The days are so short now. By the time I've helped my son complete his homework and get dinner on the stove, it's pitch black outside. When it's dark out when you start your workday and dark when you get home, it can take a toll on your well-being. There are things you can do, though, to keep your energy running high during the darker days of winter. Here they are:

• Sun exposure. This time of year, it's important to get outside and spend some time in the sun. Even if it's just a 10-minute walk during your lunch hour, the sunlight will do you good.
• Exercise. An active lifestyle helps to keep you energized. Commit to exercising every day. That doesn't mean you have to have an intense hour-long workout every day. You can vary your workout doing short 10-minute bursts one day, a moderate 30-minute workout the next, and an intense, longer session on other days.
• Nutrition. Certain foods can help boost your energy. Healthcastle has tips on foods that will help increase energy. AOL Health also has a list of fatigue-fighting foods.

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So there's no argument that this is the single biggest time of the year for new weight loss plans and renewed conviction, but there is some argument over the many diet pills that are now lining the shelves in thicker numbers than ever before. The majority of weight-loss pills out there make some kind of promise to speed up your metabolism, because if your metabolism is going faster you'll burn more calories, right? Not really, according to this article at least.

The argument isn't so much that the theory itself is wrong, but more that it's been outrageously exaggerated. The truth? Yes, you will burn more calories in a day -- like 2 more. Who knows how many extra calories really get burned in a day as a result of a metabolism-boosting pill, but the point is that it's such an insignificant number it really won't help you lose weight.

So a new resolution to lose weight and get in shape is awesome, but when making it a reality consider steering clear of the many gimmick weight loss pills you'll see everywhere. Unless, of course, you find one that really helps you feel less hungry, or gives you extra energy for working out -- just don't count on it working miracles and burning all kinds of extra calories while you sleep!

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