It's back-to-school time and whether you're a student, parent or teacher, it's a season of big changes, new routines and lots of adjustments. Heck, even if you're not in any way associated with school, this time of year can be stressful, as the lazy days of summer fade into distant memory and you rev up for real life -- and cold weather -- again.

We all deal with stress differently -- some thrive on it, some hide from it under the duvet with a bag of cookies and some just get on with it. Regardless, most of us notice a change in our eating habits during these times. They may be as small as a craving for an extra slice of bread, or big enough to induce all-out binges. Either way, we usually reach for the foods that comfort us, be it sugary snacks, trustworthy carbs, junk food that we love or dishes that mom made when we were kids.

So what about you? Are you a comfort-food junky in tough times, or can you stick to your regular eating habits?

Last week, I asked if you take the stairs as part of your ongoing effort to stay fit. Here's what you said:

• 53 percent of you hoof it up the stairs whenever it's humanly possible. Right on! You've made me proud, readers.
• 37 percent usually do -- but you'll give yourself a break every now and then.
• 8 percent only do it if they have to.
• 2 percent wouldn't dream of it. Why bother, when there's an elevator nearby?

Craving comfort food? Our Recipe Rehab expert might just have a healthy version that will satisfy.

There's no need to buy expensive equipment or sign up for fancy gym memberships -- one of the most effective pieces of fitness equipment is already part of your home and office, and it's absolutely free. We're talking about the stairs, of course, and they might be just the thing to get you fit. After all, they're how Beyonce shapes up, so why shouldn't you use them as well?

The thing is, you know all this already, but I'm willing to guess that most of us are still loitering around the lobby waiting for the elevator to take you to the third floor. Do you take the stairs when you can? Or, when it comes to decision time, do you take the easy way up?

Last week, I asked you if your family is competitive or not. Here's what you had to say:

• 42 percent said absolutely -- you play to win.
• 24 percent said the only 'game' you played as a family was a race to the last pizza slice.
• 17 percent are occasionally competitive.
• 17 percent said you like getting active together, but you don't really compete.

Need a fitness plan that's less hectic? Click here to find out why yoga is good for weight loss.

Stairs are a powerful, practical and completely free way to shape up and slim down.

Photo: Getty Images

She has one of showbiz's most famous backsides -- so how does Beyoncé Knowles do it? If you ask her, it's a combination of a couple of things: Good genes, and lots of stairs. The 27-year-old singer recently told FemaleFirst that climbing her way up (literally) is how she tones her tush -- "After New Year I do stairs - they are the best thing for butt cheeks."

She might be on to something. According to Reader's Digest, climbing stairs for two minutes a day, five days a week, gives you the equivalent of a 20-minute walk in terms of how many calories you'll burn (100 to 140 to be precise). OK, that doesn't seem like much when it's stretched over a week, but it goes to show that a little bit every day can really add up. What about if you have more than two minutes to work out in a day? Try the stair climber at your gym -- 20 minutes of moderate climbing will burn around 200 calories. And if toning up isn't enough motivation, consider this -- recent studies found that climbing the stairs on a regular basis can actually save your life. Those who regularly elected to walk up rather than take the elevator were shown to have lower blood pressure, cholesterol and body fat.

Stairs not your thing? Don't worry -- there are plenty of other exercises that will give you a good derriere. But if you're looking for an easy, free way to burn a few extra calories, look no further than the door next to the elevator.

When finances are tight, expensive fitness gear is probably a luxury that doesn't make the monthly budget. You might be surprised, then, to hear that each and every day, you're walking right past one of the most effective fitness devices ever invented, a device that you are free to use at will, and one that will surely help you burn off the morning pastry you just downed.

I'm talking, of course, about the stairs. Most days, we pretend they don't exist and walk swiftly by in favor of the elevator. You might think there's no point, but research has found that short 10-minute bouts of intense exercise are actually very effective. Plus, taking the stairs can:

• Burn calories (duh!).
• Tone your legs.
• Score an energy boost by getting your blood pumping.
  

So tomorrow morning, don't walk on by. Conquer the stairs and reap the benefits of this fantastic -- and free -- workout.

Source

Don't have the time or the money to go to the gym? Don't worry ... a great workout is waiting for you in the nearest stairwell.

Jennifer Hudson credits the 23 flights of stairs in her building for helping her get into shape. Stairs can work their magic on you, too. The activity is quite simple, though far from easy. If you're just starting a fitness routine, try climbing the stairs at a slower, comfortable pace. You can pick up speed as your fitness level improves. If you're going to climb faster and climb many flights of stairs, be sure to wear a glove that gives you a better grip on the handrail.

Want some more recession-friendly fitness tips? Check out Bev's post on how you can get fit for zip.

Have you ever tried stair climbing? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what is your favorite (and free) form of exercise?

Source

Jennifer Hudson is going to sing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl today; her first appearance since the horrific tragedy in her family.

No doubt, her first performance will be stressful. But, in typical diva style, Hudson didn't choose to perform at some low-key event. You've got to give the girl credit. She's ready to come back in the public eye and she's doing it with a bang. I can't wait to hear to hear her sing the anthem; her voice is so strong and powerful, I'm sure it will be fantastic.

A singing voice isn't the only strong and powerful thing about Jennifer Hudson. In the past, she's said that she'd love to work out all day, every day. While she doesn't have time for that, one of her favorite activities is to jog and walk the 23 flights of stairs in her building. Exercise is a great way to overcome stress and boost your mood. I hope, while she spent time with her family and grieved their terrible loss, Hudson found time to continue her healthy habits and take care of her beautiful self. Who knows? Maybe she'll even get a chance to run some of the stairs at the Raymond James stadium.

Source

The days are shorter now, so why not take your walking workout indoors?

Source

Every day, we are faced with healthy and unhealthy choices that can ultimately prolong our lives ... or shorten them. And though none of us are perfect enough to make the healthy choice every time, making just one healthy choice most of the time can make a difference: The choice between the elevator and the stairs.

According to the BBC, taking the stairs on a regular basis can reduce your risk of premature death by up to 15%. That might not seem like much, but imagine the impact it can have if everyone did it?

Here's the bottom line: The more you do for your health, the better, but if you can't, do this one thing. It's simple, it's effective and it more importantly, it's doable.

Source

A house that makes you lose weight. Wouldn't it be awesome if, just by stepping foot in your own home, you'd be on your way to a healthy weight? It's not so simple, I'm afraid.

But AOL Home has a slideshow of some pretty wacky house designs that surely must help their owners live a healthier lifestyle. How about a ten-story home that's only equipped with stairs? Or a house that's built like a jungle gym? Or a house on an island that can only be accessed by rowboat? The sheer act of getting to and/or around these houses is a workout.

If you look around your home, you'll likely see less extreme ways that it can help you get fit. How about making two trips every time you have to go up the stairs? Or playing a game of basketball with that hoop you have outside? You can also engineer additional fitness opportunities -- like putting up a rock wall in your garage just like one of the families in the slideshow did.

Source

Most of us have one major problem with exercise: Finding time for it. I know the feeling--between working 8-10 hours a day, spending time with family and trying to run a household, it's difficult, sometimes impossible, to find time to head to the gym. My job is no help--being a writer doesn't exactly burn too many calories.

But they key is trying to find way to work exercise into your everyday life. Weight Loss Journal recently revealed 8 ways to exercise throughout the day, including:

• Sucking in your stomach -- it really does help to tone your tummy, and it makes you look slimmer instantly.
  
• Fidgeting. It helps you burn calories throughout the day.
  
• Taking the stairs at work.
  
• Using a desk exercise machine. You can work away while silently pedalling under your desk. Neat, huh?

Read the rest of the tips here, and when you're done, tell us what you do to work in the workouts.

Source

If you wish to go from one level to the next, you climb the stairs. In the mall, in your home, or even in your fitness, climbing to the top requires taking one step at a time.

Now let's move past the motivational pep talk and onto something a bit more substantive about stairs. Your lower-body muscles are actively recruited when climbing stairs. Essentially, you're performing abbreviated versions of split squats with every step. So, running or even walking a large set of stairs on a regular basis will surely help your legs go from jiggly to jacked.

Still, there are many more exercises you can perform on a flight of stairs -- even if your "flight" is no more than three or four steps. To work your upper body, place your palms on one of the stairs, lower yourself into the plank position and bang out a set of push-ups. You can also flip over, so that your backside is facing the stairs, and perform a set of dips. Get creative on the stairs and before long, your firm and toned body will be proof that you've made it to the next level.

Singing sensation Fergie won't be caught in a gym, and it's not because she isn't concerned about her body. It's quite the opposite really -- have you seen the girl's body lately? It rocks. It's another reason entirely that keeps Fergie from indoor workout facilities.

It's the outdoors.

Fergie keeps her body toned by running on the beach, hiking, and climbing up and down the Santa Monica steps -- a steep stairwell above the ocean. Fergie works out in the fresh air every day. Not a bad idea, I say.

Want some outdoor alternatives for your exercise routine? Take a peek at this site.

Source

In my expert opinion, yes! Disney World is the healthiest place on earth. I just returned from a five-night, six-day vacation with my husband and two children and was blown away by the amount of physical activity both offered and required of ourselves in order to indulge in the full Disney experience.

We pushed our double-stroller miles through two theme parks, climbed thousands of stairs and jumped an equal amount of waves at two water-parks, danced our tushies off to live bands at various Disney resorts, and played game after game with our children as we giggled, oohed and ahhed at all the Disney magic. As a fitness trainer, one of my biggest obstacles is convincing my clients not to trash their fitness efforts when they head out on vacation. Disney offers the perfect opportunity to not only maintain one's fitness level, but improve it.

The physical adventures are endless, and Disney World has made a deliberate effort to increase the availability of legitimately nutritious, low fat, and lower sugar foods. Fruit stands have popped up all over the theme parks, and children's dining has switched from burgers and fries to grilled chicken with carrots and grapes offered as side dishes. Soda has been dumped for low fat milk! I can't get food that "clean" in my own neighborhood, unless I cook it myself! Of course, the old junkie favorites like popcorn, fries, and ice cream are still available, but if you do care about your health and want to maintain it on vacation ... Disney makes it easy.

Today is Earth Day. And you should take the stairs. Not because it's saves a lot of energy. If you take two flights of stairs every day at work, you'll save 72 kilowatts of energy on each day, which saves 90 cents a year in energy costs. You should take the stairs for two other reasons.

One, it's a green thing to do, says Renee Mullen of The Nature Conservancy's Conservation Science Group. And any energy saved is good for the environment.

Two, it's a healthy thing to do. It's good for your body to move. It's good for your head too. So today, take the stairs. Do it every day if you can. But at minimum, do it today.

Source