In the meantime, check out the latest wisdom from Dr. Melissa on great habits that lead to good health:

Squeezing in Stress Relief: How to Take Control of Stress Before it Takes Control of You, Your Life, or Your Eating

By Dr. Melissa McCreery

We all know the stress of too much on our plates–too much to do, too much to think about, too many things and people and responsibilities to take care of. Whether you choose to have a lot on your plate or whether you feel like there is no other option, stress and overwhelm may be a reality–and they take a toll.

Stress and overwhelm prevent us from being and feeling and behaving as our best version of ourselves.  Stress not only feels crummy; many of us react to stress and overwhelm by cutting back and dropping some of the self-care and comfort strategies that benefit us the most and allow us to really shine.

Stress and overload can also lead us to habits such as stress eating, comfort eating, drinking and smoking too much, and sleeping and exercising too little.  And the stress that creates can lead to more of the same—a vicious cycle.

Want to do something different?

Here are 4 tips for taking control of stress that you can implement today: Read the rest of this entry »

SqueezeItIn.com loves moms and we want to help you celebrate Mother’s Day with this special offer:

This Mother’s Day give mom the gift of fitness from SqueezeItIn.com.

With your minimum purchase* of $25 we’ll enclose a signature SqueezeItIn.com Grocery Girls Tote with your order free of charge. These convenient and 100% recyclable totes feature six exercises that can be done at the market. Inside you’ll find a Clip ‘n Carry exercise card with descriptions of each exercise to take along or share with a friend.

Help the moms in your life put themselves – and their health – back on their to-do lists with the dozens of clever and effective do-anywhere exercises on the SqueezeItIn.com Workout DVD.

Moms know it’s true:  Life’s a gym. Work it out!

Now mom can wear one of our favorite phrases on our soft black scoop neck tee or our here-comes-summer orange ribbed tank.

Order now!  Free gift with purchase Mother’s Day offer good only through May 9, 2010.  Quantities limited.

* Minimum purchase is based on merchandise total after application of coupons, promo codes, or other discounts and does not include shipping charges. While supplies last.

Dr. Melissa McCreery of TooMuchOnHerPlate.com is back with more slimming secrets!  And while the findings below are very exciting, they’re meant to put you to sleep.  Check out this dreamy way to keep the weight off:

Could squeezing in more sleep help you lose weight?

Women who are short on time and juggling many responsibilities often scrimp on sleep. You know it’s not the best way to go, but sometimes it just seems like the easiest solution.

Here’s something you need to know: going without sleep is likely to sabotage you BIG TIME. You probably know that lack of sleep affects your mood and your concentration, but did you know that sleep deprivation alters your body chemistry and sets you up for weight gain? Missing out on sleep can actually cause you to BE hungrier and skimping on sleep appears to cause weight gain whether or not you eat more! It’s not just in your head. Short-term sleep deprivation leads to lower levels of leptin, a hormone that tells us when we are full, and increase levels of the hormone ghrelin, which promotes appetite. Have you had the experience after a night of little sleep where you feel like you can eat everything in sight and never feel full? That’s the low leptin, high ghrelin effect. Read the rest of this entry »

When we discovered an expert on emotional eating (we all do it) who specializes in helping “smart busy women” (hey, those are our peeps!) we knew we had to get her to guest blog for SqueezeItIn.com and share her absolute best tips for squeezing in good nutrition.

Luckily for us, she agreed!  Here’s the first of four top notch posts that will change the way you look at food and the way you look in the mirror forever!  Thanks Melissa!

Squeezing in EASY Weight Loss

by Dr. Melissa McCreery

What if you could lose 18 pounds this year by making one small change?

Our eating (and overeating) is influenced by many cues that are unrelated to how much food we really need to feel satisfied. Packaging and other related factors have a big effect on how much we actually eat. Did you know that fifty percent of the snack food bought in bulk (such as from your local warehouse club) is eaten within six days of purchase?  We tend to finish what we have in front of us (regardless of the size of the portion). Are those huge bags of chips still looking like such a good deal?

Here’s another tip that can have a huge impact on your “bottom line.” Read the rest of this entry »

Wondering how you can squeeze more produce into your diet? This week registered dietician Elizabeth M. Ward, M.S., R.D. and author of Expect the Best, Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, & After Pregnancy is showing us how:

Pack in the Produce. Fruits and vegetables are filled with fiber and water to help you feel fuller for longer. Resolving to eat at least five servings a day of fruits and vegetables combined will likely crowd out the higher-calorie foods you’ve been noshing on for the past few months, and it will help you take in more vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.  Here’s how to squeeze in the fruits and vegetables you need: Read the rest of this entry »

How powerful are your snacks?

This month registered dietician Elizabeth M. Ward is showing us how to spring clean our diets and “squeeze in” good nutrition. Picking protein powered snacks is a great place to start!

More great tips from Elizabeth M. Ward, M.S., R.D. and author of Expect the Best, Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, & After Pregnancy:

Snack Smart. Stop nibbling on highly-refined snacks like granola bars, chips, and crackers; women need protein with every snack to reduce hunger and protect muscle tissue and other lean tissue, especially on a weight-loss eating plan.  Try these protein-packed options: Read the rest of this entry »

Where does the time go?  It’s hard to believe it’s almost time for spring cleaning…again.

In the spirit of the great spring clean up we’ve asked registered dietician Elizabeth M. Ward to help us clear the culinary cobwebs and polish up our healthy habits when it comes to “squeezing in” nutrition.  Here is the first of three posts on spring cleaning your diet:

From Elizabeth M. Ward, M.S., R.D. and author of Expect the Best, Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, & After Pregnancy:

Springtime inspires healthier eating habits, but it’s not always easy to trade in favorite comfort foods for lighter choices that will help you shed winter weight and increase your energy levels. No worries: even small changes go a long way to good nutrition.  You’re already squeezing in exercise, so use the same principles to eat better. Here are some bright ideas for making nutrient-rich food choices more often, with a minimum of fuss.

Go for the Whole Grain. Whole grains are richer in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients (plant compounds that protect against cell damage) than their highly-refined counterparts.  You need at least three servings of whole grains each day, and so do your kids. Skip the cornflakes for breakfast and white bread at lunch and reach for these healthier options: Read the rest of this entry »

Thank you DailySpark for reviewing the SqueezeItIn Workout DVD!

“Even if you don’t have time to get to the gym, you DO have time to squeeze exercise into your busy days and this DVD will show you how!”

- Coach Nicole, SparkPeople fitness expert

The sister team of Jen & Jaclyn, founders of BeFitNPretty.com, are back this week with yet another delicious way to fall in love with good nutrition.  Chocolate anyone?

Good news dark chocolate lovers! This decadently rich and velvety treat may do as much for your heart as it does for your taste buds (well almost as much). Dark chocolate (sorry milk chocolate lovers) is packed with flavonoids, a compound with strong antioxidant properties. Research has shown that the flavonoids found in dark chocolate can have some very heart healthy benefits, including helping to reduce high blood pressure and levels of LDL or “bad cholesterol”.

Now for the not so good news. You don’t need a ton of dark chocolate to reap these health benefits and dark chocolate is still high in calories and fat. So keep your nibbling to no more than 1-2 ounces per day and remember that the darker the chocolate, the better. For the maximum health benefit, choose chocolate with at least a 65% cocoa content, it will contain more of those fabulous flavonoids. Sounds good to us!

Please note: The information provided here is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for the advice or treatment given by your doctor or dietitian. Please consult with a registered dietitian or your doctor if you have any questions about the information in this post.

Thank you ABC News NOW and GMA Health for featuring SqueezeItIn.com’s Jenny Hein!  Click here to see the clip.

To celebrate we’re offering 20% off the SqueezeItIn.com Workout DVD!  Simply enter coupon code “GMA20″ at checkout.

Read the rest of this entry »