The secret to becoming fit and trim is painfully simple, and I know you can follow these easy instructions. No diets, pills or programs necessary!

Changing your post-workout routine, tools to "un-Gumby-fy" your yoga routine, and other neat fitness training tips can be found at ...

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We know that colorful foods are best; color provides a variety of nutrients our body needs. And let's face it -- it's much more fun for our taste buds that plain old potatoes and other white foods.

How about some refreshing summer cooler drinks that will give us a fair amount of nutrition, too? Whole Foods Market has some creative recipes that will enhance your seasonal fun.

Let's start with the green Minted Lime Freeze. If you love mojitos, this is a fabulous, frozen, non-alcoholic version of that fun drink. Fresh-squeezed lime juice provides vitamin C and the mint leaves are your leafy greens.

Have you ever heard of eating a hot pepper or a spicy dish as a way of cooling down in the summer? I never had, until I came across this article in The Seattle Times where they're comparing the cooling properties of ice cream vs. beer vs. spicy food to see which works better in the heat of the summer.

Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like they find a very clear answer as all the choices have a strong list of pros and cons. Ice cream may make you feel cooler at first but it will warm you up later as your digestive processes get going. Beer will dehydrate you, which will inhibit sweating, and spicy foods will actually make you feel warmer at first followed by cooling due to the sweat (if there's a breeze). So I guess it's a 'pick your poison' kind of thing. Or better yet, stay in the shade and hire somebody to fan you.

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The Ballast Ball is the new and improved version of the stability ball. In fact, you can do absolutely everything you can do on a stability ball with the Ballast Ball....except for consistently fall on your head.

Created by BOSU, I tested out the new product last week at a fitness conference. Ar first glance, I thought "no way am I dropping another sixty bucks on a ball with some sort beads in it, I already have too many!" But then I tried it. I squatted down on the ball, and when I stood up it didn't roll away. Then I put both feet on the ball and my hands on the floor to do push-ups.....and I didn't roll away! Then I lifted it up for a while and my arms got tired, my core remained engaged and my glutes never unflexed themselves. Hmmmmmm I though. Maybe it is worth the sixty bucks.

The Ballast Ball is genuinely cool, and I simply wish I'd thought of it myself. You can do all of your regular stability ball exercises better, because the ball is more stable. It weighs five pounds, which offers a whole slew of other productive things you can do with it as well. I did end up buying one. My beginner clients love it, because they can do what I ask them to do without constantly falling and readjusting. My high level fitness clients love it cause they can do the really advanced exercises without losing the ball.

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