Easy Steps to a Healthier You

Spring is here, and bikini weather is right around the corner! The winter is a time where most of us indulge in food. Between the holidays and comfort food, it's usually not until now that we remeber we need to start eating better. Whether you are looking to get in shape for the summer months, trying to fit in your bikini or wedding dress, or just want to become more health concious- I found some great ideas from fitbie to help us eat a little healthier, and thus have started a new blog installment that I will be running, offering new ideas each week that will help you shed those pounds in time for beach season. The best part? There is minimal work required! These are all snap decisions that help shed big pounds. I begin my first installment on something very near and dear to my heart... coffee!LIGHTEN YOUR LATTE

The golden rule of calorie conscious coffee is to keep it simple. Reduce your intake of milk & sugar by ordering a small at the coffee counter. The less coffee you have to begin with, the less damage you can do with additional fillers. Plus, a "small" at most cafes is 12oz- way more than the typical 6oz-8oz cup you'd make at home. Opt for non-fat milk, which only has five calories per tablespoon, as oppopsed to cream with 20. The next time you stop into Mystic Market, sprinkle your coffee with a non-fattening sweetner, as opppossed to sugar, and you'll save yourself 49 calories right there!

If you need an extra pep in your step, an espresso based latte is a good option. Stick for the non-fat milk over whole milk and you'll shave off 80 calories. Skip the flavored syrups all together, and unless you are stopping for dessert, don't let the word frappuccino roll off your tongue. A half-ounce drizzle of caramel or chocolate sauce has 65 calories alone!