These scrumptious hummingbird cupcakes are super moist and light, full of pineapple, chopped bananas, pecans, cinnamon and spices topped off with a sweet cream cheese frosting.

Hummingbird cake first appeared in Southern Living Magazine back in 1978, originally submitted by Mrs. L.H. Wiggins of Greensboro, North Carolina and is known to have won numerous blue ribbons at county fairs. This skinny version does not disappoint! The flavors are reminiscent of a carrot cake, without the carrots and make the perfect Mother’s Day dessert!

Skinny Hummingbird Cupcakes 
Skinnytaste.com 

Servings: 22 • Serving Size: 1 cupcake • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 197.8 • Fat: 6.5 g • Protein: 3.0 g • Carb: 31.1 g • Fiber: 1.7 g • Sugar:21.7 g
Sodium: 284.2 mg

Continue for the whole recipe at Skinnytaste.com after the break

Do you sometimes find that your body may become immune to certain medications or perhaps react differently than how it used to? Find out the latest on using medications over time and how aging can affect the medications you take!

Kaiser Permanente shares…

It’s a fact of life: As we age, our bodies change. But did you know that one of the many ways we change is how our bodies react to medication?

Eric A. Lee, MD, an internist at our Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center, answers 3 essential questions about medication and aging.

As I get older, why might I react differently to a medicine I’ve been taking for years?
As we age, our kidneys don’t work as well and we might have more body fat or less muscle mass. This can change how medications are cleared from our bodies. Some may stay in our bodies longer. We may experience new or worsened side effects.

Are there certain medicines that cause more problems?
Drugs that tend to make you sleepy or drowsy may have stronger side effects than they once did. Side effects like confusion may worsen and lead to a fall or accident. Other medications, such as some antihistamines (used for allergies), can cause men to have difficulty urinating.

Are there medicines older people should avoid?
Muscle relaxants, diazepam (Valium), and sleeping pills are of special concern for older adults because of their side effects. Also, as we age, we tend to take more medicines, and this increases the chance for interactions or added effects. Talk with your doctor about what’s right for you.

Get more information from Kaiser Permanente!

Looking for something quick to fix so that you don’t starve before your next meal? Prefer your snacks to be less than 300 calories? How about less than 200?! If so, these 3 snacks are perfect for you! Get the easy, tasty suggestions here!

Health.com recommends…

Low-cal nibbles

You know that familiar feeling all too well: It’s only an hour until dinner, but you’re starving. You can either hold out and risk overeating, or have a snack, even though it’s tempting to inhale the entire bag of pretzels. But there’s a plan B—make these healthy, guilt-free snacks, all for 200 calories or less.

Lemony Fruit Dip

Sure, an apple makes a great snack, but this lemony dip, with its light texture and tangy flavor, will give any fruit a kick. The base of low-cal whipped topping keeps this appetizer in the diet-safe zone, while the vanilla extract gives it a sweet taste. Use any fruit, but it’s especially delicious with strawberries and pineapple.

Try this recipe: Lemony Fruit Dip

Zesty Olives

This popular antipasto dish is quick to throw together and quick to fill you up. The olives add a good bit of heart-healthy fat, iron, and skin-protecting vitamin E. Plus the garlic, orange zest, and crushed red pepper make a spicy topping for the already savory snack.

Try this recipe: Zesty Olives

Roasted Almonds With Lemon and Salt

Though this snack takes a little prep work, make a batch and enjoy throughout the week. Soaking almonds in lemon juice creates a subtle citrus flavor that’s enhanced by a sprinkling of salt. Best served right out of the oven and with a cold (light) beer, this recipe packs enough fat and protein to keep you satiated until dinner.

Try this recipe: Roasted Almonds With Lemon and Salt

Get more great information from Health.com!

Shaun T, the personal trainer who’s motivated millions with his at-home workouts, knows how to get people in shape in a short amount of time. After all, his Insanity workout program promises incredible results in just 60 days of sweating and jumping in front of your TV.

With Summer a mere few weeks away, we spoke with Shaun about how to get in shape for anything — whether it’s a beach holiday, wedding, or event — when you’ve only got a little time. Find out his recommendations below!

Watch your drink calories: ”Don’t drink your calories. That’s the number one rule of thumb: not to drink your calories. It will eliminate so many calories in your body. Everybody knows that sugar that’s not burnt off eventually turns into fat,” says Shaun, who’s also holding live workouts nationwide to promote his partnership with Powerade Zero. Shaun recommends portion control and cutting the amount of sugars and carbs in your diet in half, but “still ensure you have enough energy during the day,” he says.

Kick it up a notch: ”If you’re a person who works out at the gym, try to take [fewer] breaks,” Shaun recommends. “If you’re a weight lifter, while you’re not doing weights, try to do some different cardio exercise in between to try to ramp up the calorie burn.”

1,500 Calories a day is easy and delicious when you follow this plan.

Love food, but want to lose weight? Good news! You can eat yummy food that’s low in calories, but leaves you feeling satisfied with this 5-day mealplan to help you lose weight. Each day offers you 3 meals and 2 snacks and delivers just 1,500 calories. Depending on your calorie needs, that means you can drop up to 2 pounds this week by following the plan.

When I started losing weight, I often looked at women who were thinner than I was and thought, “Wow, her life must be so easy.” I knew that once I got to my goal weight, I’d feel awesome, and healthy living would be just as easy for me as it was for all the “I can eat whatever I want and not gain weight” women around me.

11 Ways to Rev Up Your Metabolism

Now that I’ve lost 75 pounds, I can say that I do feel awesome . . . but I can’t say that a healthy lifestyle comes easy. Weight maintenance isn’t as simple as I expected. While being at my goal weight has its perks, I have to admit: I failed to appreciate some of the great benefits I enjoyed along the way. If I did it all over again, then here’s what I’d do differently:

The Body Image, Weight Loss Connection

Celebrate Better Health Just as Much as a Smaller Dress Size. I always thought I worked out for the health benefits (mental and physical) as much as I did for losing weight, but now that I no longer have thinner thighs as a goal, I’m seeing that’s not the case. I’ve actually been pretty disappointed in myself for not finding lowering my cholesterol as compelling of a goal as looking hot at a social event. (“Wait, am I really that shallow?” I ask myself at least once a week. “Yes. Yes, I am” is my response.) It turns out that knowing I was doing something to change what I didn’t like about my body was a huge source of motivation.

Inspiring Before and After Weight Loss Photos

Relish in Being Able to See Results. When I was losing weight, I actually looked forward to my weigh-ins and the feeling of my pants getting loose. It kept my motivation high. But now, I don’t really see results. Now I have to find other ways to measure my progress, whether it’s focusing on more toned shoulders or shaving a minute off my mile time. I wish I could say these things are just as motivating as seeing the scale change, but that’s not always the case.

Embrace Change in All Aspects of Life. Or a new anything. While you’re losing weight, you’ll probably find yourself shopping for new clothes and trying on something that you’d never even considered before. And then you find yourself trying all sorts of new things: new hobbies, new foods, new friends. It’s such a great time to redefine yourself. Now that I’m at my goal weight, life seems a little ho-hum. Sure, I could go out and try something new, but I find I’m less likely to do that when I’m not out buying new jeans too.

Continue reading this article at FitSugar.com after the break!

Of course, summer isn’t all about taking it easy. You still need to get some exercise. And what better activity than cycling? Getting on your bike and riding to the local pub, grocery store or even work can be a pleasant way to stay fit and keep your metabolism burning calories.

According to researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle, riding your bike can also pay huge dividends when it comes to heart health. The research team used the words “bicycle,” “health,” “morbidity” and “mortality” to search seven major health databases.

In all, their searches retrieved 3,534 studies. After combing through this enormous list of clinical trials, the researchers had this to say:

– Two randomized controlled trials of cycling to work found improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness among the cyclists.

– A third study found significant increases in maximal power output and relative VO2max among the cyclists versus the controls. (VO2max is the maximum volume of oxygen you can utilize in one minute during strenuous exercise). – Many studies found an inverse association with cardiovascular disease for cycling.

– There was a lower risk of all-cause mortality for those who cycled most (six-year follow-up).

– Less than half the risk of colon cancer was found among both men and women who cycled 120 minutes or more per day versus less than 30 minutes per day

– Cardiorespiratory fitness improved in boys and girls who began cycling.

– There was a significant weight loss for nurses who cycled or walked briskly for 30 minutes per day, but not for those who walked slowly.

– Two studies found that school children who cycled to school had greater aerobic power, muscle endurance, and flexibility and were more likely to be in the top quartile of fitness than walkers or passive travelers.

– Greater weekly duration or energy expenditure in cycling was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality, cancer, and specifically colon cancer.

– Cardiovascular disease incidence decreased for up to 3.5 hours per week of cycling in comparison with those who neither cycled nor played sports.

Not a fan of cycling? Try these types of exercise instead to boost your health.

You may not think that the coffee drink you have every morning is affecting your health, but statistics say otherwise. Find out what drinks are packing on the pounds and which drinks keep you light as a feather here!

Kaiser Permanente shares…

What you drink can have a major effect on your weight and your health, says Kaiser Permanente registered dietitian Carole Bartolotto, MA, RD. In fact, research shows that soda can increase your risk of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and possibly heart disease and high blood pressure.

Emerging research also shows that extra calories from sugary drinks tend to cause more weight gain than the equivalent amount of calories from food.

We’ve compiled 3 unhealthy drinks — and offer some healthier alternatives.

Get more information at Kaiser Permanente!

I love carbs. And while I’ll never ban bread and pasta from my diet, thanks to my trainer, I am trying to be more aware of my carb intake. To balance my meals out and shed a few pounds in the process, I’ve been striving for low-carb snacks through the day. Check out what I’ve been eating!

Meatballs

Now that the sun is out again, it’s important to remember your skin safety. Not only do you want to stave off wrinkles and sun spots, but avoiding skin cancer might be a plus too! Find out what the new rules are for sun safety this Spring and Summer here!

Health.com highlights..

You’ve been following the rules when it comes to sunscreen for how long now? At this point, you’re a diligent daily sunscreen wearer, and you know to reapply every few hours when you’re at the beach or pool. (Sorry, no magical stay-all-day sunscreen on the market yet!) But, hey, it’s 2011—some of the old thinking no longer applies. So update your sun-safety habits, and keep your skin healthy long-term with these thoroughly modern strategies.

Old rule: Apply a broad-spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen with SPF 15 a half-hour before leaving the house.
New rule: Sunscreen alone is not enough: Wear an SPF 15 (at least) plus an antioxidant-enriched moisturizer.

“It’s no longer just about UV dam-age,” says Fredric Brandt, MD, a dermatologist in New York City and Miami. “The sun also generates free radicals that break down your collagen and elastin fibers.” Anti-oxidants in ingredients like soy, green tea, and vitamin C prevent free radicals from attacking, and they boost your protection level, too. Use a souped-up sunscreen like Prevage Day Ultra Protection Anti-Aging Moisturizer SPF 30 ($125; elizabetharden.com), which contains the powerful antioxidant idebenone. Or make sure your daily moisturizer has antioxidants in it so you’re covered from the start, then apply sunscreen as usual.

If you’re going to the beach, go higher than SPF 15, Dr. Brandt says. Most people don’t apply enough, so they may end up getting a protection level of 7 out of their 15. But if you’re slathering on 70? You’ll probably get at least a 30, so you’re good.

Old rule: Throw on a T-shirt or cover-up when you’re in direct sunlight.
New rule: If you’re not into sun-protective clothing, wear dark colors and tightly woven fabrics at peak hours.

You can’t get away with any ol’ thing (donning a breezy sarong is like wearing nothing at all). Fabrics have UPF ratings that measure their level of UV protection; a 30 is necessary to be awarded the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Recommendation. (FYI: A plain white tee comes in under 10.) If you’re up for a quick extra step, check out SunGuard Sun Protection ($2; sunguardsunprotection.com), a clear dye you can add to your laundry for an immediate UPF 30 that will last through 20 washings.

Old rule: Use a teaspoon of sunscreen for your face, a shot-glass-worth for your body.

New rule: Layer on your protection to make sure you’re covered.

Because nobody actually measures out their dose, here’s how to stay safe. First, err on the side of overapplying. (It can’t hurt!) Pay attention to commonly missedspots like your neck, chest, and the backs of your hands, particularly when you’re driving. “Most people don’t realize that the neck and the V of the chest are directly exposedto sunlight due to the angle of the windshield, which offers no protection from UVA rays,” says Alysa Herman, MD, a Miami dermatologist specializing in skin cancer treatment. “The backs of hands also get a lot of damage from holding the steering wheel.”

A nonstick spray-on sunscreen is an easy way to cover all those spots without getting your hands tacky. Try Banana Boat SPF 110 Ultra Defense Sunscreen Continuous Clear Spray ($11; drugstores). To max out your face coverage, apply a sunscreen lotion and follow up by dusting on a powder-based mineral blocker, such as Peter Thomas Roth Oily Problem Skin Instant Mineral SPF 30 ($30; peterthomasroth.com). It has the added benefit of de-slicking post-sunscreen shine. A skin-win!

Get the full article at Health.com!