I am a firm believer that beauty must suffer, but I leave that motto behind upon entering the gym; however, you will not catch me in raggedy old sweats and a freebie t-shirt. We all know that when we look good we feel good.

Every little girl has a hero and if you are as lucky as I am, your hero is your father. Let me put it this way, Richard Bartolacci is a modern day Superman circa the 1940s. He can make my back pain disappear, clear any blemish off my face, and has even taught me how to cook a properly balanced meal.

Have you ever just wanted to let loose and act like an animal? The only downfall to this unacceptable behavior is that you are no longer a diaper-clad toddler, and the wrath of your mother is far too much to bare. Thank goodness you have me . . .

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming and finally it feels like spring is in the air. It is time to get off the couch because this summer you will not be the one to do a cannonball and splash all the water out of the pool, if you get my drift.

Plain and simple, Diets stink and that is why I do not believe in them. I believe in the choice of a healthy lifestyle, which is not that trying of an obstacle to overcome, but it requires changes and smart decisions. The only way to truly stay healthy and keep weight off is to change your life by eating healthy, drinking plenty of water, taking your vitamins, getting plenty of sleep and daily exercise.

Motivation and self-control are two frightening words that can quickly cause your blood pressure to skyrocket. As human beings we struggle with animal-like instincts that cause us to fight against them. With so much to do and so little time, the only thing that is left are excuses for why we can’t exercise. Here are three of my favorite quick and dirty fat blasters that are even fun for the young tikes.

Today, tobacco is responsible for one in five deaths in the U.S. In my household, smoking will always be frowned upon and never even an option because health is everything. With technology making anything possible, there is now a product that claims to be a “healthy version of smoking”. It sounded too good to be true, so I investigated, and in my opinion, it is.

Taurine, it sounds like an astrological sign or the name of a rock band, but what if I told you it is the key ingredient in the majority of energy drinks on the market? It is because of this synthetic chemical compound mixed with numerous other ingredients such as caffeine, normally in the form of guarana or yerba mate, that you the consumer will feel the euphoric effects of this stimulant. What I like to call the peaks and valleys of an energy drink.

Springing forward on the clocks always signifies that swimsuit season is just around the corner, which means that we will soon find ourselves staring into the mirror under ghastly florescent lights that are unforgiving in highlighting flaws. We have all been there, year after year, without exception. Not again, I said. This year will be different. Now when I stare into the mirror, I count my lucky stars that I have found the secret for instant gratification, and no I am not talking about a spray tan.