Can you guess which leggy blonde actress looks ready to hit the gym?

There’s nothing wrong with the occasional cocktail, but if you’re watching your waistline, the wrong drink order can be detrimental to maintaining a healthy weight. Avoid making happy hour a sugar and fat festival with these two easy tips - in the end, you’ll have saved yourself almost 300 calories! Start with the right alcohol : When it comes to saving calories, stick to basic alcohol (vodka, gin, tequila, or whiskey) and avoid liqueurs since flavored spirits like Kahlua, Baileys, or Amaretto are made using additional ingredients like fruit, cream, and sugar. For comparison, a 1.5-ounce pour of vodka contains 100 calories and zero grams of sugar , compared to 147 calories and nine grams of sugar in the same amount of Baileys. When asked by the bartender, always choose a cosmopolitan over a mudslide! To save even more calories, have your cocktail made with sake, shochu, or soju; on average, these spirits run about 60 calories per 1.5-ounce pour . Mixers matter : Always go easy on the mixers. Order your spirit of choice neat or on the rocks, or opt for a zero-calorie mixer like soda water. If a cocktail without fruit juice seems a bit too much for you, ask the bartender to add just a splash. Most importantly, avoid premade mixes since they are dripping in corn syrup and additives. When made right (aka without a mix), classic cocktails like mojitos and margaritas contain under 200 calories!

By Sarah Last week was just as bad as I predicted it would be. I was disorganized, busy, and stressed out. I made a couple bad food choices and the subsequent guilt made me feel even more stressed and less focused. I wrote almost nothing down in my food journal. I could not wait for the weekend to come so I could hit the reset button and get things in order. Friday night I stayed in and went to bed planning to get up early and go for a swim before my busy Saturday began. And believe it or not I DID get up early on Saturday! I ate a banana, grabbed a coffee, and headed to the gym. But when I got there, I realized I’d forgotten to bring my lock, swim cap, and goggles—in other words, pretty much everything I need to go swimming. Good one, Sarah. I stood in the locker room, getting angrier and angrier with myself, and then I headed to the steam room, stayed there for a while, took a long shower, and got a pedicure. It was wonderful. It might have been what I needed more than a swim, in fact. So, my reset button pushed, I proceeded to have a fun and productive weekend. Today I feel calm and confident and ready for a healthy week ahead. Next weekend I’m flying to San Francisco for a music festival. That will certainly pose some challenges, but I’m really excited for it nonetheless. I’ve already looked up how to get to the nearest Equinox gym from my hotel, and I’ve started brainstorming strategies for navigating the festival food. One splurge I’m saving up for is a burrito! I can’t wait!

I love running on the treadmill, but let’s be honest: it’s not the most entertaining workout. I usually distract myself from counting down the minutes with a good playlist, audiobook, or tuning in to the gym’s TVs. When I forget to take my running headphones, however, I have to entertain myself in an entirely different way. Here are some ways to keep yourself entertained (not to mention motivated!) when you can’t do your normal headphones-on, tune-everything-out routine. Change up your intervals: You should be doing this anyway once you’ve mastered your current workout, but if you’re used to going through the motions, now’s the time to change your intervals or the speed of your high-intensity runs. Take a fit test: See how fast you can run in a set period – say, five minutes – without stopping (make sure you don’t overdo it, though - stay at a level where you don’t feel short of breath, lightheaded, or dizzy). Doing a fit test regularly is a good way to gauge your progress if you’ve been running regularly and if it’s time to pick up the pace. Plus you may be surprised by just how fast you can really go! Read on for more.

In my house, Super Bowl Sunday equals Super Bowl snack time. Savory items like chips, dips, wings, and pizza are standard, but I also offer up healthy, lighter fare. Intercept empty calories, sugar, and fat by making these better-for-you alternatives to the classics. With tasty food like this, you won’t even miss the guacamole, ranch dip, or chicken wings! View Slideshow ›

Preview 2012′s biggest trends and beauty news Video: watch Justin Bieber sing with his adorable little sister Easy entertaining recipe: simple and satisfying sliders Holiday gifts to bring when you’re meeting his family Kid-friendly dishes to serve at your Christmas dinner 25 ways to beat the Winter styling blues The best DIY projects from Su Casa! Buzz’s biggest movie character crushes of 2011 Sales galore: how to exercise your shopping willpower What we learned in 2011 about dieting Hail to the pooch: Bo’s best moments of 2011 Last-minute (I mean really last-minute) digital gifts Miranda and Orlando bring Flynn to Oz for the holidays

Once seen as something otherworldly, Pilates is everywhere these days – you probably know someone who is at a Pilates studio right now! With the holidays right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about what to get those gals on your list who spend as much time on the Reformer or mat as they do at home. No need to stress; we’ve done the shopping for you. These gifts will surely inspire the fab Pilates-loving gal on your list. View Slideshow ›

I’ve never felt scared running alone in the woods near my house because I follow these tips for solo trail running , but recently an aggressive dog went after my sweet little goldendoodle, and it left us pretty shaken up. Even though my loud cursing scared the dog away, I immediately called the police, who responded, “Get yourself some pepper spray.” After reading the comments left on a FitSugar Facebook post, “Have you ever been scared while exercising outdoors?” I’ve realized that dogs aren’t the only things people fear during outdoor workouts. Rattlesnakes, moose, coyotes, bears, and suspicious-looking people are just a few reasons someone might carrying protection when exercising alone. Would pepper spray make you feel safer? Source: Flickr User SmartGoat Would Your Outdoor Workouts Feel Safer With Pepper Spray? Yes, pepper spray would make me feel safer. No, I’d be scared to use it correctly. I’d rather carry something else for protection. I’ll tell you what below.

Can you guess which celeb was spotted on her way to a West Hollywood gym?

We rely on our eyes so much when we exercise that if you take your sight away briefly, it forces your body to tap into its senses of hearing and touch, which can help you become more aware of your body and how it’s moving. Doing certain exercises with your eyes closed is also more difficult when it comes to balance, not to mention a little scary, so it can bring new life to boring exercises you’ve been doing for years. While certain types of exercise are too dangerous to try blindfolded, here are three you should try “in the dark.” Yoga Since yoga is very visually driven, it’s easy to get caught up in what a pose is supposed to look like. Closing your eyes allows you to ignore your preconceptions of how straight your leg should be or how much you can arch your back, and it helps you tap into the true meaning of yoga, which is to connect your breath with your movements. Try this: Step onto your mat and move through one Sun Salutation A with your eyes open. Then close your eyes and try moving through the same series. Focus on grounding your feet and moving slow enough to keep your balance. Become aware of each breath you take, linking your inhales and exhalations with each controlled movement. At first you’ll feel extremely unstable and stressed at not being able to see what your body is doing since you’re used to your drishti (focal point) helping you stay balanced. After becoming comfortable with this technique, you might prefer practicing yoga with closed eyelids. I find it has such a calming effect on my mind and really helps me connect to my strong and even breath. Keep reading to see the other two exercises to try with your eyes closed.