If your fave indulgence is ice cream, I've got good news for you. There's a new brand of "ice cream" that won't have to wait for that disastrous breakup to justify you seeing the bottom of the carton. An ice cream critic myself, I wasn't sure I would be sold, but a taste test has made a believer out of me. The new label, Arctic Zero, brags less than 150 calories per pint (yes, per pint, not serving!), and it's actually quite delicious.

When my girlfriend gushed to me about trying it, I pelted her with questions: Does it have artificial sweeteners in it? Does it taste anything like ice cream? Is it full of ingredients you can't pronounce? When she shook her head steadily, I knew I had to try it. And try it, I did. Well, I actually devoured it. On her recommendation, I spooned out the Vanilla Maple and Chocolate Peanut Butter versions. Neither disappointed. While they aren't like the creamy and rich types that leave your lips feeling a bit buttery, they are delicious and light. You don't feel like you've just consumed the whole freezer when you finish the serving of Arctic Zero. And funny enough, I wasn't so inclined to eat the entire pint like I might with a carton of Ben & Jerry's. Somehow, my taste buds were satisfied with just a few spoonfuls of the wondrous dessert.

Want to see more about the nutritional information and other benefits?

Have you ever wondered how those small elves can make such big toys and haul such large bags? I'm convinced St. Nick has them in some serious strength training. If you are finding your arms are tiring from all that wrapping and taping, it may be time for you to look into some exercises suited for the North Pole. Come check them out.

• How are all those gifts going to be made without a little muscle behind them? Try out a biceps curl that will make for powerful pounding and lifting.
• To make sure they can hammer away all day and night through the holiday season, Santa's helpers must enlist some wrist stretches to keep their hands flexible and strong.
• When they're finished wrapping gifts, the little guys have to move them onto the sled. They keep it easy with a few squats to keep their hamstrings in shape.
• To shove all those packages up the chimney, the elves better have fit triceps. Try these arm moves and see if you can feel the burn.
• When the hardware is put away, the elves know it's good to take time to stretch those muscles with a few yoga sun salutations.

Source: Flickr user Steve Snodgrass

One of my favorite perks of the holiday season are the homemade treats that my friends deliver to the house. To reciprocate the kind gesture, I considered doing some canning and cooking for their gifts, but then thought better of the little time I have and decided a jar full of tasty and toasty almonds was a better option. On their own, almonds offer up a bevy of health benefits with the loads of protein, vitamin E, and fiber, just to name a few. Add a dash of cinnamon and a bit of egg protein and you've got yourself a snack that is bursting with flavor and other healthy perks. So before you go buy a bottle of wine for that holiday party, remember to give this a try. It may be more memorable and tasty than any old merlot could hope to be.

Ready to see the recipe? Just read more

Don't worry your pretty little head full of hair, this exercise really doesn't require any equipment — not even a razor. The shaving I'm talking about comes in the form of your hands and it's in reference to the motion. It will, however, shave your triceps down into sculpted muscles.

Simply take your hands behind your head with your thumbs touching each other and your index fingers also joined together to form a diamond shape. Place it at the nape of your neck and in one singular smooth motion, press your hands above your head as if your hands are shaving the hair off the back of your head. It is a diagonal motion that will leave you looking ready to dive into a pool of water. Bring your arms back down to your neck and repeat the move while keeping your abs engaged and the tops of your shoulders down. Do three sets of 10 and hug yourself for all your hard work (and a stretch, too!).

Easily performed in a standing or seated position, it is a simple way to add a little oomph to your workday routine or your holiday travel.

Some athletes or sports gurus like to bulk up their muscles and flex to impress. Me? I'm a toning kind of gal and the quicker the workout, the better. While some people take hours a day to work their body into tip-top shape, sometimes all you need is a 20-minute stint. Created for folks who can't always carve a heavy-duty gym routine into their hectic schedules (or those who simply don't want to!), Acacia has compiled five 20-minute workouts that are quick and easy enough to do in the own comfort of your home in Fit in 5 Total Body Tone ($15). Taken from formerly released DVDs, these 20-minute sections are picked out to represent the best in toning. To make sure they offered a little something for everyone, they included a series on each of the following: strength training, yoga, Pilates, abs, and cardio.

Curious to see what I thought of the DVD? Just read more

About this time of year, there may be nothing better than sitting in front of the fire with a cup of hot chocolate. But, when you're at your desk and the afternoon sweet craving hits you, a hearth and a cup of marshmallows may not be too easy to find. Have no fear, a cup of yogurt is here. Instead of cozying up to a toasty mug, satiate your sweet tooth with a no-fat treat that will bring images of the flames to your mind sans the fat and calories that accompany most cocoa filled snacks.

All you need is a cup of fat free vanilla (or plain) yogurt and a packet of fat free Swiss Miss hot chocolate mix. As simple as can be, just pour the dry ingredients into the yogurt container and swirl it up. You won't believe the flavorful snack is fat-free and chock full of protein and calcium. You just may find yourself scooping this up in front of the fire!

Nutritional value hot chocolate and yogurt: 160 calories, 0 g fat, 29 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 22 g sugar, 10 g protein

Are you falling out of love with your love handles? One of the secrets to trimming down the waistline is toning up those obliques. Thanks to the slim and trim Joy Bauer, I learned a new move that left my sides begging for a breather. A bit challenging on the body, it's an easy enough motion to learn and definitely gives the obliques a run for the money, which means your belts and slim fitting dresses will be thanking you.

To see how to do the exercise, just read more

'Tis the season to show off your gams! Sure Summer is when we bare the most skin, but holiday soirees often mean dressing up and shimmying on a pair of stockings and heels. If you want to do some quick toning and defining, you can trust a few hardy sets of calf raises to help you out. The simple leg lifts are easy enough to do just about anywhere and will have you feeling (and looking!) sexy and svelte. And, in addition to the aesthetic benefits, they'll help get you ready for all those much-anticipated Winter sports.

A basic move, you will want to begin with your feet about four to five inches apart with toes aimed directly in front of you. Take two counts to lift your heels up in a steady motion. Lower down in two counts and repeat. A quick exercise, it's almost too easy to get carried away and do too many in one set; be careful to not overdue it as you may be too sore to walk the next day. Work your way up to higher counts by starting with 30 lifts. When you get comfortable, you can add on to your tally and even try different variations.

You may not love doing the leg lift exercises yet, but if you read up on some easy places to squeeze them in, you might find yourself addicted to them. Come check them out!

I never turn down an invitation to a holiday party. Too often, it's the same for the food, cocktails, and treats that often accompany them. To make sure I'm snacking smart at the soirees' snack stands, I've checked out two popular items that tend to find their ways onto many a hostess's serving tray — olives and almonds.

Ready to see the side-by-side breakdown?

Ready to slim down but not willing to kill yourself to make it happen? It might be time to check out Joy Bauer’s Slimdown Workout ($13). As much as I'd love to head to the gym for an hour or two every day, it's not always an option for a mother of two. Joy Bauer, a mother herself, knows what it's like to only have a few moments to yourself to tune up the body.

In her new fitness video, Joy Bauer, nutritional expert of NBC's Today Show and former gymnast, shows how easy it is to stay trim with two simple 20-minute cardio workouts. But it's not just her; she's teamed up with professional trainer Lisa Wheeler. The tall, svelte blonde essentially leads Joy in the routines. I'm not quite sure why she didn't make the cover since she does much of the directing, but it's a good thing she's there as she's much more than an inspiring figure. Lisa helps show the modified versions of exercises and points out Joy's perfect form, which makes you check your own along the way. To keep the viewer engaged, Joy sprinkles in her tidbits of wisdom and pointers. She also makes you feel normal when she says, "Don't feel bad if you can't do this, guys!" as she wobbles herself.

To see what I liked about the exercise and to see a teaser video, just read more

There comes a time in nearly everyone's life where physical limitations get in the way. I've had a shattered ankle, sprained ligaments, and broken bones that have often left me on the sideline cheering my teammates on instead of joining them on the field. But, truth be told, I didn't always hate it when I was told I needed to "sit this one out." In fact, I sometimes (gasp!) liked it. It made me take a breather and allowed my body to relax when I couldn't see the need myself.
Kelly Ripa, one of daytime talk shows' wittiest and self-deprecating personalities, recently chatted about her own injury. A fitness maniac, the pint-sized mother of three is admittedly obsessed with working out daily. Having experienced some pain in her hip, she went to see a doctor who discovered she has a stress fracture of the fermoral neck in her right hip. Unfortunately, the fitness guru immediately started to worry about her routine and admitted to being freaked out that her doctor demanded she not work out for three to six weeks. Knowing her love for the gym, she'll find some way to sneak in a sweaty activity or two.

Could you walk away from the gym, even on doctor's orders?

Are you a hup, two kind of gal? Ladies who like to take their exercise to the extreme levels often enjoy a round of boot camp every now and then — or even every day. Then there are others who would like to participate in such a class but don't have the time or confidence for such endeavors. If you'd like to get out there and give it a test run before committing to such a dutiful ritual, you can set up your own version of boot camp to gear yourself up for the real deal.

My brother-in-law, a half Ironman triathlete, marathon runner, athlete to boot, also participates in a boot camp where he leads the group in their sunrise ritual. Here are a few exercises and pointers he likes to employ among his "troops."

Exercises:

1. Start in a kneeling position on the ground and jump up to your feet. Then, jump in the air and bring your knees to your chest. Do this 10 times.
2. Time for sprints! Do one 100-meter sprint followed up by one 200-meter sprint and then one 400-meter sprint. This is easiest if done on a track as it's already measured out for you.
3. You'll need a partner for this exercise: One person does 50 full sit-ups (not crunches) while the other plants her hands on the feet and steadies herself in a plank position. Switch positions and repeat.
4. Do 50 push-ups. If you must, do them on your knees and try not to take rest breaks.
5. Finally, gear up by marching high knees for 30 seconds. Back it up with butt kicks on the way back.

Do this whole routine three times with water breaks in between.

To see his bits of advice, just read more

Are you a one-track kind of gal when you head to the gym? As soon as they swipe their card, many of my friends head straight for the treadmill or the elliptical machines. I like to mix it up and do a stint on both with a little mat time on the side.Then there are folks like my husband who go for the weights and take to the streets for their cardio routine. While the stationary bicycles and benches might gather dust in my personal gym, they may be the rock stars of yours.

So tell me, what's your favorite piece of equipment at the gym?

You've stood on your head. You've held your breathe and chugged a glass of water. You've even tried hopping up and down with your head tilted to one side. Or maybe a quick jolt of fear is enough to scare them out of you. Whatever it is, people seem to have their surefire remedy for the occasional case of the annoying hiccups. Some swear by a spoonful of sugar, a swallow of vinegar, or a loaded ladle of peanut butter. My go-to is a slice of lemon or a spoonful of lemon juice. It's a trick my dad taught me in childhood, and it works wonders for my babes and yours truly. It actually tastes kind of good and it's low-calorie and fat free unlike the sugary and nutty options.

The next time you're sounding a bit like a drunk mouse, give my citrus trick a go and let us know how it works out for you!

If you haven't seen them yet, you must not be looking too hard — the triple flavored popcorn tins are already popping up at shopping malls, pharmacies, and grocery stores just in time for the gorge holiday season. Growing up, they were always a big holiday hit in my house. My grandma ate the cheddar, my mom ate the buttered, and I gobbled up the caramel. Now it seems the cycle has shifted as I'm drawn to the buttered, my daughter to the caramel, and my mom to the cheese. Now if they were all equally healthy, I wouldn't care much who ate what. Since they're not, I'm paying more attention and figuring out which one is better for trimming fat while I trim the tree.

Want to see how the three flavors stack up against each other?