For Cycle House fitness guru and head spin instructor, Nichelle Hines, staying fit and healthy is a way of life.  While many think getting in shape is impossible, Nichelle’s five simple steps can change even the laziest person’s view.

Nichelle’s DIY Steps to a healthy lifestyle:

1. SLEEP: At least 8 hours of sleep a night! Your weight is directly related to how much rest you get. With 8 hours of sleep a night cortisol and stress levels decrease while your energy level increases!

2.It’s true, breakfast is the most important meal of the day:  Eat a healthy breakfast with a mix of complex carbohydrates, protein and fat! (eat the yolk, it's the least of your fat concerns!) Nichelle’s personal favorite: whole wheat English muffin, egg, turkey bacon, and low-fat cheese with an apple. It will sustain you till lunch!

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Over the next six-eight weeks, families will gather around the dinner table for important occasions of the year, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Everyone will be cooking their special recipes for that perfect turkey and stuffing, or prime rib and Yorkshire pudding.

But the big question is how to enjoy the holidays without over-indulging?

And the question doesn't just apply to adults - it applies to children as well.  Christmas Cookies, Thanksgiving Pies, etc - the desserts are special, endless in sight and everyone loves to sample just a taste.

So, how do you celebrate the holidays without gaining weight?

Here are some tips from Phil and Amy Parham, contestants of NBC's The Biggest Loser, season six, in their newest book, "The Amazing Fitness Adventure For Your Kids" (Harvest House Publishers) they share on healthy eating during the holidays and moving forward...

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Now that October has come and gone, and the NFL football players have removed their choice articles of  pink clothing, a lot of people forget about the cause of breast cancer.  Instead, they will again acknowledge its presence when breast cancer awareness month rolls around again next year.  Meanwhile, wonderful men and women around the globe continue to succumb to this illness.  Here are some very real and alarming statistics regarding breast cancer:

Women in the United States get breast cancer more than any other type of cancer except for skin cancer.  It is second only to lung cancer as a cause of cancer death in women.

Each year it is estimated that nearly 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die.  Approximately 1,700 men will also be diagnosed with breast cancer and 450 will die each year.  The evaluation of men with breast masses is similar to that in women, including mammography.

Breast cancer has touched my family's life deeply, for my mother-in-law, Jannell Cleaver, died from this illness back in 2003.  Because cancer took away Michael's mother so soon, she never had the chance to see my husband and I get married, visit us in our first home we bought together or ever meet her wonderful granddaughter.  In order to do my part to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Passionately Pink for the Cure charity, I've joined forces with the Scholastic Parent & Child Passionately Pink for the Cure team.  Remember, you still have until December 31st, 2011 to WIN ONE OF TWO $100 AMEX GIFT CARDS!

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November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, and with the steady increase in both children and adults with Type II Diabetes, it's time to take a stand against this preventable illness.  Type II Diabetes currently affects over 25.8 million people in the United States alone, which is why Bob Greene, Oprah Winfrey's personal trainer, teamed up with Better'n Eggs Fit2Fight campaign to offer some much-needed guidance and advice in regards to fitness and nutrition.

I can remember when I was a young child how my great-grandmother had to have both of her legs amputated at the thigh due to her raging Type II Diabetes.  While this operation did seem to help her somewhat, unfortunately, she died from this disease only a few years later.  Since an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise are two of the leading causes of Type II Diabetes, it is essential that we analyze our eating habits to make sure we are not putting ourselves or are family at a high risk for diabetes.

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This post brought to you by Reebok Settlement. All opinions are 100% mine.

When I get into workout mode, I love outfitting myself from head to toe in the latest and most comfortable apparel and shoes.  Wearing the proper clothing and footwear can make all the difference between truly enjoying your exercise time and growing to dread it.  Reebok is one of my favorite brands for anything fitness related, but if you've purchased any of the following toning shoes or apparel, you may be part of a class action settlement.  Please read below for more information:

If you purchased certain Reebok toning shoes and/or apparel from December 5, 2008 through October 12, 2011, you may be eligible to receive payment from a Reebok settlement. The lawsuit alleges that Reebok violated certain state laws regarding the marketing and sale of toning shoes and apparel. Reebok denies all wrongdoing. The Court did not decide which side was right. Instead, the parties have decided to settle.

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