Active-2, which, paired with a Kinect sensor for Xbox 360, uses wireless motion tracking to monitor your activity.

Smart-phone apps likely will continue to multiply and become more complex, experts say, going beyond basic calorie counters to interactive tools to measure and respond to your physical activity (for example lolo Burn, which changes the beat of workout music to match your running or walking pace).

Fitness pros will use social networking to connect with their clients for motivation, instruction or accountability.

Bodyweight Training

Strength training is going back to basics, with machines and workouts that use the weight of your own body to get you in shape. So less use of dumbbells and more use of ropes, stretchy bands or pull-up equipment.

Barre Workouts

Barre training, inspired by dance and Pilates movements, will be popular. The Los Angeles based Cardio Barre program combines barre work, light weights and floor exercises. Studios are opening across the country.

At home barre workouts are available on DVD from Cardio Barre and other companies. You don’t need a barre at home you can just use a chair.

Boomer Fitness

Jane Fonda has just released new workouts, and fitness DVD veteran Kathy Smith will introduce her Ageless line of at home workouts in 2011. I really like Kathy Smith’s workouts. She has a very practical approach and is easy to follow. Nothing crazy on Kathy Smith’s DVD’s.

Functional fitness are workouts to help you perform everyday tasks. These are predicted to grow in popularity, possibly to reflect the needs of baby boomers.

Time-Efficient Fitness

Programs for the chronically time crunched will continue to be popular such as circuit training and boot camps, which combine strength and cardio intervals, and fitness DVDs featuring several five-minute or 10-minute segments. I have a Denise Austin Yoga DVD that has 10 minute yoga segments and I really enjoy it. I also recently came across a seven minute yoga routine from Dr. Oz which is very easy. He mentioned it in his New Year resolutions for better health. See our post Dr. Oz Health Tips at
and get the link to the routine.

New Years Resolutions Pauline Phillips

I have always loved this bit of advice which actually comes from Dear Abby’s mother Pauline Phillips. She adapted this meditation from the original credo of Al-Anon. I read it when it appears in her column at the beginning of the year but then I tend to drift away from remembering what it said.

So I decided this year to put the “Just for Today” poem on my site. I am going to try read it at least once a week and really take the advice to heart. This year my resolutions are all about better mental health and I think the “Just for Today” poem is a good set of guidelines.

Just for Today: I will live through this day only. I will not brood about yesterday or obsess abut tomorrow. I will not set far-reaching goals or try to overcome all of my problems at once. I know I can do something for 24 hours that would overwhelm me if I had to keep it up for a lifetime.

Just for today: I will accept what is. I will face reality. I will correct those things that I can correct and accept those I cannot.

Just for today: I will improve my mind. I will read something that requires effort, though and concentration. I will not be a mental loafer.

I feel better already just writing it down. I hope you do too. I also very much like the site Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff The author of the site, Christine Carlson (wife of the late author Richard Carlson) posts a daily affirmation and these are also very helpful especially when you are having a rough day. I have read several of Richard Carlson’s books and find the advice to be easy to understand and easy to work into my daily life. If you need a quick relaxer see my post on Relax with the Count Ten This technique comes from the book “Don’t Sweat the Samll Stuff.”

I just found a really great article on chair yoga. The article is written for people who work in an office setting. I found it on a site called Hubpages which is a site where people publishes articles on topics which interest them. This article lists 8 different poses you can do using a chair. The poses are not hard and you don’t have to be super flexible or in top physical condition to do them. In addition to helping your spine stay healthy these poses also lower stress levels.

I do a real simple Denise Austin DVD yoga routine at home and it really does make the tension disappear and elevates your mood. I sit at a desk for most of the day so I am going to try to do one of these every day and work up to doing all 8 each day. Maybe every hour take a break and do one of the poses.

Here is the link to the article Chair Yoga I just copied the first one here so you can see how easy it is:

Chair Yoga # 1 – Seated Mountain Pose

A lot of people have a slumped sitting posture, which can result in back pain, shallow breathing and compressed internal organs. This yoga pose helps align the spine and relieve the tension in the lower back.

* Sit on a chair, with your knees and feet about hip-width apart. Rest your palms on your thighs.
* Roll your pelvis forward slightly, without jutting your chest or chin forward. Your spine should be lenghthened instead of slouching. Your shoulders should feel open rather than rounded.
* Relax your jaws and close your eyes. Do the alternate-nostril breathing and relaxation breathing exercises while staying in this pose.

Make Your Own 100 Calories Snacks

So many people who are dieting are looking for 100 calories snacks. You can buy them already bagged or you can make your own. We have a good listing here of healthy snacks, sweet snacks and if you want to save money on buying those pre-packaged 100 calorie snacks, we can tell how to make your own. For instance, 40 Rold Gold Pretzel sticks are 100 calories. So take a look, we are sure you will find something you like on our list.

Also, see our bonus list of 200 calorie snacks.

100 CALORIES

1. 1 hard-cooked egg (75) with half a slice of toasted wheat bread (34)
2. 1?2 cup ice milk or sherbet (100)
3. 1 large rectangular graham cracker (60) with 11?2 tsp peanut butter (45)
4. 1 slice (1 oz) angel food cake (70) with 1?2 cup fresh strawberries (25)
5. 1?2 cup wheat-flake cereal (55) with 1?2 cup nonfat milk (45)
6. 1 cup chicken-noodle soup (75) with 2 saltines (25)
7. 1 small (4″) whole-wheat pita (74) with 1 Tbsp hummus (24)
8. 1?2 cup cranberry juice cocktail (72) and 1?4 cup nonfat plain yogurt (34) blended with ice
9 1 slice whole-wheat bread (69) with 1 oz sliced turkey breast (28) and mustard
10.1?2 cup 1% lowfat cottage cheese (80) with 1 cup cherry tomatoes (30)
11. 1 cup baby carrots, celery and bell peppers (30) with 2 Tbsp light dressing (70)
12. 1?4 cup 1% lowfat cottage cheese (40) with 1 cup canned peaches in water (60)
13. 1/2 c. sugar-free Jello and two Tbsp. reduced-fat whipped topping
two handfuls of chocolate raisins
14. 1/2 an apple spread with 2 tsp. peanut butter
15. 1/2 c. orange juice (Try it frozen!)
16. 1/2 c. fat-free, sugar-free instant or packaged pudding
17. whole wheat toast with 1 tsp. sugar-free spread
non-fat yogurt (artificially sweetened)
18. single serving of apple sauce
19. 1 serving of many varieties of Campbell’s soups
20. a Fudgesicle
21. 6 saltine crackers with 2 tsp. of peanut butter
22. half a turkey sandwich using reduced-calorie bread, mustard, and veggies
23. mock S’more: reduced-fat Graham cracker, topped with a jumbo marshmallow and drizzled with chocolate syrup
24. 2 cups raspberries (try them frozen – it’s cheaper than fresh and their always available)
25. 1 cup mango chunks
26. 28 grapes
27. 1 cup blueberries
28. 1/2 medium cantaloupe
29. 15 strawberries dipped in 1/4 cup Cool Whip Lite
30. 45 steamed edamame (green soybeans)
31. 2 tablespoons each of mashed avocado and chopped tomatoes stuffed in 1/2 mini pita
32. 1/2 red bell pepper dipped in 3 tablespoons hummus
33. Salad with 3 cups lettuce, 2 scallions, and 1 small tangerine drizzled with 2 tablespoons Newman’s Own Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing
34. 20 roasted peanuts
35. 60 Pepperidge Farm Baby Goldfish Crackers
36. 1 Jolly Time Healthy Pop 100 Calorie Mini Bag popcorn
37. 12 Back to Nature Sesame Ginger Rice Thins
38. 40 Rold Gold Classic Style Pretzel Sticks
39. 12 Quaker Quakes Cheddar Cheese Rice Snacks
40. 20 Glenny’s Low Fat Soy Crisps
41. 10 Guiltless Gourmet Baked Yellow Corn Chips with 1/4 cup salsa
42. 4 slices Sara Lee Honey Ham with 2 teaspoons honey mustard, rolled in lettuce leaf
43. 1 slice Pepperidge Farm Raisin Cinnamon Swirl Bread with 1 tsp. light butter
44. 1/2 mini bagel with 1 ounce smoked salmon
45. 1 Nutri-Grain Low Fat Whole Wheat Waffle with 1 tbsp. Smucker’s Squeeze
46. 1 Whole Foods Market Two-Bite Brownie
47. 1 pouch Keebler Sandies Right Bites Shortbread Cookies
48. 1/2 cup Sharon’s Lemon Sorbet with 1/4 cup blueberries
49. 1 Skinny Cow Fat Free Fudge Bar
50. 12 chocolate or vanilla Miss Meringue Minis

200 Calorie snacks

1. 6 oz nonfat fruit yogurt (160) mixed with 1 Tbsp raisins (30)
2. 1 slice whole-wheat bread (69) with 1 Tbsp peanut butter (90) and 1 tsp jelly (19)
3. 1 oz peanuts (166) with 1?2 oz pretzels (50)
4. One 8″ flour tortilla (150) with 2 oz sliced turkey (55), lettuce, tomato and balsamic vinegar
5. 1 medium baked potato (161) with 1?4 cup 1% lowfat cottage cheese (40)
6. 1 container Fantastic Foods Hearty Cups Vegetable Barley soup (150) with 4 saltines (50)
7. Subway Veggie Delite 6″ sandwich without cheese (230)
8. Thai Kitchen Mushroom Medley Rice Noodle Bowl (188) 1?2 cup lowfat frozen yogurt (114) with 3?4 cup sliced fresh fruit (75)
9. 2 slices of wholegrain bread toasted with olive based spread
10. 2 wholewheat crackers, or oatcakes, with 1 oz of cheese
11. 3 tablespoons breakfast cereal with 1/3 pint semi-skimmed milk
12. 1 plain or fruit scone with olive based spread

If you are trying to lose weight, have a look at our post Best Appetite Supressant and find out more about the role of fiber in giving you that full feeling.

Who would have thought the recession would drag on for so long. But here it is the holiday season and things are still a bit grim for us and the economy. So here is some advice from some successful women entrepreneurs:

1. Take on new projects- From coming up with new cost-cutting initiatives to volunteering to head up a project, one of the best things you can do to lift your spirits is to pitch in where help is needed. Taking action will give you a sense of control over your work life, while increasing your skill set will keep you motivated.

2. Don’t engage in pity parties – Coffee-break chatter about layoffs or pay cuts will only make you feel worse. Save your complaints for outside the office – with your non-office friends or spouse. Keep the conversation with office buddies neutral.

3. Create you own mini-goals – Come in early one day a week or set up a brainstorming session with your supervisor. Creating goals energizes you and gives you a sense of accomplishment, which will help you stay on track when work is slow.

4. Invest in yourself – attend a networking event or take a class. While these activities may not have an immediate payoff, expanding your business network and learning new skills will keep you inspired and might help you get hired when the economy gets better.

5. Find fun outside of work – Find one non-work-related activity that is exciting to you. Take a pottery class, a yoga class, volunteer somewhere – whatever sound fun. The important thing is that you get engrossed in this activity and forget about stress at work.

Stress incontinence or leaky bladder is very common in women who have delivered children vaginally. Vaginal delivery can weaken your pelvic floor muscles. Here are few natural solutions to the problem:

Lose weight – (Doesn’t this always seem to be the answer?) If you are overweight, slim down. Studies show that losing 8 % of your body weight can help with the problem of a leaky bladder.

Start doing kegel exercises - Here is how to perform kegel exercises. While you are sitting down, squeeze your vaginal muscles (like you are trying to stop the flow of urine) for 3 seconds, then relax for 3 seconds. Do 10 at a time and work your way up to 50 a day. You can do kegels at your desk, in the car while sitting at traffic lights or when you are sitting at your computer.

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The biggest loser trainers have made a workout DVD and it was reviewed in our paper. Here is what our DVD diva had to say:

Cast - Non-gimmicky Biggest Loser TV show trainer Bob Harper strolss among show contestants, Bernie, bill, Michelle, Heba, Vicky and super-toned Ali.

Skill Level Required – Beginning to moderate. DVD has three add-on levels. In one you hold long yoga poses and sweat; in the second you do abs/pilates/yoga and shake a little; and in the third, yoga mixed with weights may make you grunt.

Equipment – Yoga mat, medicine ball and a couple of light weights. This workout works.

What’s good - Bob is as no-nonsense as his basic gray T-shirt and shorts. The people he instructs are at various levels and you can pick yours all along the ways. Great mix of basic yoga with everything but cardio.

What’s bad – Music in one segment was “so tension building DVDiva expected Keanu Reeves to drive through any minute in a bus rigged to blow.” Calling this “weight loss” is deceptive because there is no cardio.

Overall Grade – A-

See our previous DVD reviews Sculp-ilates DVD review and Walking DVD for Exercise

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I was recently diagnosed with high blood pressure and my doctor told me I needed to lose 20 pounds. I tried just cutting back on calories but I was always so hungry. I actually ended up eating more than I normally would because I let myself get too hungry. A friend of mine told me about the Atkin’s Diet and I did have some success with that. I actually lost about 8 pounds in the first six weeks. Then I just stayed the same weight for several weeks. I was frustrated that the weight loss was so much slower. I have to say I was more satisfied eating a high protein/low carb diet but I didn’t feel like I could cut back much more on my portions to lose weight a bit faster.

I read about how fiber can help you feel more feel full. Fiber which is the part of plant-based foods that our bodies can’t digest, makes you feel full sooner and stays in your stomach longer than other substances we eat. Because fiber slows down your rate of digestion it makes you feel full longer. You don’t gain weight eating fiber because it passes through your digestive tract without providing nutrition or calories. The pass through part is also good because it helps your digestive tract function properly. Also fiber moves fat through our digestive system faster so that less of it is absorbed.

I did find a natural product that you can actually sprinkle on your food to decrease your appetite. The product is called “CHEAT.” “CHEAT” is made up something called Konnyaku. Konnyaku is a traditional Japanese jelly-like health food made from a kind of potato called “Konnyaku potato” and calcium hydroxide or oxide calcium extracted from eggshells. According to what I read, Japanese have been eating it over 1500 years. It was originally introduced to Japan as a medicine in the sixth century and has been eaten for almost 1500 years in Japan. Konnyaku is a totally natural food. Ninety seven percent of Konnyaku is water and three percent is Glucomannan, or dietary fiber. It is also rich in minerals and very low in calories.

Glucomannan is a dietary fiber and it is very hard for humans to digest. The Konnyaku just goes through your body and passes right through your intestines. That is why it has been called a no calorie food for a long time in Japan. Konnyaku does have calories, however, the calories would be so few in the normal quantities that they are negligible in number.

“CHEAT” does not have fat, it is rich in dietary fiber and is low in calories. Studies have shown that it normalizes the level of cholesterol, prevents high blood pressure and normalizes the level of sugar in the blood. Because of these scientific findings, it has been perceived as a excellent health food in Japan.

I have several friends who have successfully lost weight with the product. One day I was at lunch at a Mexcian restaurant with two of my friends (we are all trying to lose weight) and we all used the CHEAT sprinkles on our food. Our entire bowl of tortilla chips remained untouched throughout the meal. Well, okay maybe we each ate one or two. I thought that was amazing especially if you knew how much I like tortilla chips and salsa. After consuming the CHEAT, the chips just weren’t that tempting.

Now here is deal on the CHEAT – you can’t just order the stuff on it’s own the first time you order. The company that produces this wonderful product also promotes it as a business similar to Tupperware or Pampered Chef. To get in you have to order the starter kit which contains:

CHEAT – mentioned above
FLUSH – Organic gentle cleanse that helps your detox and enhances weight loss
LEAN – A snack or meal replacement Vanilla smoothie which works similarly to the CHEAT to reduce appetite and food cravings.
ACCELERATE – A thermogenic blend that increases the rate which you metabolize fat and increases energy.

Once you place the initial order then you can order products individually. You don’t have to market the product but I’ll bet you will be tempted to get your friends to try it. I ordered my kit after that lunch I had with my friends. I am in the process of trying the other products. I can say the CHEAT really does help reduce your appetite and it is portable. You just carry the bottle in your purse or pocket and sprinkle it on your food.

Here is the link to the site Cal Nutrasciences, Inc.

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