If you’re trying to stay fit and slim this Christmas season, there’s no need for extreme juice cleanses or torturing yourself with deprivation the next time someone brings Christmas treats to work. It’s all about choosing your battles and knowing what holiday foods to totally avoid and what foods may make a healthier substitute.

The Naughty List

These foods spell trouble and definitely land on Santa’s naughty list. You should avoid them unless you want a lump of coal in your stocking (and a few extra lumps around your waistline).

Eggnog

Put that pitcher down! The holiday drink is at every party, yet it’s full of cholesterol — thanks a lot, raw eggs — and saturated fat, to say nothing about the cream, sugar and total calories. A single serving can have 400 calories or more, plus more than 20 grams of sugar. That’s similar to drinking a few candy bars. At the bottom of the page, find an equally delicious alternative to this naughty treat (and all the other holiday bad guys in this list)!

Baked Cheese Platters

They’re easy to make and popular at potlucks, but they’re bad luck for your weight. A single serving of baked soft cheese, such as Brie or feta, can quickly add up to a fourth of your entire daily calorie allowance. And for a true shocker, keep in mind that a serving is about equal to the size of a couple AA batteries.

Prime Rib

Nothing says holiday feast like a juicy slab of prime rib. The quintessential Christmas entree, it’s cut from the fattiest part of the cow. A tiny 3 oz. serving has approximately 300 calories and more than 20 grams of fat, including almost 10 grams of saturated fat. And most people wouldn’t stick to a 3 oz. portion.

Pecan Pie

Who can say no when this decadent treat is whipped out? Unfortunately, a serving of this pie has more than 800 calories, more than 60 grams of fat and more than 50 grams of sugar due to its rich, super-sweet filling. The pecan nuts are about the only healthy thing in this dessert.

The Nice List

These foods aren’t totally guilt-free, but no one wants to have a diet grinch at their holiday get-togethers. These treats work as the perfect, healthier alternative to  The Naughty List.

Holiday Beverages

Reach for hot chocolate, and you’ll skip most of the rich fats you’d get in eggnog. For a similarly festive drink, sip apple cider. It’s warm and spicy and smells delicious while saving you on calories and sugar.

Cheeses

Instead of reaching for soft cheeses, try a firmer, sharper cheese. Thin slices pack just as much rich flavor without all the rich calories and fat. Pair it with a lean meat and you have the perfect bite-sized appetizer.

Meat Entrees

Instead of prime rib, try beef tenderloin — just as flavorful, but much more lean. Or, opt for another holiday favorite: turkey. To save extra calories, stick with white meat and toss aside the skin.

Holiday Desserts

When making pecan pie, try sweetening it with lower-calorie sweeteners instead of the traditional white sugar or corn syrup ingredients. Dates can also enhance its sweetness without as big of a calorie hit. Or, stick with other holiday favorites such as pumpkin pie or chocolate fondue — you’ll satisfy your sweet tooth without the sugar overload.

But this number isn’t set in stone. You can boost how much you burn up — your basal metabolic rate — by tweaking your lifestyle and what you eat or drink. The more efficient and “hot” your metabolism, the more effortless your fitness and weight maintenance.

Wake up and chug water:

Your body requires proper hydration to flush toxins, transport nutrients where they need to go, and recover after hitting the gym. Just a slight level of dehydration can negatively impact your metabolism. For example, studies have found that proper hydration levels are crucial for metabolizing lipids — also known as fat! Drinking water also helps you stabilize your body temperature, lubricates your joints, and helps with proper elimination of waste through bowel movements and urination.

The Institute of Medicine suggests that men should drink approximately 13 cups of water a day, while women should drink approximately 9 cups. Water needs can rise or fall depending on physical activity, humidity and temperature levels and more.

Cut out sugary drinks:

Sugary beverages don’t just add empty calories to your diet, but they can actually slow your metabolism. Sugar can also mess with your blood sugar levels and insulin resistance, leading to further side effects. Instead, enjoy hot or iced green tea throughout the day. Green tea is one of the most popular metabolism-boosters on the market. Its catechins, an active compound in the tea leaves, can enhance metabolism rates. Plus, green tea offers additional benefits, such as potentially lowering your risks of some forms of cancer.

Add protein to every meal:

When planning your breakfasts, lunches and dinners, ensure there’s a nice protein source at each sitting. That’s because protein has a greater thermogenic effect on your body. This refers to how much energy your body needs to digest and process the food you eat. Compared to carbohydrates, the thermogenic effect of protein is 25% while the effect from carbs is 5%. In other words, your body uses dramatically more energy to burn off protein. Make your food work even harder for you at every meal!

Build muscle:

A big mistake that people make when trying to lose weight is focusing on cardio. Such exercises can boost your health, but they have a lower impact on your actual metabolism. Instead, focus on weight-bearing exercises, such as bench presses or dumbbell curls. Muscle tissue burns more energy than fat tissues, so changing the ratio of muscle to fat in your body can elevate your metabolism over time.

If you do choose to continue doing cardio, try high intensity interval training (HIIT). This combines brief spurts of high intensity exercise with slower, more moderate speeds, and the end effect can enhance the rate that your body burns up fat.

De-stress:

As your day winds to a close, take a deep breath. Hold it for a second, then exhale slowly to the count of five. Repeat for a few rounds to slowly calm yourself and release the stress you’ve accumulated throughout the day. Regular breathing exercises, yoga, meditation and similar mindfulness techniques can help you manage your stress in a healthy way. Chronic stress releases cortisol, which prompts your body to store fat. De-stressing and getting enough sleep boosts your metabolism, allowing your body to focus on itself instead of trying to manage all the various external stimulants our modern life throws at it.

This might not seem like a massive number, but it can really add up over the years. Plus, as time progresses, that extra weight can cause hormone imbalances, insulin resistance and other side effects that make the weight pile on faster than Santa Claus coming down the chimney.

This winter, make a pledge to yourself that you’ll find ways to work physical activity into your week. And because it’s a festive season, get off that boring treadmill! With snow days and twinkling lights putting us all into a great mood, winter is the perfect time to enjoy the crisp outdoors, burn off a few calories and have so much fun while we’re doing it that we don’t even realize that it’s — gasp — exercise!

Casual Dancing

When the DJ calls everyone onto the dance floor at your next holiday banquet, jingle it all the way! In just one hour of shaking it on the dance floor, the average 175-lb. adult burns 198 calories.

Housework

It’s easy to break a sweat while you dust the cabinets to make room for your Christmas snow globes, and wiping down said snow globes before your mother-in-law comes over also burns a few calories. In fact, cleaning up your home for the next family holiday get-together burns almost 200 calories in an hour.

Snowskiing

Head downhill and you’ll burn off 330 calories worth of Christmas junkfood. Head crosscountry instead, and the calories burned jump to moer than 460 calories.

Snowshoeing

Snowshoeing is the perfect way to immerse yourself in nature and squeeze a hike into even the most snowy of days. This classic Christmas pasttime will burn you almost 530 calories in an hour.

Walking

Take a brisk walk around the neighborhood after dinner, and you’ll burn just over 250 calories. The fresh air can wake you up after indulging in a bit too much food. Research has shown that daily walks can also brighten your mood, the perfect way to keep a cheerful attitude when the days are cold and short (and when family awkwardness often bubbles to the surface).

Practice Winter Safety

While enjoying your favorite winter activities, don’t forget that it also exposes you to a few safety hazards. Don’t let a winter hazard keep you away from the mistletoe. The CDC recommends the following safety precautions this holiday:

• Wear appropriate outdoor clothing: layers of light, warm clothing; mittens; hats; scarves; and waterproof boots.
• Sprinkle cat litter or sand on icy patches.
• Learn safety precautions to follow when outdoors.
  • Be aware of the wind chill factor.
  • Work slowly when doing outside chores.
  • Take a buddy and an emergency kit when you are participating in outdoor recreation.
  • Carry a cell phone.
• Protect your family from carbon monoxide.
  • Keep grills, camp stoves, and generators out of the house, basement and garage.
  • Locate generators at least 20 feet from the house.
  • Leave your home immediately if the CO detector sounds, and call 911.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is often prescribed by doctors to help make us feel happier, especially in those of us with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), reports the University of Maryland Medical Center. Also known as the “sunshine vitamin,” it can help you to create a sunnier outlook on life even in the dead of winter. You can get vitamin D in your diet through cod liver oil, fortified milk and cereals, eggs, and various forms of fatty fish like sardines, herring and salmon. If you’re using a vitamin D pill, the recommended dietary allowance is 600 IU.

Vitamin B-5

Also known as pantothenic acid, vitamin B-5 helps your body produce energy. Additionally, this energy-boosting supplement helps with stress hormones and is important for healthy red blood cells. You can find vitamin B-5 in many healthy foods, including whole grains, fresh meat and vegetables. Top choices include corn, cauliflower and kale. If you opt for it in supplement form instead, most adults need approximately 5 mg a day.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C gets an A+ when it comes to energy and mood. It’s essential for various growth and development processes in your body, and is used to help you produce energy. It may also help to make you feel more alert, thanks to its role in the create of norepinephrine. Top dietary sources of vitamin C include oranges and other citrus fruits, as well as peppers. Vitamin C is especially sensitive to exposure to heat, and cooking vitamin C-rich foods can cause the food to loose a lot of this important vitamin. Raw foods are ideal. Should you choose to use a supplement form of this nutrient, 75 to 85 mg a day is recommended depending on your age and gender.

Vitamin B12

According to the Harvard Medical School, vitamin B12 may enhance memory and mood. It plays a lot of important roles in your system, such as increasing nerve health. You can find this energy-increasing vitamin in eggs and meat, making it difficult to hit your nutritional targets if you’re a vegan. When taken as a vitamin supplement, most adults should take 2.4 micrograms every day, reports the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements.

The CDC reports that American adults catch the common cold approximately three times per year, with most of these colds taking place during the winter. This winter, you no longer have to be a slave to the tissue box. A combination of lifestyle changes and herbal remedies can help you to boost your immune system and survive cold season.

Drink Chicken Soup

Your grandma may have been right when she forced you to drink bowls and bowls of chicken soup whenever you felt sick. It’s a centuries-old home remedy, and scientists are now discovering that there may be merit to this practice. One study found that chicken soup worked as an anti-inflammatory agent, helping to reduce symptoms of the common cold in our respiratory tract. Another study, this one in the American Journal of Therapeutics, found a compound in chicken soup called carnosine that may also help reduce inflammation and halt the development of the common cold.

Get Steamy

During the winter, the cold, dry air can really wreak havoc on our health. Researchers have found that maintaining the proper level of humidity in a room can reduce a virus’ ability to survive. Dry air can also lower our defenses to the cold virus and exacerbate the symptoms of the common cold. Run a humidifier in your living space, or try sitting in a hot, steamy shower.

Juice Some Ginger Root

Whether in supplement form, in a soup, or juiced and added to your favorite green smoothie, this pungent root has been shown to fight the common cold effectively. A study in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that ginger didn’t just help fight the common cold, but it also helped block infections from many other viruses.

Spice Up Foods with Garlic

Garlic is high in various antioxidants and beneficial compounds, but here’s one more reason to mince it up and add it to your next meal. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study in the Advances in Therapy Journal found that garlic lowered the incidences of cold infections in study groups. That may be because garlic’s many compounds work as antiviral agents.

 How to Protect Yourself and Others

Once you are exposed to a cold or get a cold, the CDC recommends a few practical ways to limit your risks and reduce the risks of exposing your friends and loved ones to the virus:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water. Scrub them for 20 seconds, and help young children do the same. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Viruses live on your hands, and regular handwashing can help protect you from getting sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Viruses can enter your body this way and make you sick.
• Stay away from people who are sick. Sick people can spread viruses that cause the common cold through close contact with others.

If you have a cold, you should follow these tips to prevent viruses from spreading to other people:

• Stay at home while you are sick.
• Avoid close contact with others, such as hugging, kissing, or shaking hands.
• Move away from people before coughing or sneezing.
• Cough and sneeze into a tissue then throw it away, or cough and sneeze into your upper shirt sleeve, completely covering your mouth and nose.
• Wash your hands after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.
• Disinfect frequently touched surfaces, and objects such as toys and doorknobs.

There is no cure for a cold. To feel better, you should get lots of rest and drink plenty of fluids. Over-the-counter medicines may help ease symptoms but will not make your cold go away any faster. Always read the label and use medications as directed. Talk to your doctor before giving your child nonprescription cold medicines, since some medicines contain ingredients that are not recommended for children. Learn more about symptom relief.

You should call your doctor if you or your child has one or more of these conditions:

• a temperature higher than 100.4° F
• symptoms that last more than 10 days
• symptoms that are severe or unusual

If your child is younger than 3 months old and has a fever, you should always call your doctor right away. Your doctor can determine if you or your child has a cold and can recommend therapy to help with symptoms.

I think we are in this great golden age of everyone being aware of the impact that our health habits have on our lives. After all, if we’re not caring for our body regularly, where else are we going to live? Unfortunately, that also means the market has been flooded with products and trends that masquerade as being healthy while really being anything but that!

This Halloween, I want to draw attention to four very popular “health” foods that are so spooky they’ll haunt your gut and your bathroom weight scale for months! It’s time to leave these “treats” in the garbage bin.

1. Juices and smoothies

I love me my kombucha. I’m an advocate of cold-pressed juice as a delicious way to stay refreshed. I cautiously support some of the health benefits of juicing, though there are many skeptics (like this and this and this) that make reputable science-based claims against juicing.

But my real gripe with our current infatuation with juices? Most of the delicious bevvies we see at juice trucks or in stores are loaded with sugar. For example, the exceedingly popular BluePrint brand builds its foundational basic cleanse around its “P.A.M.” juice. Guess how much sugar P.A.M. has? A whopping 49 grams of sugar in a single bottle. And you’re supposed to drink this juice, with three other sugary juices, six times a day to supposedly detox  and cleanse!

Out of curiosity, I checked to see how much sugar was in Coca-Cola. A can of the bubbly has “only” 39 grams of sugar. If we were judging just by sugar alone, chugging Coke is healthier than a juice cleanse! (Yes, flawed argument, but you get the point.)

Not all juices are like this, but many of the most popular and most delicious varieties out there truly deliver a ghoulishly sweet sucker punch to your waistline. If you’re not careful, you won’t be able to fit into your Halloween costume!

Here are a few points to consider as you navigate the juice aisle at Whole Foods:

• Check the ingredients label. Green juices, like kale or spinach, should make up the majority of the ingredients. Fruit juice should always be minimal or nonexistent.
• Consider the price. Juices are extremely pricey and completely devoid of fiber. Real food is always best! Eat an apple, with all its delicious vitamins, minerals and fiber, instead of just sucking on juice like a fruit vampire.

2. Protein bars

I eat protein like it’s for breakfast. No, actually. I drink protein and fiber supplements with my organic almond milk every morning before rushing off to work. Protein supplementation can offer several benefits, especially if you’re an active individual. But protein bars? Exercise extreme caution.

Here’s the ingredients label for a very popular protein bar on the market:

This is actually a great example of most protein bars on the market. Much of what you see in the nutrition facts is decent (not good, but not terrible) until you get to the carbohydrate section. This tiny protein bar manages to pack in 32 grams of carbohydrates, including 16 grams of sugar! In comparison, a standard 52.7 gram bar of Snickers has 33 grams of carbs. How is this protein bar, marketed by a major health company, “healthy”?

As with anything, nutrition facts are just one part of the story. When you dive into the ingredients, you notice a few more alarming things, such as the presence of whey protein concentrate (inferior form of protein) followed by six different forms of sugary sweeteners. Compared to the ingredients in a Snickers bar, Snickers seem positively glamorous!

If you still want to enjoy a protein bar — or a granola bar, as these are often even worse — consider these factors:

• Protein isolates only. Everything else is inferior.
• Try protein powder instead. It’s much cheaper per serving, and if you’re worried about convenience, you can easily pack it into a to-go bag or container. If it’s whey protein isolate, it’ll mix easily without a shaker bottle or blender necessary.
• Watch out for those sweeteners. Quest Bars and other healthier protein bars have just 2 or 3 grams of sugar per bar. There are good alternatives out there, you just need to search for them!
• If you can’t pronounce the ingredients, don’t eat it. The less ingredients on the label, the better!
• Be aware of the environmental impact that common food ingredients have. Palm oil is a key ingredient in many, many protein bars, and it’s one of the world’s leading causes of deforestation, animal extinction and human rights issues. (Read more about the perils of palm oil here and here, and boycott products that contain this oil)
• Get your protein from whole foods as much as possible. Protein bars should be a supplement when time is tight, not your main meal.

3. Agave syrup

When the world woke up to how bad high fructose corn syrup, sugar and other common sweeteners were, people began searching for naturally healthier options. Agave syrup seemed to be the Holy Grail of alternatives, but researchers are now recognizing that agave is a Nightmare on Elm Street (where “Elm Street” is your bloodstream). Even Dr. Oz, who is hardly an angel when it comes to making weird health recommendations, has recanted his endorsement of agave syrup.

While agave syrup is low on glucose, which is good, it’s extremely high in fructose. In fact, it has more fructose than high-fructose corn syrup! Fructose wrecks havoc on hormone levels, such as leptin, which influences your appetite. Extremely high levels of fructose have also been linked to liver damage and heart disease.

There’s no easy way to eat a “healthy” level of sweets. In this case, moderation may still be too much, especially when so much of our food is sweetened. The cumulative damage can be great! For the best results, talk to your doctor and try staying away from unnecessary sweeteners, even if it’s offered to you by a well-meaning trick-or-treater.

4. Added vitamins

I take a multivitamin daily, even though there’s an overwhelming amount of research that shows multivitamins do little good or no good at all. However, marketers often use artificially enhanced vitamin and mineral levels to make their food seem healthy.

When you see labels proclaiming “High in vitamin D!” or “A great source of vitamin C!,” you know what I mean.

The problem? Many products on the market have their nutrient levels boosted with synthetic vitamins. Other products claim to have natural forms of vitamins, though these added supplements may have actually been made in a lab from the precursors to these vitamins, making them anything but “natural.” In summary, so many of the health foods on the market have inferior or even unusable forms of vitamins added to them, which you can see when scanning ingredient labels.

Another huge issue is the fact that because many of our foods now have added vitamins, some people are running a risk of overdosing. For certain vitamins like water-soluble vitamin C, that presents a low health risk and you merely piss away the excess vitamins (and the money you spent on them). But other vitamins and minerals, like iron and vitamin A, may actually build up to toxic levels in our bodies.

• Know the tolerable upper limits of vitamins and minerals for your gender and age, and watch out for these vitamins in your food.
• Focus on getting your minerals and vitamins from whole foods and use commercially prepared foods with boosted vitamin levels as a last resort.

There’s more…

I had the privilege of recently outlining 10 more frighteningly un-healthy health foods in Alive health magazine. Check it out in the magazine or on their website!

Happy Halloween!

We are responsible for our own health, wellness and happiness. When we research and understand the ingredients and overlapping health factors in our foods, we empower ourselves to truly take control of our destiny. All of us must do our part in researching, understanding and acknowledging the role that food plays in our lifestyle, and cutting through the marketing crap that so many health companies throw at us. Be skeptical about everything you put in your body! You only have one body to use on this planet.

Now, I’m as much in favor of a good nap as the next guy, but a nap should be a break, not your default work mode.

On the other hand, working from home tends to blur the boundaries between work and personal life — if you work too hard, you will have no personal life left.

So how do we stay productive, and at the same time stay sane? As I recently quit my day job, I asked the readers for their advice. They came through, as always, and I’ve chosen a few of my favorites for others to use as a guide (well, I’m going to use it as a guide too).

A few caveats, before you dive into the list: Again, these are from the readers, so you guys deserve all the credit. Second, I edited them, so any typos are my fault. Third, this is a compilation list, meaning that some tips may seem contradictory — that’s because the best way to use this list is to find the ideas that work for you, and give them a try. If they don’t work, come back to the list and find a few more ideas. Don’t try to implement them all, and certainly not all at once.

Thank you, readers!

1. Define your spaces; separate work from home. Have a room dedicated to working. Don’t do it wherever you happen to be. Set aside some space, preferably a room (it doesn’t have to be big) to be your workspace. That way, when you enter it, you know consciously what you’re there to do: go to work. It changes the state of mind from “I’m at home” to “I’m at work”.

2. Set regular hours, and stick to the schedule.

3. Don’t stay unshaved in pajamas. Instead, have breakfast, have a shower, get dressed. Then make a list of sensible tasks for the day and get started.

4. Close the door. It’ll be very easy to leave the door to whatever room or space you set apart to be your workplace open. Don’t do it. If the door is open, that represents something to you, and to your family. To you, it represents the idea that if it’s a bit tough, or you don’t feel like working today, you don’t have to. To your family, it represents the idea that Dad is around, and I can go and talk to him.

5. Keep your desk and general work area tidy. A tidy workspace helps keep a tidy mind, which helps make your day more productive.

6. Turn off the telephone when you need to work without distraction. Turn off IM and email notifications too. In fact, if possible, shut off the Internet.

7. Don’t stop working if it’s a hard day. There’ll be times when you haven’t got any ideas, or just don’t feel productive. Train yourself to do some work anyway. It’s a short fall from “It’s just not happening at the moment” to “It’s a bit tough, I’ll stop for the day”. Next thing you know, you never seem to get anything done.

8. Keep three lists of three. The first list has three things you will do today. The second is three things you’d like to get done, but aren’t essential. The third is three things that need to be done at some point. That way, when you’ve trogged through your days work, you don’t end up sitting twiddling your thumbs.

9. Start the day properly. Have a good breakfast, spend some time alone to just sit and do whatever. Relax, let your mind wander. Pray. Just make sure that your mind isn’t in the “I hate working” frame of mind.

10. Have a good chair. Mesh backed ones, or good comfy leather perhaps. It’s worth spending some money on.

11. Keep a notepad and pencil nearby. Jot down ideas for blog posts, projects, anything that springs to mind. Then have a pinboard to stick them on. Look at it twice a week to refresh your mind of things that could be done sometime. Some of the best work you’ll ever do will come from random bits of inspiration.

12. Give yourself breaks. Don’t be locked in the room all the time. For every hour you work, have a 15-30 minute break. Give your mind time to digest what it’s just done, then come back. You’ll improve the quality of what you produce a hundredfold.

13. Don’t go back to work when you’ve finished. Had a great idea for a post? Fantastic, write down the basics on a note, and pin it up. Don’t go back to work when you’ve finished.

14. Schedule, if possible, around your natural schedule. Some people peak in the morning, others in the afternoon, still others at the witching hour.

15. Have a pint of water by your desk all the time. Try and work up to drinking a few pints a day, if you don’t already.

16. Be careful what music you listen to while you work. Music, TV, the weather… Just about everything will influence your mood. Some you can’t change, some you can. Make sure that you surround yourself with things that will give you the best frame of mind for whatever you’re about to do.

17. No turning on the computer for a quick email check or to do 1 little thing until you’ve gotten “ready for work” as mentioned above. The nuance is if you have nowhere to be, that 1 little thing leads to showering at 2 in the afternoon with a splitting headache because you’ve forgotten to eat etc.

18. Know when to stop. Don’t work late into the night. Set defined times when you’re going to work, and then when it passes, stop. You can have a bit of leeway here, but make sure that you don’t end up letting work run your life.

“Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.” - Ovid

19. Don’t work an eight hour day. One reader works about 5 hours, in four blocks of an hour, with a 20 minute gap between each. If you do more than that, your attention might start to wander, you’ll be restless and your work won’t have it’s normal level of quality.

20. Designate certain days for certain work. For example: file everything on Friday afternoon, no later than Saturday morning. This allows you to walk out of your office for your “weekend” without feeling like you left work unfinished.

21. Set boundaries for those around you as well. Schedule your work time and make sure the kids and spouse know that you are unavailable for playing, chores, etc. during this time.

22. Sound Canceling Headphones. Seriously useful if you have a 3-year-old.

23. Pay attention and crunch numbers with your accounts regularly. You are less inclined to watch television when you realise how much it can cost you to mess around. Put a reminder that “work NOT done = no money”.

24. Have a good lunch. One readers suggested that something with good carb content works best. Puts you in the mood for the second half of the day.

25. Track your time. One reader suggested a simple program called gtimelog (http://mg.pov.lt/gtimelog/). You enter what you’ve done when you’ve completed it. It’s very simple and stays out of your way. At the end of the day, week, you can see a summary. It also allows you to break out work time vs. fun time in a simple manner.

26. Set online times. You don’t always need to be accessible for chit chat. This may be more applicable to telecommuters than the self-employed.

27. Don’t allow work to consume your life. Easier said than done when working from home. Make sure you set limits for the amount of time you will work.

28. Make time for people. When people ask, give them what you can. Respond in some way to every email. It doesn’t matter how long it takes you to get around to it. You don’t have to reply that day. Just make sure you do. It matters.

29. Say thank you a lot. Figure out who the people who have helped you and your blog (or your business) the most. If you’re a blogger, that’s the readers, not the people who gave you mentions on their big blogs. The people who have given their time and energy to helping you get where you are. You owe your life from this point on to them. Make sure they know you’re greatful.

30. Be grateful you’re working from home and not in some cubicle! That gratitude will motivate you to work harder, so you can continue to work from home.

Choosing a gym is a lot like marriage these days: you get caught up by appearances, then you sign a piece of paper that promises “until death do us part, or at least a year or two.” Since most gyms have massive contracts that lock you in for a specified amount of time, and impart hefty penalties should you try to get out early, it’s important to dive beyond the spectacle (Shiny machines! Club music! Overenthusiastic personal trainer!) and look for the qualities that are truly necessary for a good, healthy and safe workout.

1. Costs

Research by CNBC found that the typical person pays between $40 and $50 a month for a gym membership. But don’t forget about the initiation fee, which often ranges in the $100 to $200 range, plus incidental fees such as add-ons for classes or personal training.

2. Equipment

Some gyms have a lot of machines. Others put more of an emphasis on free weights. Identify your training style and make sure the gym has the specific equipment you need.

3. Crowds

Visit the gym on a day and a time that you would normally work out. Then,  come back one or two more days at the same time. Are the machines you would need available, or do you have to wait for 20 minutes before the things you need become free?

4. Operating hours

Some gyms are open for 24 hours. Others are much more restrictive. Make sure the gym is open at the times you’ll need it most, especially on the weekends and during holidays.

5. Sanitation

Don’t work out in other people’s sweat. Look around the gym and note how clean it is. Do the staff do a good job of picking up trash from the ground? Are there an ample supply of towels and cleaning spray near the workout stations?

Here are some highlights:

• 22% of people would give up brushing their teeth before giving up their phone.
• 43% of iPhone users would give up their shoes for a week before giving up their Apple gadget.
• 70% of women experience a phobia of losing their phones.

Check out the infographic below for the frightening deets, or click here for a larger version. Don’t let your smartphone autocorrect-fail your lifespan!

In a new study published in the Diabetes Care medical journal, researchers followed more than a thousand men and women in Sweden. They found that exposure to pthalates, a common chemical used in fragrances, was associated with increased blood sugar and an up to 30 percent increased risk of type 2 diabetes (read the full study abstract here).

Besides diabetes, some medical professionals also worry that exposure to pthalates elevates your risks of other health problems, such as cancer. Avoid pthalates by taking a few lifestyle and dietary precautions today:

1. Stop using products that contain perfumes or fragrances. Aim for unscented products instead, such as unscented laundry detergent, unscented shampoo and conditioner, and natural beeswax candles instead of scented air fresheners.

2. Eat fresh, organic food. A study in the Environmental Health Perspectives journal noted that pthalate exposure was cut in half when people ate fresh food instead of packaged or canned food.

3. Avoid plastics. If you can’t do without them, check the recycle code on the bottom of the plastic item. Items stamped with a “7” or a “3” may contain higher levels of both phthalates and BPA.