When I was a little girl and used to visit my grandparents down in Florida, one of my favorite activities was our trip to Bloods Orange Grove, a goldmine of the most delicious oranges and – more importantly, orange juice – on the planet. Fresh squeezed every morning, this stuff was addictive, insane, and quite possibly medicinal. A precious memory too!

Well, I’ve grown up and so has my OJ drinking. While it’s one of the most delicious beverages on the planet, all that sugar isn’t so good for you, especially in the doses I like my OJ. I recently discovered Trop50 by Tropicana, with 50% less sugar and calories! Although it’s no fresh squeezed Florida OJ, I’m very picky when it comes to orange juice and I’m REALLY enjoying Trop50. It’s a staple in my apartment’s fridge. For breakfast, with a snack, to mix with other beverages – we can’t get enough of it.

I’m thrilled to announce that Spa Week has partnered with Trop50 to kick off the new year with a flurry of giveaways across the web. Not only can you win a $1000 gift card when you share your New Year’s Resolution (or intention) on Trop50′s Facebook page, you can ALSO win $50 Spa & Wellness Gift Cards by Spa Week on a ton of blogs throughout January. Twenty so far, and keep your eyes (and oranges?) peeled for more throughout the month! Good luck.

20 Blogs Giving Away a $50 Spa & Wellness Gift Card:

TheGloss.com

The Grindstone.com

Mommyish.com

Blisstree.com

Crushable.com

Eightymphmom.com

Busybeeblogger.com

Mommywithselectivememory.com

Wholelottamama.com

Tammytwocents.com

Bronxmama.com

Gretasday.com

Ihaveacouponforthat.com

Mypbandj.com

Busyworkingmama.com

40plussinglebbw.blogspot.com

Confessionsofapsychotichousewife.com

Asmomseesit.com

Cherryblossomdesign.blogspot.com

contest-corner.com

By Jamie Dougherty – Part #3 of the JamieLiving 5-Part Holiday Survival Guide

See Part 1 – Buffer Your Beverages
And Part 2 – Eat By Numbers

Remember the other week when you mowed through your first plate of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and peas just to hit the buffet for a second round?  The first plate was simply the gateway to plate number two, the serving you were actually going to taste, right?  If you are a habitual second-helping sister, this is the tip that will change your life forever.

Part 3: Become a member of the One Plate Club.

One Plate Club members take their singular plate, fill it with bits of each tasty holiday dish and then enjoy each morsel to the fullest.  They say yes to stuffing, yes to turkey, and a big freakin’ YES to dessert… but only once.

Rather than pick and graze which makes it impossible for you to know how much you are eating, have a small plate/napkin for appetizers, a plate for dinner and a very small plate/napkin for dessert.  Nothing goes into your mouth than does not first go on to a plate.  (This is key to portion control.)  Each plate then gets filled only once which allows you to taste everything while keeping track of your food and avoiding what often turns into a seven-course meal.  Eating only one plate also encourages you to sit and savor because it is a sad state of affairs when you blow through your food and then have to watch everyone else finish theirs.  No FUN!

In the comments let me know your thoughts on the One Plate Club and how it works for you.  Come on ladies, sharing is caring! (And it feels good too.)

Jamie G. Dougherty, founder of JamieLiving.com, gives women the secrets to feel amazing in their bodies and create the balance they crave between their busy schedules and eating well. Jamie believes that though kale and brown rice are good foods to put on your plate, until we truly learn HOW to eat rather than just WHAT to eat we will continue to be carb-craving, super-frazzled, stress-out ladies.

By Jamie Dougherty – Part #2 of the JamieLiving 5-Part Holiday Survival Guide

Staving off unhelpful holiday pounds ultimately comes down to one thing: listening to your body. Easier said that done, right? We’ve all had the body conversation that goes something like this: “I know I don’t need that extra cookie but I want one!” and then you quickly stuff another cookie down your unsuspecting gullet before anyone see. Believe me, I’ve been there and done that! However, the issue with ignoring your already full tummy is it will immediately spite you with a severe stomach ache and uncomfortably snug jeans. NO fun!

So how do you actually listen to your body and then follow through with what it’s telling you?

Part 2: Eat by numbers!

Think about your hunger on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 is you are starving and about to eat your arm and 10 is you are so full it hurts to breathe. (Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m taking about.) Along this scale you want to eat at a 3 and stop at a 7. A 3 is where you are definitely hungry but could wait another 20 minutes to eat. The situation isn’t dire but will be soon. After enjoying your meal, stop eating at 7. 7 is where you are full, completely satisfied and comfortable. You could eat more but if you did you would certainly need to unbutton your pants. There you have it, the second part of your JamieLiving Holiday Survival Guide! Who knew a 3 and a 7 could save your lovely waistline?

In the comments let me know how eating by numbers has helped you during the holidays. Come on ladies, sharing is caring! (And it feels good too.)

Jamie G. Dougherty, founder of JamieLiving.com, gives women the secrets to feel amazing in their bodies and create the balance they crave between their busy schedules and eating well. Jamie believes that though kale and brown rice are good foods to put on your plate, until we truly learn HOW to eat rather than just WHAT to eat we will continue to be carb-craving, super-frazzled, stress-out ladies. If you ever feel hungry, stuck and unsatisfied with your food be sure to visit Jamie’s website to get her FREE 5-Step Guide to Fabulous. Seriously ladies, get ready for Jamie to rock your world!

By Sarah Jenks

Most women can finish a meal in 7 minutes or less. Though this may seem like a talent of efficiency, it is actually the direct cause of most women’s weight gain.

When we rush through our meals, we don’t give our bodies a chance to taste, smell and enjoy our meal. And when we don’t enjoy our meal, our digestion power decreases, our metabolism lowers and we are left unsatisfied by our meal. Makes sense right?

And when we’re not satisfied, we just want to keep eating and eating.

So, I want you to start putting your fork down in between every bite. Even if you eat like crap this holiday season, gift yourself this one habit.

I promise that you will enjoy your food more, eat less, and lose weight.

Give it a shot, and I’d love to here how it’s working out for you in the comments below.

Sarah Jenks, founder of theBreathtakingBride.com, helps women fall in love with their bodies and lose weight through exploring the emotional reasons of why we eat. Sarah believes that you can talk about the benefits of broccoli until you are blue in the face, but real change won’t happen until we pull back the veil of fad diets and calorie counting to reveal the true cause of our over eating. Feeling lost about weight loss? Visit her website to download her free guide: “What to do if you feel fat, hopeless and ready to give up.”

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By Jamie Dougherty

Remember a few weeks ago when I was talking up some sweet love for the sweet potato?  Though I still love those suckers, there is a particular super food that has taken first place on my plate as of late.  Say hello to kabocha squash!  “Excuse me?” you say.  “What is this thing I can barely pronounce?”  KA-BOW-CHA is a Japanese squash and quintessential super food that rocks in all types of delicious dishes.  First, a quick super food definition:  A super food is an unprocessed edible that packs a powerful nutritional bang for its caloric buck.  With its high Vitamin A, Vitamin C and potassium content, kabocha is not only a super food but one that will make your immune system and heart say thank you very much!

Now, where can you find said squash that will svelte-ify your figure?  Being a Fall food, right now kabocha can be found at most farmer’s markets.  Look for ones with a rich green color and firm skin with minimal blemishes.  If the markets have closed for the year, try your local grocer or health food store.  Next, how do you cook it?  Just like you would a butternut squash.  Throw it into soups and curries, mix it into a pilaf or with beans or just straight up roast it.  I actually love eating roasted kabocha as a snack. Absolutely flippin’ awesome!

So, next time you are looking for a super food to hit that sweet, starchy spot, grab a kabocha squash.  Your body and taste buds will be mighty pleased!

In the comments let me know your thoughts on super foods and how you like to get them into your diet.  Come on ladies, sharing is caring! (And it feels good too.)

Jamie G. Dougherty, founder of JamieLiving.com, gives women the secrets to feel amazing in their bodies and create the balance they crave between their busy schedules and eating well. Jamie believes that though kale and brown rice are good foods to put on your plate, until we truly learn HOW to eat rather than just WHAT to eat we will continue to be carb-craving, super-frazzled, stress-out ladies. If you ever feel hungry, stuck and unsatisfied with your food be sure to visit Jamie’s website to get her FREE 5-Step Guide to Fabulous.  Seriously ladies, get ready for Jamie to rock your world!