Now that the weather is getting colder, my son is getting in the mood for winter activities. He practically salivates every time we drive past the sledding hill, even though we've yet to see a single snowflake. Just yesterday he asked if we can go to the ice skating rink this weekend. Despite the rink's year-round availability, my son isn't really in the mood for ice skating until it's chilly outside.

If you have an ice skating rink near you, why not give it a shot? Not only is skating a lot of fun for the whole family, it's also a great workout. It benefits your leg and core muscles as well as improving balance and flexibility.

Just like any other activity, it's important to warm up properly and be safe. Alive magazine has some tips to help you get the most out of your ice skating experience.

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Of course, in a perfect world, candy would have never been invented. We'd all have perfect teeth and couldn't imagine consuming anything but fruits, veggies, lean protein, and whole grains. But really. That world does not exist. So, my job as your online fitness trainer is to get you to make better choices.

I just found a good one. Tic Tac Chill is the new deal from Tic Tac. These new Tic Tacs are small, tasty, sugar-free, and come in a cool box. One flavor can save you in a pinch too. The Paradise Mint acts as a ridiculously strong breath mint. I promise that whatever stinky thing you consume before this product will be left undetectable. It's odd how strong these little things are.

The flavor I like best is Exotic Cherry, but I'd definitely use the Paradise Mint before a meeting of some sort. Hey. It's still candy, but the Tic Tac brand has been well known for providing low calorie candies for a long time.

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If you've ever had a case of food poisoning, you'll know why it's so important to keep cooking surfaces clean and to properly wash your food. Every step you can take to minimize the spread of bacteria and viruses is well worth it. All You Magazine has 7 steps for germ-free cooking:

• Use separate cutting boards. Use one cutting board for meats and another for fruit, vegetables, and anything else. Avoid wooden cutting boards as they can trap bacteria. Be sure to clean your cutting boards thoroughly after each use.
• Scrub fruits and veggies. Even if it says pre-washed, take the time to scrub fruits and vegetables off. A good scrub will help remove traces of pesticides (if you don't buy organic) and any other residue on the produce. It's even a good idea to wash fruits that you peel (bananas, oranges, etc.) to avoid transfer of pesticides or bacteria.

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It may be hard to find the connection, but rapidly cooling down after taking a super hot shower or sauna is quite invigorating. After all, some even say it's a secret of long life! It worked for the Romans, and now it's working for people in Las Vegas. Enter the Qua Arctic Ice Room, chilled to a comfortable 55 degrees.

The idea here is that when people get roasted in a 200-degree sauna, they can simply take a moment to relax in this cold environment to cool off. With mint-infused air and fabricated snow, the "cold spa" provides a jolt that can make you feel more awake and alert.

Europe is no stranger to extremely cold rooms either. They boast snow rooms below 10 degrees and say it holds benefits for your immune and circulatory systems. Take the Schwaben Quellen spa in Germany, for instance. At two degrees, this is colder than many parts of our country during winter. One thing is for sure: don't shave before you check it out.

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