Shake It Up! (Not the Show)

This is my first-ever mobile blog post.. crossing my fingers that it works out well!

I always get asked for healthy snack ideas, so here is one of my absolute favorites: Dole Shakers. I've had many a smoothie around town, and I can honestly say that these are in my top 3. The fact that they can be found at your local grocery store for a great price doesn't hurt, either.

Warning, the process to make these is super complicated..

JK! 

It takes about 5 minutes for the Shaker mix to thaw, but other than that, you can just add your favorite juice, shake it vigorously and be on your merry way.

One last thing that I love about Dole Shakers is the freedom I have to mix up the flavor of my smoothie. Yes, they give you base flavors - strawberry and peach-mango, for example - but you get to choose what juice to add. Personally, I'm a huge orange-mango juice fan, so that's always my go-to selection.

Try Shakers for yourself and comment in the downbar telling me what you think!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go finish my smoothie before it melts.

Yours truly,

RaiseYourGloss

It's Hip to be Fit!

I'm not a health junkie. I don't thrive off of protein shakes or work out three times a day. I like to splurge sometimes, take a day off, eat the food I want and relax.

For people like me, working out can often be a daunting task. Yes, I always make myself do it, but it's so difficult to find a workout that has both of these key qualities:

1. Effective
2. FUN

Finding an entertaining workout for me is like trying to find an endangered species - nearly impossible. However, I was recently introduced to an entirely new kind of fitness that blends my love of dance with my need to be fit: hip hop aerobics!

You don't even have to be a good dancer to join this class. All it requires is enthusiasm (and willingness to sweat). I personally love it because it doesn't feel like a workout; It feels like I'm dancing at a giant hip hop party! The instructor presents you with specially-designed moves that flow with the music while targeting certain muscle areas, many of which you didn't even know existed until then. Plus, the cardio is amazing. Trust me - you might think you are toned, but after this class, you'll feel like you could be on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

If hip hop isn't your thing, don't fret. Aerobic dance classes come in infinite varieties, and many of them are a combination of dance styles. Salsa is definitely one of the most popular dances, with moves that focus especially on your core strength and hip movement.

If you like to shake your stuff on the dance floor, take that enthusiasm and turn it into your new favorite workout. I guarantee that Google will supply you with plenty of studios in your area.

Sore from today's class,
RaiseYourGloss

The Dark Truth

Ah, summer. A time to relax, drink fruity drinks and soak up the sun - unless you're a vampire like me and eternally cursed to remain pale no matter how long you lay out. 

No time to be bitter. I am here because I want to help save the lives of those who do tan, whether it be in tanning beds or in the sun. You've heard it time and time again: Unhealthy UV exposure can lead to dangerous cancer. It's gotten to be such a common warning that most tanners pay no mind to it..

"It won't happen to me. It's not like I tan all day every day!"

That's just it, though. You don't tan all day every day. Your skin isn't prepared to suddenly be exposed to intense UV rays on a daily basis. Think about it this way: If you haven't touched a dumbbell in months and try to lift 200 pounds, you'll most likely hurt yourself. 

The majority of tanners are guilty of "binge tanning," or tanning frequently over a short period of time (summer, for example). Cancers such as melanoma are known for showing up in lifetime tanners, but dermatologists are now reporting an increasing number of cases in ages 18 to 39. The reason why? 

"When you get sporadic yet very intense UV exposure, it causes an extreme insult to DNA, which is believed to initiate the malignant changes in cells that can lead to melanoma," says Susan Swetter, MD, professor of dermatology at the Stanford Cancer Institute. "Once those DNA mutations occur, your cells are even more susceptible to the long-term carcinogenic effects of UV light over the course of your life. The damage accumulates."

But, tanners, there is hope. You can achieve a healthy golden glow, but it might take a bit of sacrifice. First, shorten the amount of time you spend tanning. Your skin will be very happy with you, and much less stressed. Next, try switching over to self-tanners. You can get as dark as you want, plus you'll have extra time to kill during the day (the time you used to spend tanning)! To make the search easier, here's three of the best products on the market.

1. St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse ($$)

2. Banana Boat Summer Color Sunless Lotion ($)

3. Jergens Natural Glow - the NEW, non-smelly formula! ($)

Everyone wants a tan, but no one wants cancer. Don't put your life in danger; Make the switch to a healthier tanning regimen. Self-tanners are the way to go, especially for vampires like me.

Share this information. You could save a life.

Sincerely,

RaiseYourGloss

Pre-Bikini Foods

Summer is approaching, and that means bikini season.

Or one-piece season, depending on how conservative you are..

Either way, when you're wearing a skin-tight swimsuit, you want to feel and look good. Doing a couple of sit-ups while watching TV is a great idea, but it will go to waste if you proceed to eat a buttery bowl of popcorn. Your body will only look as healthy as the foods you eat!

Here's a brief list of diet-friendly foods that will get you ready for bikini body season - and every season, for that matter!

• Eggs
• Fruit
• Veggies
• Greek Yogurt
• Oats
• Almonds
• Avocado
• Milk
• Baked potatoes
• Hummus
• Protein bars
• Chicken
• Water (no-brainer!)
• Whole-grain bread

Next time you reach for that bag of chips, reach for one of these items instead.

RaiseYourGloss

Eating Healthy

We've all been there - wanting to shed those extra pounds, attempting a crash diet (and presumably caving in after a day or two). I realized early on that this really isn't a healthy habit for your body, and restricting myself to strange concoctions of lemon juice and cayenne pepper just sounded gross. Honestly, I'm too much of a food lover to do that to my poor taste buds!

Instead of cutting myself off from the food universe, I chose to research healthy recipes that tasted just as good as - if not better than - the not-so-healthy items I usually ate. For example, I used to eat Chick-Fil-A sandwiches at least once a week. I substituted a scrumptious grilled honey-mustard chicken sandwich (is your mouth watering yet?) and found that my stamina and overall tone has increased greatly since then. It's much easier to graduate towards healthier meals with flavor than it is to completely ban almost all foods! Keep in mind, I let myself splurge every once in a while - a girl's gotta satisfy her chocolate cravings at some point in time, or she'll go cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs!

Share your favorite healthy recipes in the comment bar below.

Sincerely,
RaiseYourGloss

A "Pressing" Matter

Starting out as celebrity-endorsed detox cleanses, the pressed juice phenomena has taken the health world by storm. Formed through the pain-staking pulverization of fruits and veggies, these colorful drinks provide nutrition that consumers often lack in their daily intake.

The popular - and in my opinion, better - way to obtain pressed juice is by visiting your local juice bar, if you have one. There's just something comforting about watching fresh ingredients being pressed to-order. If you can't find a bar near you, select grocers are now selling pressed juice as well. The reason why I prefer juice bars is because of the freshness of the ingredients.

Enough with the juice speech.

The reason behind this post is that I recently tried a pressed-juice drink from my local juice bar, and I came out from the experience with mixed results. I wasn't crazy about the taste, but the health benefits made it seem somewhat worth the consumption. This got me thinking: Are people willing to sacrifice flavor for healthiness? 

I want to hear your opinion on pressed juice drinks.

Have you tried them?

Would YOU drink something with poor taste if it guaranteed nutrition?