Blog Posts by SHAPE magazine

By Rebecca Soskin, Shape.com

If you're constantly on the go-getting everyone out the door in the morning, dropping the kids off at school, working late, picking up the dry cleaning, grocery shopping, cleaning, taking the dog to the vet, getting your workout in, and cooking dinner for the family-then you're probably longing for at least 10 minute a day to relax. The good news is you won't have to travel far to take a breather. You can do it in the comfort of your own home. How? By choosing paint colors that are proven to boost your mood. Read on for colors that will make your long and stressful day seem less overwhelming.


Paint Color: Blue
Blue is a very soothing color that helps calm your mind and reduces tension. It's often used in bedrooms because of its ability to help people sleep. When choosing the right blue you want to make sure that it's soft, neutral, and restful. (Related: Top Picks for Blue Paint)

Paint Color: Violet
The color violet stems from blue and when done right,

Craving something sweet, salty, crunchy, or creamy? We have a healthy snack to satisfy any craving for less than 200 calories. The SHAPE magazine staff recommends these snacks for the girl on the go.

The Laughing Cow Sharp Original Mini Babybel
(60 calories, 5g fat per round)
"I'll never go back to buying those bland 100-calorie string cheeses again," said a staffer. Pair one with a handful of whole-grain crackers and you'll come in under 200 calories while fulfilling 14 percent of your daily calcium needs. ($4 for a bag of 6)

Dylan's Candy Bar Almond Dark Chocolate 100 Calorie Bar
(100 calories, 7g fat per 0.7-oz bar)
This antioxidant-packed treat is "bigger than one of those fun-size candy bars but small enough that I don't feel like I've thrown off my entire diet by eating the whole thing," said one staffer. ($2 each)

Fiber One Chocolate Fudge Brownies
(90 calories, 3g fat per brownie)
"The fudge drizzle, chocolate chips, and chewy texture make these my new favorite 4 p.m. treat,"

Don't let these common tummy-toning questions come between you and a slim stomach! Trainers reveal how to get flat abs fast.

Q. Should I train my abs at the end of my workout?
A. It depends. There's some validity to the claim that training your abs last preserves your core strength for the earlier parts of your workout: "If you're going to do squats or multimuscle exercises like push-ups or lunges that require a lot of balance, you might want to do abs last so your core is fresh and strong," says certified trainer and fitness author Kurt Brungardt. The caveat? "The danger of always putting your ab workout at the end is that people run out of time and end up never training them," notes Auckland, New Zealand-based certified trainer Kathryn M. Clark. So the best time to do ab moves is truly whenever you're most likely to actually do them.

RELATED: Amazing Kelly Ripa Routines

Q. If abs are endurance muscles, do I have to do hundreds of reps to get results?
A. No. Abs do have greater

Your wedding planning isn't finished until you've heard this hard-earned advice from women who've been there, done that - so you don't have to.

Spend more time with mom the morning of your wedding
When Roseann Manarte got married, the morning of her wedding was a big blur. "There was so much confusion and shuffling between stuff to get done that I don't really remember taking a few minutes to sit and breathe," says Manarte. "My mom and I are so close and she did so much to help plan my wedding, I wish I could have spent some alone time with her; I know it was such an important moment for her as well." Her wedding was the fairy tale she always imagined, but Roseann says she would have allotted some "personal time" into her morning preparations.

CHECKLIST: Even though you are the icing on the cake, don't forget about the people who helped you get to this moment. Take a few minutes to sit with each of them before you walk down the aisle.

RELATED: Healthy Dinners for Two

Learn how to

Try these delicious foods to keep you healthy and fit this summer.

Corn
"Corn is a starch that resists digestion and as such can aid weight loss by increasing immunity, controlling blood sugar levels, and increasing satiety," says Marissa Vicario, a certified holistic health coach and founder of Marissa's Well-Being and Health.

Walnuts
Full of fiber and heart-healthy fats (including omega-3's, which have shown to have metabolic-boosting benefits), walnuts are great to crunch on instead of "bad" fat-filled and salted potato chips, says Shana Maleeff, a dietitian and fitness professional in New York City. Just watch your portion size since nuts are high in calories. (We recommend tossing a handful into a salad to add crunch and flavor).

RELATED: Top 50 Diet Foods for Summer

Burgers
This summer favorite doesn't have to wreck your waistline! "Using lean ground beef (95 percent lean vs. 80 percent) for your hamburgers will save you 170 calories and 19 grams of fat for a 6-ounce burger,"

Diets won't help you conquer dimples in the long run, but a smarter day-in, day-out way of eating will. Put these slim-down tips to work for you today.

EAT MEALS AND SNACKS ON A SCHEDULE

"Sticking to a regular daily pattern trains your brain when to expect food and when not to, so you're less likely to nosh between meals," says Susan B. Roberts, Ph.D., a professor of nutrition at Tufts University and co-author of The "I" Diet. "It's those unplanned snacks that tend to trip you up because they're often high-calorie or high-sugar foods," she says.

NIX WHITE FLOUR FOODS

At least two studies have found that people who eat the most whole grains have less belly fat than those who eat fewer complex carbs (you can have cellulite around your middle too). With the variety of whole-grain products on store shelves today, it's easier than ever to snub the refined stuff. The higher fiber content in whole-wheat bread and pasta keeps you feeling full longer, so you won't have to contend with a

Eat your way to a happy day (and happy life) with these foods that will boost your mood.

Walnuts
Arizona State University researchers reported that high intakes of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a form of omega-3 fat found in walnuts, flaxseed and chia seed, can keep you feeling chipper. Eating chia seed doesn't appeal to you?

Barramundi
Cast your line for this oddly named fish when you're feeling down. A study in the journal Nutrition found that women with the highest intakes of EPA and DHA-two omega-3 fats found in fish such as barramundi, trout, salmon and sardines-were less likely to experience symptoms of depression. Omega-3s help promote proper functioning of the neurotransmitters that regulate mood, scientists say.

RELATED: 10 Healthy Meals Using Peanut Butter

Dark Chocolate
Chocolate contains mood-boosting compounds such as theobromine and phenylethyamine. Further, a recent Swiss study found that eating a little over an ounce of antioxidant-rich dark chocolate (about 6 Hershey

By SHAPE.com Diet Doctor, Mike Roussell, PhD

Ideally I would have you pick neither, but if you had to make a choice, pick sweeteners. Eating lots of foods and drinks with added sugars is the number one nutrition behavior that I change with a new client. It is very detrimental to both health and weight loss efforts.

Oftentimes it is too hard to completely stop eating or drinking these empty calories, as they are addictive, so I recommend replacing some of the things you consume which contain added sugars with versions that do not. This could be as simple as drinking diet soda instead of regular soda.

Eventually you'll want to replace that diet soda with a drink that does not contain any artificial sweeteners, like green tea or black tea either unsweetened or with an all-natural sweetener like stevia or xylitol.

RELATED: Top 25 Foods That Keep You Fuller Longer

Stevia, or the extract from the stevia plant, has become a very popular choice for people looking for a natural sweetener.