There are certain foods out there that have come to earn the label super food. Super foods can improve your health by lowering your risk of heart disease and stroke, while boosting your energy, focus, and mental sharpness. The best part is that you get these benefits using all natural foods, instead of items containing chemicals and drugs.

Here's a list of 12 super foods and a description of how they'll help your body and mind:

Are you looking to begin running but don't know where to start? Here are seven tips to help you choose a running training program that will help you meet your fitness or weight loss goals and avoid injury.

Tip #1 Why are you running? Are you running for better cardiovascular health? Are you running to lose weight? Are you competitive and looking to enter a race? Your reasons for running will help you determine how to begin a running training program.

World Cup soccer refs run 5 miles more than the players per game and have strict fitness tests to take to qualify as a ref... But they usually have a job and no access to the trainers and other specialists the soccer players use -- and the refs are usually twice the age as the players!

One thing I like about my area is the miles of bike paths linking the cities along the St. Lawrence River. When the warm weather hits, the bike paths are flooded with people walking, running, biking or rollerblading. I love seeing people out and about, getting some exercise and enjoying the sunshine.

I'll be tooling around on my bike, nodding a greeting here, a smile of camaraderie there only to come to a screeching halt because a group of people decided to STOP RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BIKE PATH to, I don't know, do something important like solve world peace?

Oh. My. I told myself I wouldn't turn this into a rant post, so ignore the all caps up above. Let me take a deep breath and start again...

Sometimes we just don't think. None of us are perfect, that's for sure. So, the other day, when I seemed to be almost literally running into people on the bike path, I figured it would a perfect time to write a post on basic bike path etiquette.

Here are some do's and don'ts when using a bike path this summer:

Sometimes you have the best intentions during a three day holiday week-end. You swear you'll eat well, even when you're offered the most succulent barbecue meals -- and swear even more that you'll exercise instead of sleeping in AND avoid alcohol. (Go you!) But there you are Tuesday morning: feeling guilty, slightly ill and bloated from all the over-eating.

Now what you do? The way I see it, you've got only one choice: get back on track as quickly as possible! Here are four ways to get back on track with you weight loss plan after a long holiday week-end.

Running is a fantastic way to get in shape, lose weight, and to find better peace of mind and overall health. It's a cheap and easy way to get in shape; all you have to do is run, with little gear required. And, in as little as thirty minutes you can get a very complete cardio workout.

With all these benefits, it might be tempting to go out right now and run ten miles, right? Wrong! Before you do that, check out these five running tips for beginners. You'll have a better running experience if you do.

My high protein pancakes topped with 1/2 banana and no-sugar-added jam. Yum! Are you looking for a high protein alternative to nutrient-lacking pancakes? I saw a recipe in Oxygen magazine and changed it up a bit. The taste was great -- although I'd add on fruit, sugar-free jam or sugar-free maple syrup to pump up the flavor.

You'll end up with 3 belly-filling pancakes for 240 calories. That's low enough to be able to add on fruit or sugar-free jam and keep it within a reasonable calorie count per meal.

Here's the recipe:

FitWatch's tagline is "Get the Data. Get the Knowledge. Get Fit." I think getting the "data" -- the numbers -- plays a key part in weight loss. That's why I love creating all kinds of fitness calculators. You seem to like them too -- the fitness calculators get a lot of traffic!

Here's a countdown to the 5 most popular fitness calculators on FitWatch:

I like to track my body fat percentage. But even though I know my body fat percentage is more important than the number on the scale, I still like to have a "scale number" to aim for. Problem is, the math gets complimicated! So, I created a calculator that will take your current weight and current body fat percentage and estimate your weight at different body fat percentages. Or, if you've got a body fat percentage goal, it'll estimate your weight at that body fat.

Check it out here: Estimate Weight at Body Fat Percentage

"Whoa, Jake has gained a lot of weight since his last visit," said my vet back in June, about my German Shepherd. "I know I don't need to tell you about the dangers of being overweight, right?"

Nope! I'm very much aware of those risk factors -- whether it's for humans or dogs. Jake is a small German Shepherd, and 74lbs was too much for his small frame. He was pudgy. If he put on any more weight, it could turn into a very real problem.

My vet suggested a very simple method that worked wonders for Jake. He's now a sleek 67lbs. Could this method help you lose weight, too? Is it too controversial for humans?