Sarah Dussault is an official brand advocate for Bel Brands in 2013. While she receives compensation for participation as a brand advocate, opinions are her own. Are you ready for the summer BBQ season to begin? Memorial Day is the unofficial kick off for summer BBQs, but don’t let it derail the healthy habits that [...]

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My kids are snack-o-holics! Both the 7 and 2 year old can’t get enough of snacking. I try to keep health-conscious options on hand, but I sometimes fear they are turning into pantry junkies! Instead of letting them grab a bag of chips or a granola bar, I’m trying to initiate at least a few [...]

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Written by Community Leader Tina Haupert Summer is right around the corner, and after a long, cold and snowy winter here in New England, I’m more than ready to enjoy it. I’m all about maintaining my healthy lifestyle without losing out on fun or good taste, so here are four ways I plan to live a [...]

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Written by Community Leader Katie Goodman We usually have a pretty low-key and relaxing Mother’s Day in our house. I get a free pass from all chores and get to sleep in without being disturbed. Waffles or pancakes with eggs and bacon are on the menu for breakfast – something that we all enjoy eating [...]

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The best exercises for women are simple, yet many ladies avoid them. If you think strength training will make you look bulky, you need to erase this notion from memory for good! The following moves are ideal in creating a strong and slim appearance for any female. The key to a continuous body transformation and [...]

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Written by Community Leader Tina Haupert If I’m not careful, Mexican food can be a diet disaster for me! I love cheesy queso dip and nachos piled high with all the fixings, but I know these foods aren’t the healthiest. I plan to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with lower-calorie, yet flavorful appetizers and snacks made with The [...]

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Is it just me or is everyone always on the run these days? Between my kids’ schedules, my schedule and my husband’s schedule, we are in a constant state of motion. It’s not a bad thing necessarily, but I do notice more stops at convenient marts and drive-thru windows for food. Instead of living off [...]

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Written by Community Leader Katie Goodman Last summer we were in the midst of an out-of-state move. We were so busy packing and unpacking at the beginning of the summer and then just adjusting to living somewhere new, that we didn’t make any formal summer plans. We spent a lot of time at our neighborhood [...]

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Written by Community Leader Tina Haupert It’s almost swimsuit season! There’s not need to fret about slipping into a bathing suit if you do a little pre-summer planning to get yourself into the right state of mind. These easy tips and tricks will fit right into your current healthy habits and get you ready to [...]

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I am not a neat freak. In fact, I really don’t enjoy cleaning. I do, however, love how I feel once it’s done and my house is organized. Kind of like exercise – you never regret doing it! This spring, instead of looking at your seasonal chore as an obligation, make it your weekend workout [...]

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Spring is FINALLY here. The sun is shining through my window, I can hear birds chirping, and I didn’t need a jacket this morning! The best part of this exciting season: Fresh Produce! My local farmer markets are opening this month, and I’m looking forward to incorporating seasonal fruits and vegetables into my diet again. It’s not [...]

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Written by Community Leader Tina Haupert After a long, snowy winter, spring has finally sprung, and I’m all about taking my workouts outside! Recently, I’ve started to mix my running workouts with strength-building plyometrics for a total body workout. The combination of the two blast calories and builds muscle at the same time, which is a win-win [...]

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Spring is in the air, and it’s snack time! No more grabbing handfuls of M&Ms when you walk by your co-workers desk. No more vending machine stops on the way to the gym. It’s time to step up our snacking as we head into a new season. We need more snack joy and less junk [...]

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Written by: Community Leader Katie Goodman One of my healthy eating resolutions the past several months has been to lessen snack foods that are empty of nutrients. Our family doesn’t need to fill up between meals on foods that don’t provide any nutritional value. When Logan and Madeline don’t eat well at dinner because they [...]

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Have I told you how excited I was when The Laughing Cow came out with NEW Mini Babybel Mozzarella? Mozzarella is one of my absolute favorite cheeses because it’s found on one of my absolute favorite foods: Pizza! Now when I say pizza you may immediately think of a delivery guy dropping of a greasy, [...]

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Do you really need to eat something after a workout? The short answer is yes. By skipping a post-workout meal or snack, you’re not allowing your body to fully reap the benefits of the work you just did! Proper nutrition after a workout will speed up your results. While rapid weight loss is not recommended, [...]

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Written by Community Leader Katie Goodman The days keep slipping by. I can hardly believe that so much of the school year has already passed. Busy days make healthy, quick snacks all the more necessary – and it has to be something everyone in my family will love! From snack inspired lunches to after school [...]

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So it’s winter break, and you’re home. The kids are home. And everyone’s hungry! There’s only one problem, you’ve been getting your fill of holiday cookies and eggnog for days, no, weeks! Why not pull out a few simple ingredients and make a light, tasty, festive snack the kids can have fun helping prepare? What [...]

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This past fall while my husband and I were at a friend’s wedding, it was subtly suggested to us that we reinstate the “friend” Holiday get together at our house (we didn’t have one last year). I can’t even remember why we didn’t host one last year because the truth is that I love hosting [...]

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Inspired by First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative to address childhood obesity, the team here at Bel Brands wanted to try and find some simple practices that can be incorporated into a healthy lifestyle and contribute to a healthy weight. So we teamed up with Dr. Brian Wansink, director of the Cornell University Food [...]

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Did you miss Community Leader and Registered Dietitian Patricia Bannan’s Eating Smart Around the Holidays Twitter Chat? We discussed smart strategies for staying on track, including pre-party preparation and the best selections from traditional holiday fare to add to your plate. Making smart choices can be difficult around the holidays, especially when all of your [...]

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This year was full of new recipes, nutrition tips and fitness activities from our community leaders and The Laughing Cow community members! Although it’s tough to pick favorites, we selected some of the top posts that we thought were worth remembering and recognizing at least one more time. Recipes With the launch of Smooth Sensations [...]

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Are you on Pinterest yet? Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. And by “beautiful,” of course I am including food, scenery and creative ideas in this equation. Pinterest has led to a ton of inspiration for many different aspects of life, including personal style and what [...]

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I have a Thanksgiving Swap you are going to love! This idea is simple, tasty and lightens up my favorite Thanksgiving side dish staple, mashed potatoes. I’ve seen recipes for mashed potatoes using butter, whole milk, heavy cream, and sour cream – all yummy additions, of course. However, on a day like Thanksgiving, when you’ll [...]

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Grocery shopping for the Thanksgiving Day meal can become quite overwhelming if you’re not prepared. Not only is developing the grocery list tough, but you also need to decide which tasty dishes you will make! Here are several items and ideas to get your Thanksgiving Day grocery shopping list started (in a healthy, delicious way): [...]

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