By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., TheBestLife.com lead nutritionist

I snack on the same stuff that I recommend to clients and readers: fruit, yogurt, lattes, nuts, carrots and other raw vegetables. But I also concoct more offbeat snacks that I don’t tend to recommend because they might seem too weird or too health-foody to someone just coming off a potato-chips-and-snack-cake habit. I figure you DietsInReview.com readers have seen it all…and might even enjoy some of these yourselves.

Numi Organic Savory tea (5 calories; available at Whole Foods)

Nutrition highlight: the Broccoli Cilantro has 90 percent of the Daily Value for calcium and the Beet Cabbage has 20 percent (I haven’t tried the four other flavors yet)

How to: Steep teabags in boiling water for 10 minutes.
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By Team Best Life

Your feet take a beating just living everyday life. Add in your recommended exercise, and finding footwear to cushion and protect your feet becomes even more important. Treat your feet right using these tips as a guide.

Don’t get too attached.

Using shoes that are past their prime can lead to injury or painful conditions like shin splints. It’s not always obvious when your running or fitness shoes are worn out, as wear and tear on the inner cushion isn’t visible. As a general rule, replace shoes before you put 500 miles on them—about six months’ worth of 10,000 steps a day or running about 20 miles a week.
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By Bob Greene for TheBestLife.com

There’s no debating it: Weight loss is difficult. It’s no wonder that people who are looking to slim down often try to tackle just one area—either their diet or exercise routine (or lack thereof).

While I’ve always said that you need to incorporate both elements into your life to drop pounds (and study after study confirms this fact), there is something to be said for initially focusing on just one component. No surprise here: As a fitness trainer, I’d recommend that you start off by increasing your activity before you even think about what you are or aren’t putting in your mouth.

It’s not just a personal bias toward fitness that makes me say this. Logic and sound science both suggest you should begin a fitness routine before you start cleaning up your diet.
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By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., TheBestLife.com lead nutritionist

Feeling like you’re about to go off your own fiscal cliff after all that holiday spending? No need to settle for cheap junk food to help pay down your credit card bills. The truth is, some of the least expensive foods are also the healthiest.

Here’s my core budget-but-healthy shopping list. (Check out my blog for more lower-cost items.)

Canned beans – dried are even less expensive, but require you to plan ahead
Canned tomatoes – no salt added (the store brand is cheapest)
Canned wild salmon and canned light “chunk” tuna
Dried herbs – whatever is on sale
Fresh fruit – whatever is on sale
Fresh vegetables – whatever is on sale
Oatmeal or steel-cut oats – large carton of plain oats (the store brand is usually cheapest)
Peanut butter
Tofu – for cooking pointers, click here.

The following meals use some of the items listed above. All three of these dollar-stretching dishes are also seriously nutritious.  I calculated the cost of each meal using prices at my local Giant supermarket in Washington D.C.; prices may vary in your area.
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By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., Best Life lead nutritionist

I’ll admit it—I’ve given unsolicited advice to total strangers in the cereal aisle, but only when they look truly bewildered. It’s my nutritionist’s instinct, what can I say? Believe it or not, choosing a healthy cereal is not as complicated as you might think, especially when you follow a few simple steps.

Start with the ingredient list. Check to make sure all grains are whole. Examples of whole grains: barley, brown rice, oats, quinoa, triticale, whole rye, whole wheat, and anything else with “whole” in front of it. For more on what is and isn’t a whole grain, click here. I’d avoid sucralose (Splenda), acesulfame K, aspartame (Nutrasweet), and any other artificial sweetener—you don’t need these in a cereal.
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