Blueberries are packed with phytonutrients, fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Manganese giving them lots of healthy benefits. Studies show they can help improve memory, promote healthy aging, prevent urinary tract infections and improve vision health. And since it’s clear that all of you love blueberries based on your comments in the Skin Appetit giveaway, I wanted to share one of my favorite light blueberry desserts from Cooking Light: Upside-Down Berry Cakes.

This recipe creates single serving warm blueberry treats that offer all the nutrients this superfood has to offer along with the sweet deliciousness you crave for dessert. And it’s easy! Mix together 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and a dash of salt in a small bowl. Add 1/4 cup skim milk and 4 teaspoons reduced-calorie stick margarine, melted; stirring just until the flour mixture is moist. Coat two 10 ounce custard cups with cooking spray and divide the batter evenly between them. Then top each with 1/2 cup of blueberries. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes or until they’re bubbly and lightly browned. For extra credit, pick your blueberries yourself!

Have you ever wondered what order you should do your strength training exercises in, if it matters what muscles you work first or if you should mix up your routine each time? I asked our new contributing personal fitness trainer and coach Jason Onserud (check out his bio here) to give us the answers. Here’s Jason…

When you’re starting a resistance training program, there are guidelines to consider when you plan your routine. If you follow them, you’ll see better progress and reduce your risk of injury. You should change your training program every 5-8 workouts to prevent reaching strength plateaus and reduce the risk of injuries like tendinitis.

1. Start with your weak spots. The strength of the muscles you train at the beginning of your workout will improve the most. So if you feel your shoulders are weaker than your chest muscles for example, do the shoulder press before the chest press.

2. Train larger muscle groups before smaller muscle groups. For example, do squats (quadriceps) before sit-ups (rectus abdominus) and chin-ups (latissimus dorsi – upper back) before curls (biceps). If you train smaller muscles first, you’ll fatigue the auxiliary muscles and in turn limit your ability to train the larger muscles to the fullest. Read the rest of this entry »

With the vast array of Pilates moves and crunch variations out there, it’s easy to forget that a lot of other activities strengthen your core too. That’s why I love this plyometric exercise from Runner’s World that proves bursts of cardio can work your abs.

Jezebel critiques Teen Vogue’s spread that takes the athleticism out of the Olympics and replaces it with not-so-sport-friendly fashion.

Laurel on Health Food charts out the best ways to store fruits and veggies to keep them fresh.

The Budget Ecoist shares an easy recipe for healthy, organic and eco-friendly strawberry lemonade.

Fit Sugar gives tips on what to look for when you buy summer hiking boots.

The Accidental Environmentalist reminds us that a bicycle isn’t just a fit way to travel, it’s a green one too. And these days, it’ll even help your wallet as you avoid the pump!

Simply Stated reviews Jen Lancaster’s new book, Such a Pretty Fat: One Narcissist’s Quest to Discover If Her Life Makes her Ass Look Big, OR, Why Pie is Not the Answer, about dieting and working out.

Nutritionist Keri Glassman just launched a new beauty line, Skin Appetit. The concept is brilliant–a healthy diet isn’t only good for our bodies, it’s good for our skin too. “Consuming a balanced diet that packs in lots of vitamins, minerals, fiber, essential fatty acids and protein is what produces shiny, glowing, hydrated and smooth skin,” Glassman says. Antioxidants aren’t only beneficial in our diets, they have similar anti-aging effects when applied topically.

So each paraben-free Skin Appetit product includes natural whole food extracts from 8 super foods: blueberries, cantaloupe, grapeseed extract, creamy yogurt, wild honey, fig, walnut oil and dark chocolate. The “Nutrx 8 Complex” helps smooth fine lines, moisturize, reduce inflammation, boost your glow and more. To celebrate the launch, Skin Appetit is giving away a set of all five products ($75): Optim-Eyes Firming Eye Gel, Nutri-Pro Night Serum, Nutri-Collagen Daily Moisturizer SPF 15, Detoxifying Nutri-Cleanser and Nutri-Moisture Balm Stick. To win, make a comment telling us which of the 8 super foods is your favorite before 5pm, June 30. One name will be chosen randomly. Good luck! [Note: This giveaway is now closed]

If you ever overindulge on the weekends–a night (or two) of cocktails, a giant brunch, one of everything at the baseball game and a heaping second BBQ helping–you might not feel your best come Monday. Instead of scolding yourself for everything you did wrong, start your week off with a few detoxifying yoga poses. A series of twists (like this workout from Tara Stiles) can be very cleansing and will help your body release accumulated toxins. By the time you’re done, you’ll feel rejuvenated instead of regretful.

Here’s an abdominal exercise from Denise Austin and Prevention that targets your core from every angle.

Start on your back with your arms at your sides. Bend your knees and lift them up so they’re over your rib cage.

Now for the hard part–pull your navel in toward your spine, contracting your abs and slowly start circling your knees.

Bring your knees down to the right, extend slightly out to the front bringing them around to the left and back to the starting position. Then reverse the circle. The smaller the circle, the easier it will be.

Go back and forth a total of ten times. Rest and repeat.

June is American Express Women’s Golf Month which means a bunch of courses across the country are offering free lessons, clinics, seminars and more. And once you get into the game, you should also know how to green your game (guys–this part is for you too!).

If you enjoy golfing, the beautiful courses and outdoorsy feel of the sport might make you look past all the un-eco aspects of golfing. But think for a minute about all the water those irrigation systems use and the potentially harmful chemical treatments used to keep the greens green. Some courses are better than others though, so start by choosing a spot to play from the Audubon Society’s list of courses that protect the environment, provide wildlife habitats and conserve natural resources. Then consider biodegradable balls and tees. And finally, dress green with a Fila golf polo for women made of 67% bamboo or a Patagonia Vitaliti Jersey Polo for men made of 70% organic cotton and 30% recycled polyester-jersey.

Sure, interval training is tough–the short bursts of high-intensity exercise alternating with active rest periods of slower, less intense exercises can really kick your butt! But the hard work pays off even beyond blasting last night’s ice cream splurge. Here are three reasons why you should do it:

1. You’ll get a great calorie blasting benefit. The mix of short intense exercises and longer aerobic activities can burn more calories than your average workout and interval training increases your metabolism for up to 36 hours after the workout! Read the rest of this entry »