Blog Posts by SHAPE magazine

These treats are not only delicious - they're also low in calorie. Whether you're trying to lose weight or just want a healthier alternative to your favorite high-calorie desserts, these five recipes are sure to please.

Nectarine and Raspberry Sundaes
Cool down on a hot summer day with a refreshing sundae that takes just 10 minutes to make. Want to have dessert for breakfast? Swap frozen yogurt for lowfat plain. Get the recipe!

Lavender Lemon Cupcakes
Who doesn't love a cupcake-especially when it's only 152 calories? This lemon-lavender combo is a fun, healthy twist on this traditional treat. Get the recipe!

Blackberry Yogurt Cheesecake Parfait
Get the flavor of cheesecake without the fat. This chilled parfait is protein packed, so you'll stay satisfied. Mix it up by trying different fruit like raspberries or strawberries. Get the recipe!

Citrus Squares
Need to whip up dessert for a BBQ this weekend? With an almond shortbread crust and creamy filling, no one will ever suspect these

Get inspired to take your workout routine outside with these fun ideas from Olympic swimmer Dara Torres.

Plunge into Something New
Summer's almost here…and it's time to think outside the gym. Olympic swimmer (and model) Dara Torres, 44, is full of ideas for taking your workout into the great wide open. "I love doing laps in the pool or biking along the beach," says Torres, who is the first U.S. swimmer to compete in five Olympics. Exercising in the pool, at the beach, or even in the park can provide the same cardio, toning, and strengthening as a gym regimen…with a blast of invigorating air, to boot. Just don't forget the sunscreen.

Go Fetch!
Got a pet? Use the 'call of nature' to your advantage. "Taking your dog for a walk or to play Frisbee is also a great way to stay active outdoors," says Torres, who calls her dog Scarlet her "best workout companion."

RELATED: Easy Ways to Burn Calories in the Pool

Stretch Your Limits
"When I'm not in the pool, I love to stretch by practicing yoga

Betty White cracked up The Late Show viewers recently when she delivered the top-10 list, "Betty White Tips for Living a Long and Happy Life." While most of the tips listed were tongue-in-cheek ("Avoid tweeting any photo of your private parts," and "Try not to die" are two examples), we thought we'd dig into her past to see what other funny quotes White has said that are inspiring or related to health and wellbeing. Read on for her - often hilarious yet true - life wisdom!

1. "Keep the other person`s well-being in mind when you feel an attack of soul-purging truth coming on." That helps your wellbeing stay intact, too!

2. "You gotta use everything you possibly can!" White said this about the slit on her dress when accepting the SAG's Lifetime Achievement Award. Funny!

3. "I have a two-story house and a bad memory, so I'm up and down those stairs all the time. That's my exercise. " White said this last year. Hey, at 89 years old, it's definitely all about working your fitness into

Follow these 20 easy fitness tips to make your next abs workout more effective, so that you have more time to show them off!

Start Small
Just like you wouldn't jump in the deep end of the pool before you know how to swim, you shouldn't tackle a complicated or advanced core move on your first try. Start small by working in a smaller range of motion (holding a plank for 15-20 seconds), and then as your core strength improves and you master proper form, make the movement to larger and more difficult exercises.

Engage Your Pelvic Floor
You've probably heard of Kegels before, right? By engaging your pelvic floor (act as though you're trying to stop your urine midstream) before and during any abs exercise you perform, you better engage your transverse abdominals, which act as a girdle for your entire core. This helps give you a tighter midsection-quite literally-all the way around!

RELATED: 25 Exercises That Tone More Than You Think

Focus on the Burn
Many times we completely zone out while

You've trained hard; filled your fridge, freezer, and pantry with healthy fare; and been diligent about getting your H20. But despite all that, a little bit of flab lingers. Don't give up-or turn to a crash diet in desperation! These diet tweaks are designed to help you banish bloat and rev up your metabolism without the sluggishness, hunger, irritability, and other side effects of crazy "miracle" plans. Work them into your diet in the two to four weeks before your wedding and we promise you'll love the results.

Flatten your belly with fiber Excess body fat isn't the only thing that leads to tummy bulge: About 80 percent of us struggle with constipation at some point. While brief periods of irregularity are normal, they can make the scale creep up and cause that little extra pooch. The easy solution: Up your intake of soluble fiber, found in apples, citrus fruits, seeds, and beans. "This sticky fiber soaks up water to form a gel-like substance that stimulates the muscles of your

Nikki James has scored a Tony award for her leading role in Book of Mormon, the musical from the creators of South Park that's racking up awards and acclaim this season. Here James reveals how she got in shape for the Tony awards on Sunday, June 12.

Snacking Like Elvis
"I'm pretty adventurous when it comes to fruits and veggies; I'll eat anything, but I love mango and bananas. My secret energy food is a peanut butter and banana sandwich with honey on whole grain bread. I also love snacking on a handful of nuts. And one of my snacks from Fresh Diet today is a piece of cheesecake, which I'm saving for dessert."

Stretching Her Limits
"I have become a yoga addict. For the past year I've been doing bikram yoga, where you're in a room that's 104 degrees for 90 minutes, so you have to drink lots of water. Lately I've been relying on coconut water: a great way to get your electrolytes and stay hydrated without added sugar. I do bikram three times a week and it's challenging both mentally and

He lives for barbecue and you follow a vegan diet. He wants to eat out when you're ready for a healthy meal at home. If opposing eating habits are causing food fights between you and your mate, look out-it can affect more than just intimacy. "Food issues are also obstacles to weight loss, cholesterol control, stable blood pressure, and increased energy levels," says Cynthia Sass, author of Your Diet Is Driving Me Crazy: When Food Conflicts Get In the Way of Your Love Life. Sass serves up simple and satisfying solutions to help keep your diet-and your relationship-from spoiling.

"We're Not Hungry at the Same Time"
Ann is a teacher who gets home from work several hours before her husband Dennis, a realtor. She used to wait around snacking on chips and cookies to satisfy her hunger until mealtime. Naturally, Ann gained weight and felt self-conscious. "Postponing meals is incredibly problematic and can lead to under-eating, overeating, fatigue, irritability and mood swings," says Sass.

The

Lap swimming is one of the most intense workouts there is. But if you can't swim laps (or you just hate it), you can still burn calories and get a great total-body workout in the pool this summer. Try adding some of these super-effective moves to your existing routine or make up your own circuit. Either way you'll get a great workout-no lap swimming required!

Bicycle
Great for your abs on dry land, doing the ab bicycle in the water adds extra work for your core, shoulders, and legs to keep you from floating away.

Tip: Rest your elbows on a pool noodle if you don't have a pool edge to use.


Half Suspended Jumping Jack
Jumping jacks go to a whole new moon-walk level in the pool. Not only do you have to push through the water, but you also have to keep your balance as your natural buoyancy will lead you to tip forward or back. Jump your legs out as you normally would but don't let your feet touch the bottom when you bring them back to the center.

Tip: Try a full suspended jumping jack by