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Getting enough iodine in your diet can help you lose weight, but if you've cut back on iodized table salt because you've heard it's bad for you, you're probably not getting your recommended 150 micrograms of iodine a day (220 if you're pregnant; 290 if you're breastfeeding). Bummer, because if you're deficient in this mineral, you might gain weight. FitSugar has the whole scoop.

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Need a joyful workout? Try the Nia technique. Nia is an acronym for neuromuscular integrative action, and it all boils down to a mix of dance, aerobics, martial arts and yoga. Dating back to 1983 when fitness instructors Debbie and Carlos Rosas created it, Nia is all about the body-mind connection, and it flies in the face of the "no pain, no gain" mindset. Simple joy is what this workout is all about. And here's how it works.

The choreography of Nia includes 52 basic moves carried out at various speeds and in different styles. There are muscle-warming stances, heart-pumping karate kicks, free movement and poses that stretch, focus and balance.

This workout could be the one for you -- it's taught for all ages and fitness levels. For more information or to find a class, visit nianow.com.

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Sugar gives me a headache, which gives me a really killer reason to avoid the stuff. Now, I don't live a perfect sugar-free existence. If the stuff is buried in my generally-healthy food, I don't worry about it (a few grams per serving doesn't seem to mess with my head). But sticky-sweet anything -- I don't eat it. That means no cake, cookies, candy, brownies, donuts, holiday-inspired pie, you name it -- if it's considered a "sweet," it's dead to me.

Banning sweets keeps my noggin free from pain. And it keeps my body free from fat (well, from some of it, anyway). I like it this way. And honestly, I think I'll never, ever let a sweet treat pass through my lips. Not a taste of frosting, not a lick of the batter-covered spoon. It's like my own personal challenge now. I simply must emerge victorious. And I think I will -- because keeping headaches at bay is really great inspiration.

You may not have a medical reason to scratch sweets from your diet, which makes things a little more difficult. But I wonder if you think you can do it anyway -- can you go without sweets, for a day, a week, a month, a year (you can do it, Martha)? Tell me in the poll below and consider making this your own personal challenge. I think you'll like how you feel without that refined stuff coarsing through your veins. You'll likely feel less sluggish, more energetic and if weight loss seems attractive to you, I'm guessing you'll shed a few pounds too.

Plan to throw back a few beers this festive time of year? It's OK if you do -- just be clear on what you're getting when you pop those tops.

FitSugar has the scoop on the top 10 highest-calorie beers. Check 'em out here. And plan accordingly. Hint: Heineken is on the list.

Rather focus on the low-calorie stuff? FitSugar names Beck's Premier Light (64 calories) and nine others that will keep you slim this season.

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Americans gain an average of one pound between Thanksgiving an New Year's, says the USA Today. Is that all? Doesn't seem that horrible to me. In fact, I think I'd be happy to pack on just one pound after pigging out for nearly six weeks. Even sedentary people gain only 1.5 pounds over the holidays. Active folks: They lose a pound and a half.

If you happen to be an average Jane or Joe, get ready for that pound. If you really don't want it to appear, consider how the food combinations in the gallery below can do you in. And think about how hard you'll need to work to keep your scale from teetering into dangerous territory.

Getting ready for second helpings? A brunch celebration? A Santa snack? Get the dirt on these and more are right over here.

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• Juice. Dilute it with water or add a few ice cubes (each cube generally holds an ounce) into flavored seltzer for a low-sugar treat. If you must serve juice, make it OJ -- at least you'll be boosting your little ones' folate, potassium, calcium, and vitamins A and E. And serve no more than four to six ounces of juice per day. Too much sugar and calories, so don't go overboard. There isn't anything your kiddos need in juice that they can't get from whole fruit.
• Pizza. Order pizza "easy on the cheese" and pick thin crust instead of thick (it will slash about 80 calories). Top slices with veggies, chicken or ham (better than pepperoni or sausage) and pass on extras, like stuffed crusts and breadsticks.
• Mac and Cheese. For boxed brands, use skim milk and reduce the margarine from four tablespoons to one (this will save 100 calories and 10 grams of fat per cup). When making your own, whip up a sauce of skim milk, margarine and flour and melt in shredded cheese. Boil whole wheat noodles for six grams of fiber per cup. Stir in broccoli bits and diced carrots.

For the skinny on bettering ice cream, cookies, chicken nuggets and French fries, take a stroll over here.

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Kim Kardashian: What exactly do you do to stay so fit? I ask because we jealous women of the world want to know what we should do to look like you. I mean, it seems you don't exactly embrace the sort of diet and fitness lifestyle we keep hearing is key for keeping thin. And I know you have a biggish booty -- but it's firm, it's tight, it's not jiggly. We like that.

You tell us here that you simply will not diet, because it makes you miserable. We hear you. Then you reveal that sleep and water keep you thin. We know this just can't be. We sleep. We drink water. Still, we don't look like you. Life & Style reports in the December 15 issue that you run for 30 minutes per day (is that enough?), eat tons of treats, (but only after filling up on healthy stuff first), and bake your own cookies and cakes (not exactly diet food, my friend).

Now, you do admit to being active -- with Olympic step-dad Bruce Jenner in your household, this makes sense. But come on. You've got a secret, and it's not as easy as sleep and water. Fess up, Kim. We need to know.

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Get ready for the nut bowls at your upcoming holiday parties -- and grab just a handful. I mean it: Just one handful.

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Look at that body. Just look at it. I've been looking for a bit, pretending it's mine and realizing I'm far from such perfection. If that were me sitting to your right, you'd see a bit of cellulite on the legs, a little love on my handles, a few scars on the side of one breast, a scattering of little blue radiation tattoos in the general boob area and one very obvious tummy tuck scar, running from hip to hip (hey, don't judge, I had two 10-pound babies who did a real number on my belly ). Nope, I'm no Jennifer Aniston. That's OK. She can have all the glory. I'm happy for her. Really.

Jennifer, the 39-year-old former Friend and movie star too, hides behind nothing more than a necktie, her hands and a bent leg on her new GQ cover. Apparently one sassy interview is tucked into the pages of this glossy publication (check it out when the mag arrives on stands December 23), and it seems this beauty has lots to say about boyfriend John Mayer.

"Honestly, did not know much about him before I met him," she says. "I'd heard ... you know, uh 'Your Body' – that song. But what I can say is that I had no idea what an extraordinary musician he is. And it's just great to sit and be witness to that. It's kind of like, Whoa!"

Whoa! Must be what Mr. Mayer thinks when he looks at this goddess. How can he not?

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Simple is always better. That's what I think, anyway. So does Courteney Cox.

Simple meals are key for this former Friend -- grilled chicken, pasta, fresh veggies and baked potatoes are tops on her menu. Simple exercise is a priority too. Once known for logging hours and hours with yoga, pilates, and weights, the 44-year-old now combines her interests and saves time with Budokon, a blend of martial arts, yoga, meditation and holistic nutrition. I'm feeling relaxed already.

Courteney also goes simple with her make-up -- the less she wears, the better she looks, says the star -- and with decorating too.

I'm totally a fan of simple. I'm not just saying that so I can be like Courteney, although I wouldn't whine about looking like her. I prefer plain Jane meals, an easy jogging and garage workout routine, a general lack of clutter and this time of year, a few non-gawdy holiday decorations. How about you? What are your simple strategies for living well?

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Come on. Are we really to believe there's a magical potion or practice out there that can shrink us into our skinniest jeans without a nasty side effect, like, I don't know, oily stools? No. A good, clean diet and a daily dose of exercise is all we need. But we're lazy. We don't want to work hard -- so we resort to all sorts of wacky ways.

Our favorite Hollywood celebs love to credit healthy diets and tip-top training (there's the good genes, too, of course) for their beautiful bods. But former NFL linebacker Billy Romanowski says his Nutrition 53 product line might just be the ingredient pushing these bodies over the top. "It's a big hit with actresses for when they have to drop weight quickly for a role," says Romanowski, who reports that Angelina Jolie and Britney Spears are fans of his all-natural shakes.

For general health and wellness, maybe Romanowski's got a good product -- I'm still suspect, but that's just me -- yet I doubt that it's powerful enough to prep you for that slinky red dress -- according to Bev, this might work, though.

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Why is it that so much of what we want in this world is big? Big houses. Big cars. Big jobs. Big paychecks. In the 80s, big hair. There's Big Gulps at the 7-11. And Biggie fries at Wendy's. And the big plate of loaded chicken cheese nachos that make my mouth water at my favorite Gainesville Ale House. An appetizer, according to the menu but realistically, it could feed a family of four, or more.

It's all so contradictory, you know. Because these bodies of ours, well, we want them small. Extra small if we're trying to mimic our favorite Hollywood role models. Small is good. I mean, there's this whole philosophy out there suggesting that it's best to eat simple to survive, that the more restrictive our calories, the better. Even if you don't buy into this line of thinking, there's no question that smaller is better for your health. For those of you about to get mad at me, I'm not saying everyone must be skinny small. We've already established that sometimes, fat and fit is better than thin and lazy. All I'm saying is: Smaller is better than way bigger, and we can't live big (on the food front, anyway -- bring on the big paycheck, though) and not expect our bodies to follow suit.

Here's the deal: We can't supersize everything except our butts. Just can't happen. Wish it could. Remember Morgan Spurlock and his supersize experiment? The guy gained 24 pounds in 30 days on his big diet. Downsize is what we've got to do. I did it the other night when I let the cheese nacho moment pass. Opted for a grilled salmon sandwich with wild rice instead. Saved myself a few hundred calories and a big jump on the scale. I felt a whole lot better for my decision, and my butt is thanking me for the wise choice. Yours will thank you too if you minimize the importance of everything big in your diet. Go big on other things -- get a big promotion, save a big pile of money, go for a big run right after you read this. And give yourself a big pat on the back for your big and noble diet endeavors.

Celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe is skinny. Way skinny. Maybe even skinnier than actress Jennifer Connelly. Spotted at a recent fundraiser, the 37-year-old Zoe sported a protruding rib cage that rivals those bony elbows and knees Connelly showcased on Live with Regis and Kelly on Tuesday.

No stranger to skinny, the size-0 Zoe has long denied being anorexic. But she admits eating isn't a priority either -- sometimes she's so busy, a cup of coffee and a grapefruit are the only morsels that slip through her lips.

Zoe doesn't see herself as thin. What? Says the fashion girl: "Sometimes I'll look at photos and be like, 'Oh, that's not a good look.' But generally speaking, I'm not too thin." Whatever. Not even Nicole Richie believes that. The shrinking star herself fired Zoe back in 2006 because of the stylist's inability to promote a healthy body image.

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It's not about the outside, says Lisa Rinna in this video as she assures us she's all set to say no to plastic surgery.

Gosh, we all want to fight the effects of aging, says this gal who looks mighty fine (well, the lips are a bit much but overall, she's a winner). "We all want the fountain of youth," says Lisa, who believes we all have a touch of insecurity inside us. We've just got learn (like she says she has) that it's about the inside. Yes, Lisa. You are right.

Coming to terms with her inner beauty has made Lisa a tougher cookie. She doesn't need surgery, she says with confidence, and then sneaks in that she might get just a little here and there. She still wants to look good, you know. Wait. Is this OK -- to win us over with her inspiring speech and then just weave in a loophole. No. I don't like that. Watch for yourself and see what you think. Be patient. Lisa talks about her new reality show before she gets all wishy-washy on the surgery thing.



For more on Lisa, check out the scoop at Holidash.

I like a good squat. It's an exercise I do on my off-running days, when strength training is a priority (psst: I'm not doing very good on this front lately). I'm never really sure if my squats are perfect, though. Sometimes, I stand in front of a mirror so I can watch my form. Still, not sure if I'm squat successful. Pete McCall, with the American Council on Exercise (ACE), is here to help. Check out these spot-on squats.

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