"Thinspiration," or "thinspo" for short, may be a scary term associated with twisted "Pro-ana" groups, but it's not exactly a foreign concept to anyone who has grown up female in this country. Practically the time we're hangin' in our mother's wombs, we're encouraged to look at photos of skinny models and wish we were them. From tween's lockers to grown women's refrigerators to just about every magazine cover on newsstands, skinny models appear everywhere. And this is supposed to be "aspirational." It's supposed to make us want to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and go to the gym -- for one reason alone: So we can look like lose ridiculous amounts of weight and look them, duh. But does it actually work?

According to Anne Klesse, a researcher at Tilburg University in the Netherlands who recently did an experiment that asked this very question, nope!

Toxic friends.

The very phrase sends shivers of the Sads down my back because I've been on the receiving end of enough toxic friendships to last a lifetime. These friendships never start out as bad for us, but over time, it becomes apparent that that's exactly what they are. Luckily, I've learned a little about the whole phenomenon along the way.

Here are some warning signs that one of your friendships has turned toxic. And not in the Britney Spears song kind of way. 

I hate going to the gym. It's crowded. It reeks because one-too-many members forgot to put on deodorant. I can't get onto a machine to save my life without waiting for at least 10 minutes while awkwardly staring at my sports watch. The locker room is full of women chatting about their son or daughter's upcoming school dance, and the water fountain has a five minute wait.

Can you tell I'm annoyed?

I haven't always felt this way. I used to adore the gym. I owned that place. The people behind the desk know my name, and I have "gym friends" who high five me when they walk past my treadmill. These angry feelings, they're a recent change.

Want to know whose fault it is? The New Year's resolution-ers.

Thanks to the holidays, the roll of flesh you now see sitting triumphantly atop my waistband is composed almost entirely of butter, chocolate, and discount champagne. And yes, at the top of my list of New Year's resolutions are the words "get stronger (back to yoga)" followed closely by "STOP EATING M&Ms FOR LUNCH."

(Full disclosure: I am eating M&Ms while I write this, but it's just a mid-morning snack. Also, they are dark chocolate. M&Ms are full of antioxidants.)

So, you say you want to get back in shape for the new year, too? Come, let me guide you through seven important steps that will bring you closer to making everyone think you're working hard to get healthy again.

Good morning, New Year Resolvers! Who else has pledged to eat healthier this year? I know I have, so I've been scouring the Internets for healthy food blogs. I'm talking daily inspiration -- blogs that support my goals for a healthy new year, with recipes for high energy and a robust immune system.

I've been reading a lot lately about what makes change possible. It's not always about will power! Sometimes it's about finding inspiration and tearing down barriers. And when it comes to making healthy changes in your life, those barriers could be time, money, and kitchen skills. Here are 10 websites that will help you overcome those barriers and inspire you with yummy-looking nutrition superhero recipes you can make for the whole family.

Most people greet the start of the New Year with a vow to get in shape ... Every. Year. And every year the gym is crowded with "resolutionaries" who show up, sweat all over everything for a few weeks, and then are never seen again.

The best way to avoid that is to figure out what usually stands in your way. What is the obstacle getting in the way of your success? And then -- here's the hard part -- figure out a plan to work around it. One (or more) of these tips ought to help you get started.

You haven't stopped reading, have you? You can do this! Here's to a healthier you in 2012.

I can't believe it's Thanksgiving already. It seems as though I blinked and 2011 flashed right before my eyes. We're at the final days of November and then it's home stretch ... right into the New Year. Where has the time gone?

I turned the big 2-5 this year -- and I definitely grew up more than I ever thought I would. Hands down, I'd say this has been the most lifechanging year of my life, and it's around this time of year that it's best to reflect on how far we've come. Hopefully what I've learned will stay with me through 2012 and make me a stronger person.

I can spend hours reminiscing about old times and how I'd love to go back -- but I wouldn't be the person I am today without the life lessons I've learned along the way. So if you need a break from the turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie, check out the 8 lessons I'm most thankful that I've learned.

Think about trying to lose weight and what first comes to mind? Tedious calorie-counting? Deprivation? Hunger? Rolling a giant rock up a hill every day? Most of us have pretty negative associations with dieting and weight loss. I mean, if it were fun and easy, you'd already be skinny, right? And most of us can't afford a personal health coach/chef to constantly motivate us and make losing weight taste better.

But what if you stopped taking dieting so seriously? What if it were just a game? That's where Foodzy comes in.