Blog Posts by SparkPeople.com

By BabyFit.com

You've read the books, talked to your friends and planned as much as possible, but the first few weeks after your little one arrives can be a whirlwind. We asked BabyFit moms to share their best tips for getting through their babies' early days and collected their advice into one helpful article.



Sleep and Bedtime

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• Take advantage of all of the sleeping that newborns do in those first couple weeks. Enjoy, and take a LOT of pictures!
  
  
• I second the "sleep when the baby sleeps" comment. I didn't do it enough with my first, and now that I have an older child at home, I'm longing for those midday naps!
  
  
• Rest when the baby sleeps. Don't worry about trying to "sleep when the baby sleeps." Instead, just lie down, take deep breaths and clear your thoughts. Don't think about all the chores you could be doing. Don't think that it's your only chance to sleep. Just clear your mind and you will be refreshed when the baby wakes up.
  
  
• When you are woken

By Hillary Copsey, for SparkPeople

Water is the best thing you can give your kids to drink during the hot summer days. But how do you get them to drink it? How do you get them to chug down plain old water at the pool when they're surrounded by other kids guzzling down sugary juice boxes? How do you get your hard-playing child to drink water instead of sugar-laden sports drinks? How do you expect them to get a bottle of water at the baseball game instead of a cold, fizzy soda?

The key is to always make water the first-and often, only-option.

My boys get juice in the morning with breakfast and milk with dinner. But at lunch and throughout the day, water is what they drink. Juice boxes, sports drinks and soda are options only on special occasions: when friends come over, sometimes when we're out or as a treat they've earned.

Part of the reason we're able to do this is because our boys are young--2 and 4--and they don't know any different. This is just life for our family. It's a habit

By Nicole Nichols, for SparkPeople

How do you get your kids to eat healthy? It's as simple as counting to 10!

1. Thou shalt not force, bribe or coerce thy child to eat.

2. Thou shalt set a good example by eating at least five fruits and vegetables, three whole grain products, and three dairy servings per day thyself.

3. Thou shalt make mealtimes pleasant.

4. Thou shalt encourage thy child to help in meal planning, preparation, and cleanup.

5. Thou shalt back off when mealtime becomes a power struggle.

6. Thou shalt accept food "binges" as phases that will eventually pass.

7. Thou shalt accept the fact that thy child is an individual and thus will dislike certain foods (and there may be many).

8. Thou shalt not give up on introducing thy child to new foods. Thou shalt realize it sometimes takes 10 tries to get a child to accept a food.

9. Thou shalt use this division of responsibility for eating: As the parent, thou art responsible for

By Leanne Beattie, for SparkPeople

The sunny days of summer are out in full force! But it's hard to enjoy the season's skimpier fashions if your skin isn't up to par. Ingrown hairs, body acne, and sunburn can take the fun out of the season. Get ready for the shortest shorts and the tiniest tanks with this guide to summer skin care.

Body Acne
Acne can make even the most confident people feel self-conscious-especially when it occurs on the body. "Backne" (acne on the back) is common among men and women, but you can get pimples almost anywhere on the body if your pores become clogged and infected.

• What causes it? Hot, humid weather often prompts the production of excess oil, resulting in acne on the back and chest, which can take longer to heal than facial pimples.
• What prevents it? Wear loose clothing made with moisture-wicking fabric to help release trapped moisture before it can contribute to the problem. Sweating in the summer sun can clog pores faster

By Stepfanie Romine, Certified Yoga Teacher, for SparkPeople

In January of last year, I started teaching a new yoga class. Many of my students are athletes, particularly runners and cyclists. My boyfriend, who co-founded a local competitive cycling team, is also a yoga teacher, and the two of us firmly believe that athletes should integrate yoga into their fitness routine. When I teach yoga classes for runners, I like to focus on the hips and hamstrings, which tend to be tight for runners. We also work on building strength. For cyclists, who spend a great deal of time leaning over the handlebars, we also focus on opening the chest and shoulders, undoing all those hours of being hunched over. Both groups of athletes rely on their feet and ankles to perform, but these areas of the body are often overlooked when it comes to stretching. Today I'm sharing some of my favorite stretches for the feet and ankles. Add these to your post-workout repertoire. These stretches can feel

By Nicole Nichols, for SparkPeople

P.F. Chang's is a Chinese bistro that offers an eclectic variety of options. There are some good points to Chinese cuisine in general--it's usually stir-fried, it contains some healthy veggies, and portions tend to be smaller (as long as you're not frequenting a buffet). Here are two popular Chinese dishes that P.F. Chang's has created that definitely have appeal.

The Ginger Chicken & Broccoli is served ''Cantonese-style'' on a bed of freshly steamed broccoli and marinated in a sweet and spicy ginger sauce. From the vegetarian menu, Vegetarian Ma Po Tofu is a Szechuan dish of crispy silken tofu, also with broccoli. Many times vegetarian meals are lower in calories and fat than meat dishes, but in this case is "crispy" (fried) tofu still lower in calories and fat than chicken?


Click here for the winner!


Related links:

6 Healthy Chinese Recipes

20 Better than Takeout Recipes

The Best and Worst Takeout Foods

SparkPeople Fitness Expert Nicole Nichols

By Chef Meg Galvin, Healthy Cooking Expert at SparkPeople.com

These days you're more likely to buy a powdered mix, gel, or bottle of flavored tea or lemonade, but these classic drinks are easy to make and a great way to stay hydrated in the summer months.

And though commercial versions can be loaded with sugar and other sweeteners, these drinks can be quite low in calories.

Let's compare some common summer drinks:

By Chef Meg Galvin, Healthy Cooking Expert at SparkPeople.com

Fajitas are one of those foods that you hear and smell before you see, especially when you order them at a restaurant. The onions and peppers sizzle amongst strips of meat, their intoxicating smells travel through the restaurant, and finally a skillet overflowing with food is presented to you, along with a platter of beans, rice, a stack of flour tortillas and all the trimmings.

Fajitas come from the Spanish word "faja," which means sash, skirt--or girdle. It referred to the type of meat originally used in the dish, skirt steak. When most of us eat fajitas as served, we'll likely need a girdle to get into our pants!

The fajita platter at a popular fast-casual chain has 850 calories, 36 grams of fat, and 2,440 milligrams of sodium (more than a day's worth!). Wow.

At its most basic, a fajita is grilled meat wrapped in a tortilla. The vegetables are a welcome addition, but most restaurants douse them in oil and salt.

As I