Today is National Women’s Health and Fitness Day, a day to celebrate and recognize “the importance of health awareness and regular physical activity for women of all ages.” Sponsored by the Health Information Resource Center, National Women’s Health and Fitness Day is an extensive annual health and fitness promotional event for women.

Through partnerships with local health organizations, there are more than 1000 events scheduled to promote women’s health today around the country. Check your local events listings for more information on activities in your area.

If you can’t find an event near you, don’t let that stop you from celebrating health and fitness. Sign up for a new exercise class, cook a healthy meal, take a long walk or try one of our quick workout ideas. No matter how you do it, make a commit to your health today and focus on the importance of incorporating healthy habits and physical activity in your life. As the National Women’s Health and Fitness Day slogan says, “Activity is a habit you can live with.” Start building that healthy habit today.

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."

Now that the heat of summer has faded, it’s a great time to take your exercise routine outside if you haven’t already. It may be too cool to do laps in the pool, but there are plenty of outdoor activities that you can do to keep you active and energized.

Get dirty. Fall is the perfect time to cut back those bushes, mulch anything that needs protection from the cold, plant bulbs for the spring and even start some shrubs. And you’ll need to get rid of all those leaves that will soon be falling from your trees. That bending, digging, raking and trimming will have you burning plenty of calories, and you’ll have a beautiful yard to show for all that work.

Head to the park. Take a brisk walk with your dog, a friend or all by yourself. Enjoy the breeze and the crisp air. It won’t be long before the cold weather has you heading back to the gym.

Find a hiking trail nearby. Run for the hills where you can enjoy the changing leaves and get a good dose of nature while you get that heart pumping.

Get a game going. Soccer, football, rugby—whatever your favorite cool weather sport, grab a group of friends and head to the field for some fun. You’ll be spending time with friends and burning calories without even knowing it!

No matter what activity you choose, don’t forget to take a bottle of water with you. It may be cooler, but you’ll still need to stay hydrated while you work up a sweat.

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."

Ever find yourself grabbing a handful of nuts and munching away before you even realize it? What triggered that mindless snack? Maybe the nuts were in a bowl on the table in front of you or in a can on the counter while you were preparing dinner. Very often, we eat what we see. Why not take that tendency and tweak it to your advantage?

Make fruits visible. Apples, oranges, pears, peaches and bananas are all naturally pre-packaged, single-serve snacks. Make them easily accessible by keeping fresh fruits in a basket on the dining room table or kitchen counter.

Organize your refrigerator. Keep sliced vegetables, washed grapes and other healthy snacks front and center in your refrigerator. If you have to reach past them to get to the higher calorie snacks, you might think twice about which you grab.

Hide the treats. Out of sight, out of mind. If you have to have pretzels, peanuts or chocolate in the house, why not keep them behind closed doors or in inconvenient locations like the freezer or the highest cabinets. The harder you have to work for it, the more time you have to reconsider why you want it in the first place.

How do you stack the snacking decks in your favor?

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."

With the recent FDA approval of stevia what can you tell me about Truvia & how it compares to Splenda? ~ @AngEngland

Stevia is an herb used widely in South and Central America as a natural sweetener that, until recently, was not FDA approved. However, stevia and stevia extracts have been widely available in the US as an herbal supplement.

While the stevia leaf and other stevia extracts are still only available as herbal supplements, the purified stevia extract Rebaudioside A (Reb A) has been given a generally regarded as safe (GRAS) rating by the FDA. Reb A is the compound stevia-based sweeteners like Truvia and PureVia contain.

Splenda, on the other hand is a sucralose-based sugar substitute. Sucralose has been approved by the FDA since 1998 and is about 600 times sweeter than sugar. To offset this difference in sweetness, Splenda is sold in a variety of forms, including a baking blend and a bulked up form that alters the sweetness and allows you to replace sugar with Splenda cup-for-cup.

Stevia-based sweeteners like Truvia and PureVia don’t come in bulked-up forms and can be more than 200 times sweeter than sugar. Like most artificial sweeteners, adding stevia-based sweeteners to your food will take adjustment, although websites for each of the major brands offer suggestions for cooking and baking with them.

So there you have it; the basics of stevia and sucralose. The choice to replace sugar with either a sucralose- or stevia-based sweetener is a personal one. They’re both FDA-approved and neither increases blood sugar levels. And if you’re looking to reduce your calorie intake, using a sugar substitute may be an effective way to do it.

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."

Building a healthy meal doesn’t have to be difficult. It all starts with your plate.

Size matters. If you’re like most American’s you are probably eating off 12-inch or larger plates. No matter what the plate’s size, we have a tendency to fill it. The larger the plate, the more food (and calories) we eat. To decrease calorie intake, try transitioning to smaller plates.

Divide it up. Now that you have a smaller plate, how do you know what to put on it? Build a healthy meal the easy way by imagining your plate as a pie graph, or one of those divided disposable plates, with three separate sections. Half your plate should be filled with vegetables. The other half should be evenly split between your protein and whole grains.

Don’t clean it. Growing up you probably heard some version of the “Clean your plate” rule at least once. Now that you’re an adult, it’s time to break that rule and pay more attention to your body than what you see on your plate. As you get close to finishing your meal, ask yourself if you are still hungry. If you aren’t, don’t be afraid to leave a few bites on the plate. Yes, there may be children starving in the world, but eating more than your fill won’t make them any less hungry. Instead, consider taking a smaller serving at your next meal.

Paying closer attention to your plate is a small change that can make a big difference to your health. Why not give it a try?

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."

It’s back-to-school time and it doesn’t take long for the kids (or you) to get tired of PB&J sandwiches. Here are some simple ideas for packing quick and healthy lunches for everyone in your house.

Sandwiches don’t have to be boring. Spice up your tuna, chicken salad or sliced turkey sandwiches with fresh herbs, thick slices of home-grown tomatoes, bean sprouts, or any of your favorite veggie toppings. As for condiments, blend Dijon mustard with a bit of honey and some chopped parsley for a tangy sauce or liven up your lite mayo with chopped basil and a little pressed garlic. The possibilities are endless!

Make it a square. Avoid the afternoon slump by making sure your lunch includes protein, whole grains and a fruit or vegetable. Don’t worry; square lunches don’t have to be elaborate. In fact, a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread topped with vegetables like tomatoes, lettuce and some bean sprouts is a square meal all by itself.

Packaged foods are your friend. When you’re in a hurry quick frozen meals, canned soups or other prepared foods can be a lifesaver. Just make sure to read labels and watch for added sugars, sodium, additives and preservatives.

Leftovers make lunch a snap. Top last night’s tossed salad with protein like beans. Add grilled chicken to leftover pasta salad. Stir-fried tofu and vegetables, soup or stew, just about any dinner can do double-duty as tomorrow’s lunch if you think ahead and make a little extra tonight.

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."