Whether you're just graduating from high school or finally earning your college degree, sometimes it's difficult to imagine where life will take you next. After walking the line and celebrating your achievements, there are pressures to find a "grown-up" job, to make new friends (and say goodbyes), and to become truly independent. We asked Shine readers to share the lessons they've learned since graduation and their advice for the graduating class of 2013. Tell us, what advice would you give new grads? -- Ali Swank

Kids with allergies on the riseApparently I'm not the only one with allergies on the brain. I have a reason to be worried my son might be saddled with food allergies for the rest of his life: skin and food allergies in kids are on the rise. The CDC is reporting 1 in 20 kids have a food allergy, which is a 50% increase since the late 90s. It's an even bigger increase for skin allergies, up 69% to 1 in 8 kids. Since the data was collected from a parents' questionnaire and not medical diagnoses it may not be the most accurate set of statistics, but walk into any elementary school and a school nurse will be sure to show you a draw stocked with Epi-pens.

The big question when it comes to an increase in kids' allergies is "why?" Ever frustratingly, there's no clear cut answer- yet. Some doctors guess it's because we keep our homes so clean these days, using disinfect after disinfect and antibacterial everything (clearly these doctors have never been to my not-so-clean house.) Or maybe there's not really a rise in

Source: Don't Make These Mistakes at the Grocery Store

Cooking your own meals is healthy and economical, but making that trip to the supermarket without a plan can lead to high-calorie habits. Make sure you don't make these mistakes on your next grocery store run.

Starting in the middle: You should focus on shopping the perimeter of your grocery store, since you can fill your cart with fresh produce, whole grain staples, and protein-rich dairy without being distracted by frozen treats and processed foods. if you're looking to grab a treat or two, make your way to the middle after you've stocked up on your healthy items.

Going hungry: A recent study confirmed what everyone who's ever shopped hungry already knows - you grab more unhealthy and higher calorie foods (think junk food) when you're ravenous. If it's been awhile since you've eaten and it's time to go to the store, grab a healthy snack before you go like yogurt, a piece of fruit, or a protein bar to sate your hunger until

POPSUGAR FitnessSource: Take Charge! 5 Things You Can Do to Reduce Cellulite

You're trying on a new swimsuit, and when you turn around to see your cute tush, you notice something not so cute - cellulite. When fat cells push up against our skin and the fibrous tissue that connects our skin to our muscle pulls down, we're left with dimply, orange-peel-looking flesh. Although you can't get rid of cellulite completely - and just about all women have it - here are five things you can do to reduce its appearance.

• Melt Away Fat With Cardio: Cellulite is a type of fat, and the tried-and-true way to get rid of fat is to burn it off. Intense cardio workouts such as running, cycling, hiking up hills, or taking cardio classes are your greatest weapon. Note that it may take several months to decrease your overall percentage of body fat and notice a difference in your skin's appearance.
• Tone Up: Once you decrease the fat on your body, tone strong, lean muscle by doing strength-training moves that

Source: How to Add Strength Training to Outdoor Runs

Hitting the open road has many benefits over running on a treadmill - fresh air and sunshine, gorgeous scenery to prevent boredom, and you can also run with your four-legged fitness buddy. You also have more freedom of movement to incorporate muscle-toning moves into your runs, and here's how.

• Run baby run: While running in general will tone your legs and booty, adding sprinting intervals is even more effective. Incorporate 30- to 60-second bursts throughout your workout and you're sure to feel your lower body working. Since you're outside, you can use landmarks to motivate you such as sprint to the stop sign or until you see five red cars, or if you're on a track, sprint the straights.
• Walk this way: Sprints aren't the only type of interval you can include. When you need to catch your breath after a sprint, throw in a few sets of walking lunges to target your glutes, quads, and hamstrings.
• Head for the

Source: 5 Reasons You've Hit the Dreaded Weight-Loss Plateau

You were happily losing weight eating right and exercising, but with five more pounds left to go, the scale stopped budging. Find out what can cause weight loss to hit a wall and what you can do about it.

• I'm all about breakfast, lunch, and dinner: When counting and restricting your calorie intake, it makes sense to eat fewer times a day. The problem with this is it can make blood sugar levels rise and fall like a roller coaster, which slows down metabolism. Keep that metabolism going strong by eating throughout the day, every few hours. Keep those three meals, but sprinkle 150-calorie snacks in between.
• I'll just have a salad: Just as eating too many calories can cause you to hit a weight-loss wall (or even gain weight), not eating enough calories can also prevent you from slimming down. If your body senses that it's not getting enough, your metabolism will slow down and hold onto fat. So be sure not to skip

Source: Nighty Night: Soothing Summer Sleep Tips

You go to bed exhausted with the sweet scent of sunscreen after a long day in the sun, but all you can do is toss and turn. Here are some things to try before bed to ensure a well-rested Summer's night of sleep.

• Eat at your normal time: Even though it stays lighter much later, it doesn't mean you should push dinnertime to 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. Eating a heavy meal too close to bedtime can cause digestive upset and heartburn, making you too uncomfortable to fall asleep. If hot weather makes you crave ice cream after dinner, be sure to enjoy it at least an hour or two before hitting the hay so the sugar doesn't pep you up.
• Kick back with a refreshing iced herbal tea: There's something about Summer weather that makes us want to reach for a cold beer or margarita, but drinking too much alcohol at night can cause fragmented sleep. Enjoy one alcoholic beverage to satisfy your craving, and if you still need to quench your thirst, go

Source: How to Deal With Allergies on a Run

You can be excused if your excitement to finally run in good weather has been dampened by a stretch of runny noses, itchy eyes, and nonstop sneezing. Allergy discomfort can be enough to prevent anyone from wanting to skip their daily workout, so keep sneezing and sniffling at a minimum with these tips for dealing with allergies while on your outdoor runs.

Check the counts: Some days are just made for the treadmill, especially if high pollen counts would mean you'd be suffering through your entire outdoor run. Make a habit of checking pollen and mold counts every day, and ditch your outdoor exercise when counts are the highest. Try Pollen.com for forecasts in your area. If you're not quite sure what triggers your allergies, then go to the doctor for an allergy skin test that will help you figure out what to watch out for.

Pick your time: Pollen counts are usually the highest in the mornings, so if you are feeling sneezy and stuffed up