Blog Posts by Spa Magazine

From the classic Thanksgiving green bean casserole to creamy pumpkin tarts-here are 8 healthy alternatives for this holiday meal.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Poblano Soup

Roasted Sweet Potato and Poblano Soup

This festive soup, courtesy of Mii amo, is sweet and spicy and the perfect starter to your Thanksgiving meal. Get the recipe.

Cranberry, Walnut and Apple Salad

Cranberry, Walnut and Apple Salad

Green Bean Casserole

Green Bean Casserole

This healthier alternative to the classic holiday side dish is served at Mii amo during Thanksgiving. Get the recipe.

Goat Cheese Beet Napoleon with Strawberry Gastrique and Walnuts

Goat Cheese Beet Napoleon with Strawberry Gastrique and Walnuts

This delicious and festive beet salad is the perfect beginning to your Thanksgiving dinner. This recipe was created by Chef Conlan of the Lake Austin Spa Resort. Get the recipe.

Cranberry-Pomegranate Glaze Cornish Game Hens with Sausage and Cornbread Stuffing

Cranberry-Pomegranate Glaze Cornish Game Hens with

How to Develop a Holiday Eating PlanWhether we are attending holiday parties, going to relatives' homes for big family dinners, or entertaining, the holidays are a time when food, sweets, and tasty beverages become a major part of the festivities. Despite our best intentions, this time of year is probably one of the most difficult times to stay healthy.

Specifically, many of us fall victim to cumulative party behavior. One celebration blends into another, and before we know it, we are eating as though every day were a holiday. To combat this effect and ward off the associated weight gain, be proactive in planning for the season.

1. Make a Plan

• Create a calendar Use color coding to help you easily gauge which weeks are going to be heavy-duty event weeks and which aren't. Days without events should be light blue, and those with events should be red.
• Spread out events As much as you can, aim to have no more than one event a week. Sure, there will be times when multiple

Cottage cheese. Orange peel.

Whatever you call the dimpled skin that shows up on the thighs, buttocks, stomach, and upper arms, it affects up to 90 percent of women. And it doesn't matter whether you're a size 0 or size 20: Although weight gain is often blamed for unwanted lumps and bumps, cellulite is caused by a number of factors, including heredity, diet, and even medication.

These culprits-individually or combined-can result in inflammation or blocked microcirculation in fat cells, causing them to fill with fluid. But because fat cells rest between vertical strands of connective tissue called the septa, there's little room for this expansion. It's the crowding of these engorged cells that causes noticeable dimpling.

RELATED: At-Home Body Treatments

Unfortunately there is no permanent cure for cellulite, but that doesn't mean you have to grin and bare your bumps. Fatty deposits can be treated with nonsurgical options, including lasers, massage, injectables, and

Beauty trends tend to come and go. But a clear, glowing complexion has always been in style. Long before terms like antioxidants, essential fatty acids and pH mantles had been phrased, ancient cultures were using certain plants and herbs to improve the condition of skin, creating extracts and oils that nourish, moisturize, exfoliate and clarify. For example, turmeric, a staple in Indian cooking, has long been used to minimize blemishes. Grape skins have been enriching French faces for centuries and Egyptian queen Cleopatra was said to credit her soft skin to baths of milk and honey. Centuries later, many of these essences have found their way into commercial beauty products, where they continue to soothe, comfort, heal and rejuvenate. Join us on a trip around the globe to discover the traditions behind some of the world's most prized botanicals.

Switzerland: Edelweiss

Beauty Properties: This beloved alpine flower may

With summer coming to an end, it's likely that your skin has suffered a little bit of summer sun damage. "You don't have to be a celebrity to achieve amazing skin this fall," says Celeste Hililng, CEO of the skincare line Skin Authority. "Just as you swap out shorts for sweaters in anticipation of cooler temps, do the same with your skincare products. Use the change of season to inventory your skincare stash, toss old items and figure out what you truly need."

Celeste, who has worked with celebrity broadcasters on the set of Extra and other high fashion names, shares with us her eight tips for healthy skin this fall.

• Simplify your skincare stash. Save time and money by simplifying to no more than three to four steps in the morning and at night. Hilling adds, "In the morning, you need a mild gel cleanser, an antioxidant such as Vitamin C and a sunscreen moisturizer. Before going to bed, use resurfacing ingredients such as AHAs and retinols in addition to restorative

Fall has arrived! And with that comes some of our favorite things: leaves changing colors, pumpkin-spiced beverages, cooler weather, and so much more!

If your skin's feeling a little rough after a summer of sun exposure, you'll want to give it some moisture with a homemade mask. Making this pumpkin enzyme face mask, created by the co-founder of the California beauty shop The Body Deli, is super easy: all you need is some pumpkin pie puree and a few other common ingredients, and you'll be left with a glowing -- and yummy smelling -- face!


Ingredients:

• 1 can pumpkin pie puree (organic if possible)
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. pumpkin seed oil
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• 1 pinch nutmeg

• Place half the can of pumpkin puree in a bowl and mix in the lemon juice, pumpkin seed oil and spices.
• Apply the mask to the face and allow your skin to soak up the goodness for at least 10-15 minutes.
• Best if used while soaking in a warm tub, steam helps to further

Every year new fitness workouts promise to quickly get you in shape. We sweated through a slew of them to find five that delivered real results. For the best results, aim for sessions two to three times a week.

The Bar Method

GOOD FOR: Toning the butt, thighs and hips

DETAILS: A mix of Pilates, yoga, ballet and strength training, the bar method is tough, but the pain is worth it.

Related: Get a Ballerina Body with This At-Home 10-Minute Bar Method Workout Routine

Kettlebells

GOOD FOR: Toning arms and shoulders

DETAILS: Russians have been using kettlebells for 2,000 years, and for good reason. For sculpted shoulders, learn the correct form from a pro, then add it to your gym routine.

Related: 5 Tips to Help You Skip Soreness

Nordic Walking

GOOD FOR: Losing weight, toning legs and arms

DETAILS: By incorporating poles that add an arm component, you'll burn about 20 percent more calories than regular walking.

Related: How to

When it comes to worrying, the solution is as simple as mind over matter. "The imagination is the most powerful human mental function," explains Martin Rossman, M.D., a mind-body pioneer and founder of TheHealingMind.org, an online oasis of guided imagery and self-healing techniques. "It's a great problem solver when used properly, but when we let it run away, it can put us on a hamster wheel of repetitive worry that drags us down, drives us nuts, and makes us anxious and stressed." That hamster wheel of worry is known as bad worry. According to Dr. Rossman's new book, The Worry Solution (Crown Archetype, $23.99), it can be turned into good worry, which helps us better solve problems and manage stress. "The book focuses on a process that teaches people that when they do have to worry, to worry better," explains Rossman. Here are his four steps for developing a good worry habit:

• Get a Clue: Identify the root cause of what's eating at you. Write down everything that you're