10 of the Most Inspiring Plus-Size Athletes You're Not Following

We’ve all heard the tagline “strong is the new skinny,” and we couldn’t agree more. Although we definitely support weight loss for the sake of health and wellness, the days of struggling to live up to magazine-cover standards and take up the smallest possible space in the world seem to be behind us (thank goodness).
 
The latest generation of fitness enthusiasts are all about making the most of their bodies, not the least of them. Instead of starving and step-counting themselves toward some impossible ideal, they’re enjoying plenty of healthy food, doing their fitness thang and embracing their unique combination of curves, muscles and, yes, cushion.
 
Inspiration doesn’t have to be a size 2, or 6 or even a 10. In fact, inspiration doesn’t have to have any size. After spending some time on these inspiring athletes’ Instagram pages, you’ll be motivated to start or continue your own journey. Hopefully, you’ll learn to appreciate the perfect imperfections and resilient strength of the beautiful body you’ve been given.

Spark Spotlight: Jackie (JSTETSER)

At SparkPeople, we love helping people accomplish big goals—but we believe it's equally important to celebrate the small successes along the way. Each week in the Spark Spotlight, we'll check in with a featured member about his or her proudest moments, biggest challenges and advice for others on living, thinking and feeling healthier. We hope these quick snapshots will help motivate you to keep moving steadily toward your own goals, week by week.

Everything You Should Know Before Your Cold-Weather Workout

Unless you’re lucky enough to live in a tropical climate, you’ll most likely find yourself faced with the prospect of exercising in the cold at some point. Maybe you don’t have access to an indoor gym, or you prefer getting your fitness on in the fresh (albeit frosty) air. Either way, there’s no reason to let frigid temperatures freeze your progress toward your goals. Whether your activity of choice is running, walking, biking or hiking, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy the great outdoors all year round—with some modifications, of course.

Dr. Tim Miller, director of the endurance medicine program at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, works with Olympians and other elite athletes who train and compete in sub-zero weather. Using his smart strategy recommendations, you’ll learn how to properly warm up and stay safe no matter how low the temperatures dip outside.

20 Diabetes-Friendly Breakfast Recipes

People have been going round and round about the great breakfast debate for decades. Some say it’s essential to start every morning with a meal, and that it could even help to boost weight loss. Others swear by intermittent fasting, skipping breakfast altogether. Then there’s the age-old question of whether to eat before or after exercising (spoiler alert: there’s no one right answer).
 
Wherever you fall in the great breakfast divide, most experts agree on one thing: A healthy breakfast is even more important for those who have Type 2 diabetes. A 2014 study published in the journal Chronobiology International found that it was more difficult for participants to keep their blood sugar levels under control when they skipped breakfast.
 
“Eating breakfast helps to regulate blood sugar levels for the rest of the day. It [also] helps to prevent overeating at meals and snacks (which can help prevent consuming too many carbohydrates at one sitting) and it has been found to be beneficial in promoting healthy weight maintenance,” registered dietitian and author Erin Palinski-Wade told Everyday Health.
 
That said, not all breakfasts are equally beneficial, especially if diabetes is a factor. Registered dietitian Toby Amidor recommends limiting morning meals to a maximum of 30 grams of sugar, and says it’s important to balance the amount of carbs with the person’s height and weight.
 
“Many folks think if you have diabetes, you shouldn’t have any carbs, but that couldn’t be further from the truth,” she says. “Your body needs carbs for energy, but it has to be balanced with the amount of insulin and should be eaten in small, frequent meals and snacks throughout the day.”
 
Stuck in a breakfast rut? Try adding some of these diabetes-friendly day starters to your morning rotation.

Spark Spotlight: Diane (DIANEDOESSMILES)

At SparkPeople, we love helping people accomplish big goals—but we believe it's equally important to celebrate the small successes along the way. Each week in the Spark Spotlight, we'll check in with a featured member about his or her proudest moments, biggest challenges and advice for others on living, thinking and feeling healthier. We hope these quick snapshots will help motivate you to keep moving steadily toward your own goals, week by week.

How Helene Stopped Drinking & Started Living Her Best Life

For most people, losing weight and embracing a healthier lifestyle is all about the right combination of food and fitness: more leans and greens, fewer chips and cookies; more sweating, less sitting. But for others, getting healthy means more than mastering the right calories in/calories out equation. For Hélène, it meant breaking a dependence on a substance she had come to rely on emotionally but wasn’t doing her any favors physically.

Do Air Fryers Really Live Up to the Healthy Hype?

Most of us never met a fried food we didn’t like. Whether it’s chicken, donuts, potatoes or something more inventive (fried cookie dough, anyone?), there's just something about that crispy, greasy deliciousness that epitomizes comfort on a plate. Unfortunately, all of that tantalizing taste comes with a fat and calorie trade-off, meaning it doesn't have much of a place in most weight loss and nutrition plans.
 
Enter the air fryer. This latest trend in healthy kitchen gadgets is taking the internet by storm, promising to fry food with up to 75 percent less fat than conventional fryers. Registered dietitian and nutrition consultant Dana White describes air fryers as a "turbo version" of countertop convection ovens. The machine uses the power of hot, circulating air—with little to no oil—to make crispy food in a short amount of time.
 
Do air fryers live up to the hype—or are they simply full of hot air?

Spark Spotlight: Jessica (JESS0000)

At SparkPeople, we love helping people accomplish big goals—but we believe it's equally important to celebrate the small successes along the way. Each week in the Spark Spotlight, we'll check in with a featured member about his or her proudest moments, biggest challenges and advice for others on living, thinking and feeling healthier. We hope these quick snapshots will help motivate you to keep moving steadily toward your own goals, week by week.

Find Your Ideal Activity With the Exercise Flowchart

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that all healthy adults engage in at least three to five days of cardiovascular exercise, at least two days of strengthening work and at least two days of stretching. Use this handy flowchart—designed by trainer and fitness author Rachel Straub—to find the ideal workout to meet your goals for any given day. 

Spark Spotlight: Doris (PRIMEOFMYLIFE)

At SparkPeople, we love helping people accomplish big goals—but we believe it's equally important to celebrate the small successes along the way. Each week in the Spark Spotlight, we'll check in with a featured member about his or her proudest moments, biggest challenges and advice for others on living, thinking and feeling healthier. We hope these quick snapshots will help motivate you to keep moving steadily toward your own goals, week by week.

Why Boxing Might Be Your Next Workout Obsession

Most likely, your main exercise goals are to burn calories and build muscle—but some activities offer the added perks of busting stress and boosting your mood.

As it turns out, Rocky was onto something. Boxing is not only an excellent form of cardio, but it's also a healthy outlet for stress, anxiety and aggression, that leaves you feeling exhilarated and empowered.

"While a long, sweaty run outside on a beautiful day is always a good go-to, there’s something so gratifying about making physical contact with something and letting it all go," says Rob Delara, corporate head trainer at TITLE Boxing Club. "The stress of your job, home and life in general is left on the bag with every jab, cross, hook and uppercut. Throw your punches and throw away your worries."

How Losing 200 Pounds Helped Kathy Walk Again

Losing 200 pounds is far from easy—but some would say that keeping it off is infinitely harder. With the help of SparkPeople, Kathy (KATHYJO56) has succeeded at both.

10 Healthy Foods That Deserve a Place in Your Diet

Congratulations on making the decision to eat right! Now for the harder part: to figure out what "right" actually means.
 
It's easy to get tricked by deceptive marketing into choosing foods that look and sound like smart choices—using buzzwords like "low-fat," "sugar-free" and "high-protein"—but are actually more hype than health. Junk food doesn’t always come in the form of donuts and potato chips.
 
Or maybe you do have an idea of what the "right" foods are, but you're still hung up on how much you hated them as a kid. The good news is, much like your taste in music, your tastebuds can change right along with your lifestyle, especially if you start mixing things up and experimenting with new recipes. Maybe Brussels sprouts just weren't your mom's forte.
 
To help kickstart your body-nourishing journey, we asked a few dietitians and nutritionists to suggest some health-boosting items to add to your repertoire this year. Consider this your cheat sheet for making the right food choices, and sticking with them!

Spark Spotlight: Saedah (LADYSAE)