Make this simple chicken Waldorf salad by Love & Zest for a lunch you can take your meal on-the-go! This recipe remixes leftover rotisserie chicken with common ingredients like plain Greek yogurt, orange juice, mayonnaise, apples and onions.

Waldorf Chicken Wrap
Ingredients
4 cups rotisserie chicken, deboned, and shredded (approx. 1/2 small chicken)
1 medium lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon orange juice
2 tablespoons 2% plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1/2 medium Gala apple, diced
1/4 cup dried plums (prunes), diced
1 tablespoon chopped green onions
1 cup arugula
4 medium 100% whole wheat tortillas (approx. 120 calories each)
Directions
Using a fork, combine the shredded chicken with yogurt, mayonnaise, orange juice, and lemon juice until the ingredients are well mixed. Season with freshly grated pepper.
Fold in in apples, plums and onions.
Assemble the wrap using the chicken salad mixture, arugula and whole wheat tortilla.
Nutrition Information
Serves: 4 |  Serving Size: 1 wrap
Per serving: Calories: 333; Total Fat: 14g; Saturated Fat: 6g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 84mg; Sodium: 976mg; Carbohydrate: 30g; Dietary Fiber: 4g; Sugar: 8g; Protein: 25g
Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 138mg; Iron: 13%; Vitamin A: 6%; Vitamin C: 16%; Calcium: 8%

If you can get fresh peas at the market, a great way to enjoy this summertime treat is in a simple five-minute salad. Simply add fresh peas to a large pot of boiling water for 1-2 minutes, chill in a bowl of ice water, then drain. To the cooked peas, add olives, feta cheese, green onions, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper. Enjoy this light, healthy salad with your family. It makes a great alternative to mayonnaise-rich potato or pasta salads at summer barbecues or picnics.

If you shy away from pancakes because they don’t have enough protein, these moist protein-packed pancakes were made for you! Greek yogurt is thick, creamy and a popular lean protein that gives this dish a tangy flavor. Each satisfying stack of pancakes is topped with fresh blueberries. You can also serve with a ripe banana or maple syrup if desired.
Protein-Packed Pancakes
Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (63 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs (50 grams per egg)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (245 grams) 2% fat Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup (50 grams) fresh blueberries (for garnish)

Directions
Add dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder and salt) to a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients (eggs, vanilla extract and Greek yogurt) until well mixed.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir together until well combined.
Spray your pan or griddle with cooking spray and place onto stove on medium-low heat. Use a 1/4 cup to portion out pancakes that are about 4 inches in diameter.
Cook pancakes until the bottom side is brown (about 3-4 minutes), then flip the pancakes. You'll notice that these pancakes won't bubble up like traditional pancakes. Leave extra room in the pan because the pancakes may splatter when you flip them.
After flipping the pancake, cook until the other side is brown (about 2-3 minutes). Repeat with remaining batter.
Top pancakes with blueberries, and enjoy.
Nutrition Information
Serves: 2 | Serving Size: 4 (4" pancakes)
Per serving: Calories: 297; Total Fat: 8g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 196mg; Sodium: 676mg; Carbohydrate: 35g; Dietary Fiber: 1g; Sugar: 9g; Protein: 20g
Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 146mg; Iron: 12%; Vitamin A: 6%; Vitamin C: 8%; Calcium: 21%
Energizing Tips (optional)

• Serve with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter for more calories, fat and protein. (Per serving: Calories: 402; Total Fat: 17g; Carbohydrate: 38g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 10g; Protein: 24g)
• Serve with 2 tablespoons maple syrup for more calories and sweetness. (Per serving: Calories: 401; Total Fat: 8g; Carbohydrate: 62g; Dietary Fiber: 1g; Sugar: 33g; Protein: 20g)
• Serve with 1 ripe medium banana for more calories and natural sweetness. (Per serving: Calories: 402; Total Fat: 8g; Carbohydrate: 62g; Dietary Fiber: 4g; Sugar: 23g; Protein: 21g)

The weight room comes with all sorts of fun connotations and associations. For some, it's a musty place where people grunt as they throw down weights with their 20-inch biceps. For others, it's a place to do a few curls and leave without taking full advantage of what's available. And some manage to put on their blinders and get a really great workout.

Whether you're looking to refresh your current strength training routine or are starting from scratch in the weight room, we've got answers to many of the frequently asked questions.

Let's start at the beginning: What are all these black and metal things?

Well, there are a few different kinds:

Free weights: These guys can range anywhere from five pounds to 150 pounds. Lighter weights are usually used for single muscle exercises (think: bicep curls, tricep extensions) whereas heavier weights are better for compound exercises (think: shoulder presses, chest or reverse flyes, weighted squats). If you're not sure where to start, grab a lighter weight and work your way up. How do you know if you are using the right weight? You should be able to perform 8-12 repetitions of an exercise in a row and feel fatigued on that final repetition.

Olympic Bar: These all weigh 45 pounds and can be used for many different activities, including the bench press, squat rack, or functional movements like a clean and jerk. Note: You may also see bar weights, which are long bars with set weights on each end. These typically range from 20 to 100 pounds and can be used to perform weighted squats, lunges, shoulder presses, rows, curls and more.

Plates: These are weighted plates that you can add onto an Olympic bar.

Clips: These are used to hold in the plates on your bars. Make sure you secure your plates on or else they will slip off and cause some damage.

Bench press: This is a flat bench with a bar propped above the chest area. This is how you use it, but if it's your first time using this, seek a trainer to assist you for safety reasons.

Squat rack: These machines often get hogged, but if you ever see it empty, grab a friend or trainer and take a turn at it. If it's your first time using this machine, it's really important to have someone nearby to spot you and/or check for good form. To properly prepare your squat rack, begin by clearing off the rack of any weights (but if the person before you had good etiquette, it should have already been cleared). Walk up to the bar and assess it for proper height — it should come right between your chin and mid-chest. If it's too high or too low, lift the bar off the rack and have your partner adjust the holsters where the weight rests.

To perform your first weighted squat, walk in front of the bar while it is still resting on its holsters. Bend your elbows and position your hands slightly behind your shoulders. Place your hands on the bar, positioning yourself directly in the middle. Let the bar rest on the meaty part of your shoulders. Once you feel completely comfortable, gently lift the bar off of its holsters and pause to gain balance. Your feet should be a little more than hip-width apart and you should be standing very tall. From here, keep your chest lifted as you sit into your squat, bending from your ankles, knees, and then hips. Keep your spine long and neutral as you come into your squat and then stand back up.

Again, if it's your first time, ask for someone to check your form.

Smith Machine: You may see some of these machines hanging around the gym, too. They are very similar to a squat rack, but the bar is connected by a pulley system to the rack, making you feel a bit safer and supported. It's a good place to start if it's your first time doing weighted squats.

Kettlebells: These funky looking things are known for their combination of cardio and strength training benefits. You can start really basic with moves such as the kettlebell swing, squat press, or pull. Form is everything with kettlebells, so ask a trainer for some pointers before you get started.

Great. Now that I know what the equipment looks like, how do I understand the workouts?
Here's how to parse some of that confusing lingo

"Rep" or "Repetition": When someone says they've done "10 reps," they are saying that they performed one single move 10 times. It's basically a count.

"Set": Reps make up a set. For example, those "10 reps" are known as one set. You can determine the number of reps that make up a set, but it's usually a number in the double digits (or single digits if you're lifting really heavy).

Let's apply this:

"I just did 3 sets of 15 squats, lunges, and push-ups."

This means that one set = 15 reps of squats, 15 reps of lunges, and 15 reps of push-ups. They did that whole set three times.

What about etiquette? Where do I put my stuff? What if the weights get all sweaty?

Etiquette is everything in the gym. Some people are no good at it, but that doesn't mean you should be one of them. Follow these tips to make the most of your (and everyone's) time and experience.

1. Have an idea of what your workout will be so that you don't end up "hogging" equipment.

Sometimes the squat rack is on one end of the gym, while the bench press is on the other end. Instead of placing your towel on both pieces and attempting to "claim" them for 30 minutes, plan one workout (or a few sets) around the squat rack, then plan a separate workout (or another few sets) around the bench press. In peak times, this will be helpful to both you and your fellow gym-goers.

2. Carry a towel and wipe equipment down before and after use.

I like to have two towels with me — one for wiping equipment and another for wiping my own sweat. Many gyms also have a spray bottle or disinfecting wipes. Be kind and clean to yourself and others by wiping down your space.

3. Put weights back when you're done.

If you can lift it up to work out, you can definitely lift it up to put it back. Weights are heavy (crazy, right?), so don't let that job fall to someone else. Put all weights back when you're done using them, and clear off any bars that you have loaded. (If it's too heavy, bro, maybe cut a rep or two next time in the name of courtesy.)

4. It's OK to share.

Especially if it's peak hours, don't be shy about asking someone how many more sets they have on a piece of equipment you want to use (just don't be rude or annoying or ask them mid-squat!). And if you're the one with all the equipment other people want, be open to share requests. For example, if you're doing some movements that use free weights and some that use different equipment, consider letting another lifter use the free weights when you're not.

5. It's OK to ask.

Not sure what you're doing? Ask someone. It doesn't have to be a trainer — although it's preferred — but sometimes the regular gym junkie can at least get you set up. People would rather set you up in good form and with good knowledge than watch you get injured.

By Leo Babauta

One of the biggest frustrations many of us feel is having too much to do, and not feeling like we have enough time to do it. We are overwhelmed.

Of course, having “not enough time” is just a feeling — we all have the same amount of time, but we often fill up the container of our days with too much stuff.

The problem is having too much stuff to fit into a small container (24 hours). If we look at task management and time management as simply a container organization problem, it becomes simpler.

How do we fit all of the stuff we have to do into our small container?

By simplifying.

And letting go.

I promise, with this two-step process, you’ll be able to deal with the problem of “too much to do, not enough time.”

Simplifying Our Tasks

When we realize we’re trying to fit too much stuff (tasks, errands, obligations) into a small container (24 hours), it becomes obvious that we can’t get a bigger container … so we have to get rid of some stuff. It just won’t all fit.

We do that by simplifying what we have to do.

Mindfulness is a helpful too here: pay attention to all the things you do today and tomorrow, and try to notice all the things you’re fitting into the container of your day. What websites are you going to in the morning? In the evening? What games are you playing on your phone? What are you reading? What busy-work are you doing? How much time are you spending in email, on Facebook, on Twitter, on Instagram? How much time on blogs, online shopping sites, Youtube? How much TV are you watching? How much time do you spend cleaning, maintaining your personal hygiene, taking care of other people? How much time driving around or commuting? What are you spending the valuable commodity of your attention on?

What you might realize is that you’re fitting a lot of junk into the container. Toss some of that out. Ban yourself from certain sites or apps until you’ve done a few really important tasks.

Notice also that you’re committed to a lot of things. Those commitments are filling up your life. Start getting out of some of them, and saying “no” to new ones.

Now look at your task list: how many of those things can you reasonably do today? I say three.

If you could only do three things today, which would be the most important? If you’ve ever played baseball, and swung a bat, you know that what matters is not so much how hard you swing, but hitting the ball with the sweet spot of the bat. What you need to do with your task list is hit it with the sweet spot of the bat — find the tasks that have the most impact, that matter most to your life. Choose carefully, because you only have so much room in your life.

Now ask yourself this: which task would you do if you could only do one task today? That should be what you put your focus on next. Just that one task. You can’t do your entire list today, and you can’t do your top three tasks right now. So just focus on one important task.

Clear everything else away, and focus on that.

By picking your tasks carefully, you’re taking care with the container of your time. You can pick important tasks or joyful ones, but you’re being conscious about the choices. You’re treating it like the precious gift that it is: limited, valuable, to be filled with the best things, and not overstuffed.

The Art of Letting Go

What about all the other stuff you want to do (or feel you need to do)? What if it doesn’t fit into the container?

This is where the joyful art of letting go becomes useful.

You have too many things to fit into your container, and you’ve decided to only put the important and beautiful things into the container. That means a bunch of things you think you “should” do are not going to fit.

You can get to those later. Or you can not do them. Either way, they won’t fit into today’s container.

This in itself is not a problem, but it only becomes a problem when you are frustrated that you can’t fit it all in. Your frustration comes from an ideal that you should be able to do it all, that you should be able to do everything on your list. Plus more: you want to travel, workout, meditate, learn a new skill, read more, be the perfect spouse (or find a spouse), be the perfect parent/friend/sibling, draw or create music, and so on.

Your ideals don’t match with reality — the reality is that you can’t do this all today, or even this week. You can choose to do some of them, but the others will have to wait, or not get done at all.

Since you can’t get a bigger container, you need to adjust your ideals. The ideal you choose to have can be this: that this moment be exactly as it is. The old ideal is one that you can toss into the ocean, as it was harming you (causing frustration). Let it go with joy and relief.

The new ideal is that this moment is perfect, and it deserves to be in your container.

Enjoy nutty quinoa paired with flavorful grilled summer vegetables like zucchini, peppers and carrots. This delicious grain and veggie salad can be enjoyed alone or with a lean protein like grilled chicken breast or a hardboiled egg.

Summer Veggie Quinoa

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup (85 grams) white balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons molasses (or honey)
• 3 small (120 grams each) zucchini or yellow squash or mix of both, halved
• 1 medium (110 grams each) white onion, cut into thick chunks
• 1 medium (120 grams) red bell pepper, cut into thick chunks
• 2 medium (60 grams each) carrots, quartered
• 2 3/4 cups (660 grams) low-sodium vegetable broth (certified gluten-free if necessary)
• 1 1/2 cups (255 grams) uncooked quinoa (certified gluten-free if necessary)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions

Whisk together vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and molasses in a large bowl or zip top plastic bag. Add zucchini, onion, bell pepper and carrots; seal and toss to coat. Let marinate 15 to 30 minutes while quinoa cooks.

Bring 1 3/4 cups broth to a boil in a medium saucepan; stir in quinoa. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.

Prepare a charcoal fire or preheat gas grill to medium-high heat. Drain vegetables, reserving marinade.

Grill vegetables in a grill basket or on greased grill grate for 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until tender. Cool slightly and chop vegetables into bite-size pieces.

Combine quinoa, grilled vegetables and reserved marinade in a large bowl. Serve room temperature or chilled.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 4 |  Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups

Per serving: Calories: 361; Total Fat: 11g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 5g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 559mg; Carbohydrate: 57g; Dietary Fiber: 7g; Sugar: 11g; Protein: 11g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 430mg; Iron: 20%; Vitamin A: 127%; Vitamin C: 93%; Calcium: 8%

Energizing Tips (optional)

• Serve with 1 hardboiled egg to increase calories, protein and fat. (Per serving: Calories: 431; Fat: 15g; Carbohydrate: 57g; Dietary Fiber: 7g; Sugar: 11g; Protein: 17g)
• Serve with 1 (3-ounce) grilled chicken breast to increase calories and lean protein. (Per serving: Calories: 471; Fat: 13g; Carbohydrate: 57g; Dietary Fiber: 7g; Sugar: 11g; Protein: 33g)

If there is one fact that everyone knows in theory but not in practice, it's this: You're not perfect.

You're going to struggle. You're going to have bad days. You're going to eat more than you planned on eating, and you're going to feel like doing nothing sometimes. It's not a matter of "if." It's "when." And, after helping more than 1,000 people lose weight, I can tell you more than likely that "when" is Friday.

Friday is the most common day I see people get a case of the "screw its." When perfect is no longer an option, they just throw the playbook completely out the window. But these swings in consistency are death to long-term weight loss because they rob us of momentum.

So I started trying to come up with a better plan, and, luckily for all my clients, I'm a huge history nerd. In battle, great generals do not just tell their troops "charge" and, if things go badly, yell, "Run away!" Before troops ever go into battle, they pick a spot on the map to retreat to in case things go badly. This is their "Fallback Plan." After reading a bunch of books about the history of tactics in land battles, I developed "Fallback Plan Friday."

Your fallback plan is your line in the sand. Something you are 100% confident you can do, no matter what. It can be a nutrition habit like eating protein at every meal or an easy 15–20 minute workout that moves you toward your goal but requires as much thought as brushing your teeth.

A good fallback plan needs to be simple and easy, and it has to be bang for your buck. Start by writing down your favorite way to train or eat. Do you like barbell complexes? Salads? Kettlebell swings and goblet squats? Tae Bo? Anything is fine. Let me repeat that: Any exercise or nutrition habit you love is fine.

Now write down the bare minimum that you can do of that exercise or nutrition habit and still feel like you're making progress. Is it one salad at lunch? Is it drinking one less (sugary or alcoholic) drink? Doing 20 push-ups? And yes, I want you to underestimate here. I mean, really lowball it. The whole goal is to do something that's possible and enjoyable, so you feel more ready to get back at it tomorrow. Don't think, "I've done 1,200 swings in a workout before" and then think you can do 1,000 every day. Ask yourself, "When the sun comes up on Saturday morning, and I've got a slight hangover from too much red wine the night before, what's the workout that's going to make me feel better?" That's your fallback plan.

Some examples:

• 100 kettlebell swings
• Eating a vegetable at every meal
• A 20-minute jog or bike ride
• Replacing one caloric drink with water
• A long walk
• Splitting your dinner into two meals
• 3–5 Turkish get-ups per side
• 3–5 sun salutations
• Or even just the warm-up from your regular workout

The key to this fallback plan is that you aren't retreating. You are still in enemy territory, regrouping for your next attack. If you feel like you can do more, do a little more. If you feel like you can do a lot more, do a lot more! But if, after going hard for a few workouts earlier in the week, you get to the weekend and don't feel like you can do anything, remember: You can still do something. Be a great general, and make your fallback plan.

A stability ball (often referred to as a Swiss, exercise or physio ball) is a great piece of equipment that can not only make standard moves like crunches, extensions and planks more challenging, but it can also double as a desk chair.

Whether you decide to use the ball to work out with or to simply sit on, make sure you have the right size ball for the best results. In general, if seated on the ball, your knees should make a 90-degree angle from your hips when your feet are flat on the floor. To help pick the best size for you, here are some basic recommendations based on height (just remember you’ll want to sit on it to find the perfect fit):

• If you are 5 feet 4 and under, try a 55 centimeter ball.

• If you are between 5 feet 5 and 5 feet 11, try a 65 centimeter ball.

• If you are between 6 feet and 6 feet 7, try a 75 centimeter ball.

It’s important master key form basics and proper alignment for every exercise before incorporating the stability ball into your routine. Just like you need to learn how to walk before you can run, being able to execute moves properly on solid ground should come first.

All set? Great! Here are 3 excellent reasons to consider integrating a stability ball into your workout routine for better results:

1. Build Core Stability and Flexibility

Including an unstable element (such as a stability ball) in your fitness regimen could help you strengthen your stabilizing muscles and improve your ability to balance more efficiently. One study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that women who used a physio ball during specific core exercises (such as curl-ups and back extensions) experienced greater torso stability and balance after 5 weeks than those who did similar movements on the floor.

Core stability is key for improving your force production while reducing the load on your joints in both exercise-related and everyday activities like throwing, running or jumping. Similarly, flexibility training is crucial for increasing range of motion, which can also reduce the strain on your joints, and improve posture and exercise performance. Utilizing a stability ball during stretching can provide support for movements that may be too difficult to achieve solo—this is why the ball is a great tool for flexibility sessions. And, because you’ll still work to balance on the ball while stretching, you can develop core stability and flexibility at the same time.

Check out my "On the Ball: 20-Minute Core Stretching Routine" below for how to incorporate the Swiss ball for both core-stability and flexibility work.

2. Amp Up Your Ab Routine

Feel like you're ready to take your ab training to the next level? A stability ball can increase your range of motion during exercises like rotations and planks, adding another degree of difficulty.

There’s yet another reason to love ab work on a Swiss ball: Performing traditional floor exercises (like crunches) on the ball may help prevent the lower back pain or aggravation that can commonly occur with floor movements. For ideas on how to use the ball for more back-friendly abdominal exercises, please check out this 7-minute core workout video.

3. Add Another Dimension to Total-Body Training

Incorporating a stability ball into your strength training routine can also be beneficial to your progress; it’s just not something you want to include during every session. Research indicates that this type of “instability training” can offer multiple benefits, including greater neuromuscular adaptations, improved coordination and higher muscle activation, all with less stress on the joints.

For strength gains, however, using unstable surfaces to work off of while lifting heavy weights may not be your best bet. The instability can decrease the overall force output your muscular system can provide since it has to work overtime to stabilize your body during your workout. The bottom line? When lifting heavy weights, stick with stable ground. But when you want to include more balance, core strength and coordination in your resistance training routine, include the stability ball with lighter loads and higher reps.

Ready to try some total-body training with a stability ball? Please check out my 30-minute "Stability Ball Sculpt" workout.

Tell me, do you use a Swiss ball for your workouts? What are some of your favorite moves? I’d love to hear what works for you—please share your best tips with us in the comments below!

—Photos by Vanessa Rogers Photography

We’ve all been there: It’s late, we’re hungry, and the drive-through window is beckoning. But before you grab the keys (or call for delivery) check out this list of less food-coma inducing late-night fare. It may require a little more work than swinging through a fast food joint, but the payoff is the seriously delicious satisfaction of knowing you’re feeding yourself well (and making healthy leftovers for tomorrow).

Savory Fare

Instead of a fast-food burger, make:

1. Bean-Kale Burger with Sweet Potato Wedges
For the vegetarians among us, here's a healthy recipe that provides balanced nutrition from superfood kale, sweet potato, and pinto beans. The recipe calls for pepper jack cheese, but this can be omitted if you're vegan or dairy-free.

2. Amazing Cheddar Sliders
While double-decker cheeseburgers are certainly delicious, they aren't the best "snack" if you're looking to stay awake for an all-nighter. This slider recipe cuts down on portion size while still packing flavor. To make this recipe even healthier, use a whole-wheat bun or skip it in favor of lettuce for added crunch.

Instead of a diner omelet, make:

3. Garden Vegetable Omelet
While omelettes may appear to be the healthiest option on the late-night diner menu, the serving sizes leave something to be desired in the health department. Make your own healthier version at home by tosssing in a whole bunch of veggies.

4. Caprese Omelet
Quality is key here, as juicy tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil all shine at the peak of their freshness.

Instead of French fries, make:

5. Healthy Baked Sweet Potato Fries
French fries are undoubtedly addictive, especially the ones served at late-night eateries. This recipe calls for baking, not frying (without sacrificing any flavor!). Sweet potato fries, in particular, pack some serious vitamin A, which gives your eyes a boost at the end of a long day.

6. Spicy Baked Fries
The seasoning on these thick potato wedges is so tasty, you won't even realize they've avoided the fryer. As the recipe suggests, alter the ratio of paprika or cayenne pepper to amp up the spice.

Instead of delivery or frozen pizza, make:

7. Homemade Bagel Bites
No matter how much we wish for it, pizza isn't exactly a vegetable—but it’s still possible to make a healthy version of the perennial favorite, bagel bites, for a midnight snack! Built-in portion control does these snacks good. To make them even healthier, use whole-wheat bagels, and top with herbs and veggies.

8. Cauliflower Crust Pizza
While the taste won't exactly parallel doughy pizza, this recipe is a savory, healthful, and unique alternative to classic delivery options. Be warned: Making this crust thick will result in more of a shepherd's pie than a pizza; while not quite the same texture, it’s still delicious!

Instead of a drive-through breakfast sandwich, make:

9. Egg and Avocado Sandwich
Superfood avocado automatically ups the nutrition profile of this sandwich… and its natural creaminess will make cheese seem almost subpar in comparison.

10. Egg Sandwich with Wilted Spinach
Eggs and veggies on toast make an excellent, balanced snack or meal (especially when they’re made with whole ingredients rather than obtained via the drive-thru). This healthy option will satisfy your tummy and, thanks to the protein, give you a surge of energy, to boot.

Instead of drive-through quesadillas, tacos, and burritos, make:

11. Chicken Burrito Bowl
Losing the tortilla in favor of a burrito bowl makes for a lighter (and, depending on what you fill the bowl with, gluten-free) alternative to gigantic burritos. Besides, the combination of rice, beans, and lean protein in this recipe need no additions (and ensure long-lasting energy).

12. Healthy Veggie Burritos
Enormous, Mission-style burritos are absolutely fantastic. But given that they often weigh as much as a small child, they can leave us feeling pretty sluggish the next morning. Cook up this healthy veggie burrito instead.

13. Black Bean Quesadillas
When they're homemade, quesadillas are healthy meals (or snacks!) that can be stuffed with virtually every combination of ingredients, whether sweet or savory. This recipe provides a healthy vegetarian dish that can be cooked up in a flash.

14. Avocado Quesadillas
Avocado plus melted cheese equals healthy fats, protein, and (thanks to the tortilla) carbs. To make this recipe even healthier, choose a whole-grain tortilla and keep portions in check.

15. Weeknight Black Bean Tacos
Don't let the concept of a vegan taco deter you from this recipe. The spicy seasoning mixed with piquante lime will tempt even die-hard ground beef fans!

16. Vegetarian: Tacos De Hongo, Chile Poblano Y Cebolla
Like vegan tacos, vegetarian tacos seem like something of an oxymoron. But this recipe packs plenty of authentic flavor thanks to the poblano chiles.

Instead of store-bought grilled cheese, make:

17. Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese
This is another recipe for which the quality of ingredients is key (and will really enable this sandwich to shine). Feel free to omit the sour cream if you’re dairy-free or counting calories.

18. Grilled Portobello, Bell Pepper, and Goat Cheese Sandwich
The meatiness of the portobello and the creaminess of the goat cheese mean that a small sandwich will feel much more indulgent than its size. If you’re Paleo, roast two whole portobello caps ahead of time and use them as buns instead! (Pro tip: If making the Paleo version, try assembling the sandwiches and then melting the cheese in the oven, as pan-frying quickly becomes messy.)

Instead of potato chips and French onion dip, make:

19. Baked Kale Chips
It's easy to eat a whole tray of these superfoods in one sitting—but hey, that just means you're stocking up on vitamin K! The best part about kale chips (besides their addictive crunchiness) is that they can take on any type of flavor, from lemon to garlic to miso, and still be completely wonderful.

20. Roasted Red Pepper Dip
Nutrient-rich red peppers, onion, superfood garlic, heart-healthy olive oil, red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper combine for a healthy, savory dip that will have you coming back for seconds (and thirds, and fourths… ).

21. Healthy Baba Ghanoush (Eggplant Dip)
Baba Ghanoush can prove even more addictive than hummus, but given that many store-bought versions include more mayonnaise than eggplant, it's not always the healthiest choice of dip. While this homemade version still calls for some mayo, feel free to swap in more tahini. Plenty of eggplant provides vitamins K and B6, thiamin, folate, potassium, manganese, and fiber.

22. Roasted Garlic, Sun-Dried Tomato, and White Bean Dip
The rich flavors of this bean dip will shine on any dipping “instrument,” from whole-grain chips to red pepper slices. The creaminess of the white beans pairs beautifully with the savory flavors of the sun-dried tomatoes and garlic.

Instead of the Chinese buffet, make:

23. Healthy General Tso's Chicken Recipe
The sweet-sticky sauce covering General Tso's chicken is understandably addictive, but it most likely has unpronounceable ingredients. Stir-frying the chicken is healthier than sticking it in the deep fryer, while your mind can rest easy with this sauce made from whole, natural ingredients.

24. Tofu That Tastes Good: Stir Fry
The texture of tofu can be off-putting for many, but baking and then stir-frying it in a sweet teriyaki sauce will make it much more firm. This recipe would be delicious with any mixture of vegetables.

25. Light and Healthy Vegetarian Lo Mein
Lo mein is such a wonderful mix of textures that its ingredient list should be just as lovely! To avoid the mystery of take-out lo mein, make a homemade version. This recipe is vegetarian, but stir-fried beef or shrimp would make delicious additions.

Instead of mac 'n cheese from a box, make:

26. Mac 'N Cheese (Vegan and Gluten Free)
While vegan and gluten-free mac 'n cheese sounds nigh on impossible to achieve, this recipe will leave you pleasantly surprised. The addition of cauliflower or white beans enables an even creamier texture and many more nutrients than a powdered cheese packet.

27. Creamy Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese
For a slightly gourmet twist on mac 'n cheese, this butternut squash version, with its combination of Gruyere and Romano cheese and crunchy Panko breadcrumbs, is exceptional. The butternut squash adds plenty of nutrition while tinting the dish a vibrant yellow.

Instead of store-bought chicken wings, make:

28. Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
This classic party food can be a stomachache in the making thanks to heavy amounts of oil and spicy sauces. This homemade version will leave you feeling satisfied, not sick, as its crispiness is achieved via the oven rather than the deep fryer.

Instead of traditional PB&J, make:

29. Fried Peanut Butter Banana Sandwich
It was Elvis's favorite sandwich, but that doesn't mean we can’t “healthify” it a bit—and this version still provides plenty of crunch.

30. Apple Sandwiches with Honeyed Peanut Butter, Oats, and Raisins
Don't just eat apples out of hand! Core and slice apples to make these tasty treats. The oats and raisins provide wonderful texture to contrast the crunchy fruit.

Sweet Snacks

Instead of convenience store ice cream, make:

31. Banana Cherry Garcia Soft Serve
This recipe is just as addictive as the original Ben & Jerry's version, but with plenty more fiber and nutrients! Making it at home enables you to add as many chocolate and cherry chunks as you desire, which is definitely another bonus.

32. Peanut Butter, Jam, and Banana Soft Serve Popsicles
Banana soft serve might be the best thing since sliced bread. The creamy sweetness of the blended frozen banana mimics ice cream quite nicely, and it is equally versatile, as these popsicles demonstrate.

33. 5-Minute Avocado Sorbet
By no means do avocados have to be savory. They shine in sweets from brownies to mousse, but the simplicity of this avocado sorbet is spectacular.

Instead of a drive-through milkshake, make:

34. Raw Cookie Dough Milkshake
The more cookie dough chunks, the better, but store-bought cookie dough often contains plenty of scary chemicals. This recipe eliminates unpronounceable ingredients in favor of a banana-based, egg-free cookie dough flavor.

35. Skinny Strawberry Banana Milkshakes
Strawberry shakes may seem more refreshing than their chocolate-based counterparts, but as they rarely include fresh fruit, they aren't necessarily a healthier choice. This simple version packs plenty of antioxidants for genuine health-boosting goodness.

36. Healthy Peanut Butter, Banana, and Honey Milkshake
The textural interplay between the creamy peanut butter and banana base and the crunchy cacao nibs is simply amazing. Adding raw honey boosts sweetness without processed sugars.

Instead of packaged brownies, make:

37. Vegan Gluten-Free Black Bean Brownies
Black beans fill up your tummy with fiber and protein. Strange though the ingredient list may seem, the black beans make these really fudgy, which makes for perfect brownie bites!

38. Skinny Brownie in a Mug
Greek yogurt lends a healthy dose of protein while keeping the mug cake moist. This simple recipe is perfect for those who prefer their brownies to taste like batter!

Instead of packaged cookies, make:

39. "Raw" Cookie Dough (Egg Free)
If there's one sweet snack to love more than cookies, it's cookie dough. To avoid salmonella poisoning, try out this egg-free version of a sweet classic. If you don't have much of a sweet tooth, try lightening up the sweeteners in this recipe to save both calories and your blood sugar.

40. Vegan Single-Serve Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie
These cookies would be healthy enough to eat for breakfast. The banana and chocolate chips elevate baked oatmeal into a chewy, fudgy skillet cookie.

41. “All for One” Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe seems nigh on miraculous. Thanks to nutrient-packed ingredients such as coconut flour and molasses, you can eat the entire batch for the caloric equivalent of a single Chips Ahoy cookie! Even more important: You skip out on all the processed ingredients.

42. Cookie Dough Greek Yogurt
Given that this recipe features Greek yogurt as its base, it's much healthier than eating spoons of raw cookie dough. That said, the peanut butter and maple syrup make for an indulgent dessert, which is perfectly offset by the touch of sea salt recommended in this recipe.

43. Quick 5-Minute Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip (Paleo)
Soaked cashews and coconut butter provide a wonderfully creamy and sweet base for this dip! Apple slices or banana chips would pair well with the coconut-chocolate flavor.

Instead of diner pancakes, make:

44. Flourless Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
Superfood pumpkin is hardly a seasonal vegetable—it's so packed with vitamin A that it deserves to be eaten all year round! These pumpkin pancakes pack plenty of flavor without refined sugars or flours.

45. Oatmeal Mini Pancakes
Oatmeal's versatility is often underrated—here, the oats add a nice textural contrast to these dense pancakes. Oatmeal is also a superfood that can help lower blood cholesterol levels, aid with digestion, and improve metabolism.

46. Greek Yogurt Blueberry Pancakes
Between protein-packed Greek yogurt and antioxidant-rich blueberries, this recipe packs a lot of health benefits without the processed ingredients so often found in pancake mixes! Almond flour could work as a substitute to make this recipe gluten-free (just add a bit more leavener to compensate for the added heaviness).

Instead of a store-bought latte, make:

47. Salted Caramel Mocha Latte
Giant Starbucks mochas are delicious, to be sure, but at close to $5 each, they aren't the most economical option—and besides, they’re often loaded with added sugars. This recipe provides a less expensive way to get that salty-caramel flavor year-round!

48. The Perfect Homemade Latte
This recipe is super simple, and gives an energy boost from caffeine without a sugar crash later on. Flavor as you desire: Mint chocolate chip latte, anyone? Or pumpkin spice? The choice is yours, without any of the side effects of sugary syrups!

Instead of convenience store candy, make:

49. Healthy Gummy Bears
Gummy candies are difficult to resist, but instead of reaching for high-fructose-corn syrup-laden versions, make simple fruit juice-based ones at home. These are just as addictively chewy and sweet, but without the scary ingredients.

50. Healthy Sour Watermelon Gummies
These addictive (and Paleo!) gummies mimic Sour Patch Kids, but their flavor stems from a mixture of fresh watermelon and lemon rather than refined sugar.

51. Homemade Raw Vegan Chocolate
Strong dark chocolate is quite healthy already, but try out this vegan option if you're looking for a milkier (but dairy-free) treat. Adding different types of flavoring (extracts, dried fruits, nuts) to this base would be a wonderful way to add variety!

52. Make Your Own Raw Vegan Chocolate
Maple-coconut vegan chocolate sounds like a dream! Adding crunchy cacao nibs would be a perfect add more texture to this recipe.

Whether it’s from your desk job or just a really long drive, you can ease those aches with these expert-recommended exercises.

You know that feeling—probably around 4 P.M.—when everything from your shoulders to your hips starts ache and tighten? There's both good news and bad news about what's going on.

The bad news: "We have a webbing of connective tissue called fascia that runs throughout our body and helps muscles work together," says Rebekah Rotstein, a movement educator and Pilates instructor in New York City and founder of Incorporating Movement studio. "It only glides and slides smoothly, though, when it's healthy and hydrated." It's quite common for that fascia to become dense and stiff, especially when you're dehydrated, don't move enough or have poor posture (read: when you're hunkered down at your desk all. freaking. day).

The good news: When it comes to generalized low back pain (as opposed to pinpointed pain, which could be a sign of a problem like a slipped disc—see a doc if that's the case), Rotstein says you can change the holding patterns in your muscles and fascia that are causing stiffness and discomfort. You just need to make a little effort.

But that doesn't necessarily mean to loosen up. "People often mistake tightness as a sign that you need to stretch," she says. "But many times, it's also a sign that an area needs to be strengthened." For instance, your abs should take some of the strain off the back as well—but when they're not strong enough to stabilize your core, the low back gets the brunt of it. Also, getting a stronger upper back, glutes, hips and shoulders can nix the aches because they'll redistribute the forces on your body and remove the excess strain from your back.

Feel better now with Rotstein's top four moves for releasing tension, strengthening your entire core and opening your hips.

1. Sky-High Stretch: Stand with feet together and extend arms overhead. Grab left wrist with right hand and pull gently as you stretch upward and to the right. Hold for 15 seconds, then repeat in the opposite direction.

2. Pelvic Tilt: Lie faceup with knees bent and feet on mat. Exhale and slowly rock pelvis up, flattening back against floor. (Your belly should sink as you do this.) Inhale and rock back in the other direction. That's 1 rep; do 10.

3. Knee Lift: Start on all fours with toes tucked. Inhale and lengthen through crown of your head while you look at the ground. Raise knees off floor a few inches; hold for up to 30 seconds, then lower. Repeat one to two more times.

4. Hinging Side Lunge: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Step a big step to right with right foot; push hips back and bend right knee to lower into a side lunge while keeping left leg straight. Push through right heel to stand and repeat on opposite side. That's 1 rep; do 10.

Photo courtesy of SELF.

Whether you are facing a full-on brunch buffet or a catered dinner smorgasbord, buffets can be a huge challenge for anyone who is trying to eat healthfully or, in the case of that irresistible mac-and-cheese goodness, keep portion-control in check. like me, when i see buffet i can’t hold any of my healthy eating habit that i’m just go uncontrolled to the buffet table and just eat and take all the stuff on the table.

The good news is buffets don't have to lead to feelings of regret and a blown calorie budget. Use this simple five-step strategy the next time you find yourself in that "all you can eat" atmosphere.

1. Don't go to a buffet feeling hungry.

Buffets often trigger an "I don't want to be in control" feeling, and hunger will only intensify that. Being faced with dozens of tempting foods all at once is not easy for anyone, but if you have a history of struggling with overeating, a buffet can feel like a minefield. Heading into a difficult food situation feeling ravenous will simply make it exponentially more difficult to be in control.

2. Breathe.

If you notice a lot of chatter in your head and powerful urges to eat everything, redirect your attention to your breath. Take long, calming inhales and exhales. Redirecting your attention to your breath is a powerful mindfulness technique that will help you feel more grounded and in control.

3. Assess the food situation.

Before you start filling your plate, do a thorough walk-through. Take your time, and look at everything being offered. Is there a dessert section? Is there food you love and don't typically get to have? What looks especially enjoyable or has been prepared in an interesting way? What smells especially good? If you start to feel overwhelmed and anxious, you can always fall back on those calming breaths.

4. Choose your Top 4.

When you have finished the walk-through, mentally make a list of the Top 4 most appealing choices. Which four stood out to you? Which foods are you still thinking about? Which tastes/textures are you most wanting to experience? The four that keep popping out at you is your Top 4 list.

Notice what you are feeling; if it's very intense and you are struggling to narrow down your choices, add a small loving mantra to your breathing. The mantra should sound like you are talking to yourself in a supportive way. Such as: "It is hard to choose, I know how much you want it all, I hear you"; "You are doing so well"; "This is hard, you are not doing anything wrong"; "I am proud of you, and I love you." I know this might feel a bit strange and awkward, but give it a try and see what happens!

5. Go get 'em … and then get seconds!

Now it's time to enjoy! Start by getting two of your Top 4. While you spoon the food onto your plate, keep focusing on your breath and gently remind yourself to keep the portions small. The goal is to experience and enjoy a variety of foods instead of heading straight into a binge. When you sit down, eat slowly and enjoy the taste of your choices.

It's a buffet, so when you are finished go ahead and have seconds! Now's the time to sample your remaining two choices! Continue to slowly enjoy what you are eating, notice how you are feeling, keep refocusing on your breath, and repeat the supportive mantras if needed.

6.Silently watch your healthy habit

If, when you finish, you notice lingering thoughts of wanting more or distracting urges to keep on eating, gently acknowledge them. Work toward resisting the urge to overeat by tuning into what's going on around you in the present. Notice the weather, conversation with friends and family, the music that is playing. Stay observant and kind to yourself.

By following this five-step strategy, you'll be able to enjoy the buffet experience while reducing any overwhelming feelings you may have in this situation using simple mindfulness techniques and self-love. You may be surprised by the power of being gentle and loving with yourself.

For 32-year-old administrative assistant Victoria Wagar, a trip to Disney World 10 years ago unexpectedly changed her life. During that trip, she had been ordered off a roller coaster at the famed theme park when the safety bar wouldn't close. She was simply too big. But, when she recently planned another visit to the amusement park, this time with her 4-year-old daughter, there was no way she wanted that to happen again.

With that trip to Disney World on the calendar, she decided it was finally time to make a change. For someone who had been overweight for as long as she could remember, shrinking her 350-pound frame wasn't a simple proposition.

"There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't think about the fact that I was overweight," she remembers. "I always compare it to any addiction: I couldn't stop eating and always made the choice to eat the wrong things, even though I knew it was wrong."

Despite the odds, Wagar has managed to lose a whopping 164 pounds in a little less than a year and a half. This wasn't the result of a trendy diet, an expensive gym membership or even surgery. Wagar's key to weight-loss success was a direct result of educating herself about healthy habits and tracking every food she ate and step she took. Here's how she did it:

1. Create a Snowball Effect of Good Decisions

After signing up for MyFitnessPal in March 2014, Wagar dove headfirst into learning how to lead a healthier life. "I used the site, read the blogs and took tips from those," she says. "I gradually added more fresh fruits and vegetables, but it didn't happen overnight. I found that one good decision leads to another."

With a better understanding of the types of foods that would help her lose weight and achieve greater health, she also cooked recipes featured on the site. What's more, as she honed in on the healthier foods that she liked the most, she also started creating her own recipes. By entering them into the recipe nutrition calculator, she was able to determine overall calorie intake and serving sizes. "I know too much to ever go back now," she adds.

2. Initiate a Logging Streak

Previously, Wagar never had any idea of how much and what kinds of foods she should be eating, much less a daily calorie goal. Over time, she was able to determine what made sense for her as an individual. In order to make sure she was hitting her goals, she found that logging her meals was imperative.

"I've logged in for more than 500 days in a row now," she says. "When I started losing weight, I felt so good, so that was a major incentive."

Even in those early days before she made any big changes to her diet, she said that logging came in handy. "The first couple of times I put food in the log, I couldn't believe the calories," she explains. "Even if you're not going to change anything, get in there and log what you're eating and it'll really make you think. Sometimes I even use it as a research tool by putting something in to see how many calories it has before I eat it."

Wagar discovered that logging exercise was equally motivating. While she could initially walk around her neighborhood only one block at a time, she has progressively been able to add time to her walks as the weight came off.

"Holding yourself accountable no matter what is key," she says. "I really recommend tracking your steps so you can see how much you've moved. Now my day isn't the same if I don't work out."

3. Prioritize Caring for Yourself

Along with increased motivation came self-control for Wagar. "I had to tell myself that if I can get up every day and brush my teeth, I can do this: I'm worth it. I'm going to choose to take care of myself," she says.

She found greater self-control by planning ahead. She now goes to the supermarket with a list for the week's groceries so she's not caught in a moment of hunger without healthy options. On Sunday nights, she has fruits and vegetables cut and ready to eat, dinner in the Crock-Pot and lunches packed for the week.

To be sure, her newfound healthy lifestyle doesn't mean that she never eats the foods that she once loved. "I will have a burger at a cookout, for instance, but I will also bring a caprese salad and load up my plate with that," she says. "Even if you do have a bad day, you still have to hold yourself accountable; log it, and move on."

As someone who has waged a lifelong battle with weight issues, Wagar hopes that her story can serve as inspiration to others. "People always ask, 'What's your secret?' But it's not a secret. It's diet, exercise and MyFitnessPal," she says. "It has really changed everything—every relationship, my job. I'm just so happy."