Yesterday my workout was one of those crazy push yourself till you wanna hurl kind of workouts. And today I spent two hours at the gym. By the time I got home I was starving…who am I kidding, I was starving halfway through my workout!

I know that when I do an extra hard workout, I’m probably gonna be extra hungry the next day. And I know I’m not the only person that this happens to. It’s a common conundrum of trying to balance your diet and workouts. When this happens I usually try to add a few healthy snacks into my day. I ate cottage cheese and put a hard boiled egg white in my salad, but I hear my stash of almonds (or a cupcake) calling my name already, less than an hour after lunch! Do I give in? Help me—what do you do when your hunger won’t cooperate?

FitSugar tells us how to get more miles out of our sneakers.

Laurel on Health Food gives us another reason to eat avocados.

Ideal Bite educates us on the truths behind organic wine labels.

Simply Stated explains how not to be boring.

Outside Blog debunks the “fat but fit” theory.

Glam Spirit delves into the benefits of art therapy.

Last weekend I got to check out the brand new Cygalle Healing Spa at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic. One of the treatments I tried was the Crystal Chakra Aromatherapy. If you’re not familiar with chakras, we all have seven of these energy centers that reach from the base of your spine to the crown of your head. Each has a color and scent associated with it. They affect you physically, mentally and spiritually and when they’re imbalanced, you could feel it in your health or energy level.

During the meditation-like treatment the practitioner placed crystals along my chakra centers with an aromatherapy scent for each, which is supposed to heighten the experience. After the treatment your prana should be flowing freely and you should feel balanced and restored. Now maybe it was simply because my mind was wandering, but during the placement of the first few crystals I found myself thinking about something that had upset me recently and I think I let go of the anger at that moment. And I felt a few sudden quick pangs and tingling fingers, but I can’t be sure those feelings had anything to do with my chakras (I was lying on a massage table for 50 minutes). All skepticism aside, I’ve always been fascinated by stuff like chakras and the treatment was interesting, relaxing and smelled wonderful.

Have you ever wondered what you’re supposed to do with those foam rollers in the gym? For one, you can use one to give yourself a massage. If your muscles are tight, say your quads, you can lie on the foam roller and slowly roll your body back and forth along the roller to work out the kinks. When you get to a knot, you can stay put until the pressure eases and then continue rolling.

But if your muscles are feeling fine, you can use rollers to add instability and variety to strength building moves. Here are a couple ideas from Diet.com.

I recently discovered a new brand of eco-friendly t-shirts and loungewear called Me to We Style. The line is produced in Canada sweatshop-free. And beyond being green, Me to We Style donates 50% of their profits to Free the Children to support developmental projects in rural and impoverished areas around the world.

I’m a fan of their Be the Change tee. You’re doing your part by wearing a tee made out of eco-friendly materials–certified organic cotton, bamboo, recycled polyester or a combo depending on the color you choose–and you’re showcasing an inspiring message all at the same time. I can also tell you that it’s super soft, fits perfectly and is now in frequent rotation in my gym wardrobe.

Over the weekend I was in the Dominican Republic where I rekindled my love affair with plantains. I love their sweet flavor, but since they’re often fried I haven’t considered them a healthy treat in the past. But I just did a little research and discovered that plantains are filled with vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and potassium.

So I also came up with a healthier way to cook this yummy fruit–Cooking Light’s Grilled Grouper with Plantains and Salsa Verde. It’s an easy recipe made for grill pans, but you could cook it on the grill this summer too. Simply cut underripe plantains in half crosswise. Then drizzle lime juice, cilantro and a pinch of salt on the grouper fillets. Grill everything for 4 minutes on each side. Top the fish with green salsa and reduced-fat sour cream with a side of plantains. Fast, easy, delicious and healthy. Perfect! Get the full recipe here.

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.”

-Robert Louis Stevenson

With friends and family all over the world, I always have reasons to travel by air. But honestly, I’m not the biggest fan. It’s stressful, crowded and tiring. However, if you have to fly, there are ways to make your trip smoother.

My cousin is a pilot for a major airline and his girlfriend is cabin crew (go figure). So I asked them for tips that’ll help you arrive more relaxed and refreshed. Here’s what they said:

Before Departure: Pack lightly and avoid checking a bag if possible. On average, this could save you 45 mins and obviously eliminates the risk of losing your much needed bathing suit for that beach holiday. Use a clear washbag. It’s easy for security to see your liquids so you can avoid having your bag searched and you don’t have to waste plastic Ziploc bags.

On Board: For long-haul trips, change into a comfy outfit in the air. Just before landing change back into your regular clothes (no need to run around the airport in your sweats). You might also want to take your shoes off because your feet swell during flights. Taking them off will improve your blood circulation and comfort. A sleeping mask and ear plugs are key if you want to get some shut eye during your flight. But it’s good to be active too. Try these on-board exercises from Ace Fitness.

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I know that going to the gym isn’t always a green choice. In fact, sometimes I feel like my sneakers are making big fat carbon footprints the second I walk in the door. I toss single-use razors and use up to three towels that have to be washed and dried, not to mention the fact that I’m running on electrically powered treadmills when I could hit the pavement.

But one new gym that I frequent was built to be more eco-friendly than your average fitness facility. The Equinox in Chelsea uses low-flow shower heads and low energy/high output lighting. For construction, the club used renewable cork and bamboo from sustainably managed forests as well as recycled materials like mosaic glass and ceramic tiles.

They also improved the indoor air quality with their green advances, which I think is a no-brainer for a place where everyone is huffing and puffing. Wood products are formaldehyde-free and the paints and sealants used were free of hazardous fumes. Equinox also installed high-performance air filters and my favorite part—a wall of live greenery, which cleans the air, creates a natural sound barrier and looks amazing.

How green is your gym? Do you do anything to make your work out more eco-friendly?

Sure, you can find just about any fruit or vegetable at any time of year these days, but here are three reasons to choose ones that are in season.

1. You’ll be able to purchase locally grown produce which can help both the farmers in your area and the environment. Buying locally, cuts down on carbon emissions due to shipping fruits and veggies from far away places.

2. Since your produce won’t be traveling long distances, it’ll get to your table when the flavors and nutrient levels are at their peak.

3. You might be inspired to try something that you wouldn’t normally buy like mangoes or artichokes in the springtime.

So what else is in season right now? Apricots, asparagus, avocado, carrots, chives, collards, fava beans, fennel, morels, mustard greens, new potatoes, pineapple, rhubarb, spinach, spring baby lettuce mixes, strawberries, sugar snap and snow peas, vidalia onions and watercress. Bon appetit!