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So — you can spend hundreds of dollars a month on a gym membership plus personal trainer, or you can download a range of great workout videos from a trusted source for next to nothing. Still trying to decide? Here are 5 reasons to go with the videos.

#5: Anywhere, Anytime.

Instead of being locked into the gym itself, you're free to go workout anywhere you want with a video. So not only can you do it in your own house, but it's technologically feasible to take your workout videos on your iPod, head to the park, and do them there. Whatever you want.

#4: Get Instructions Without Queuing Up For A Trainer.

If you need to figure out how to do a certain move, you've got to ask the trainer. Now, there's no great substitute for one-on-one interaction — we'll gladly admit that — but trainers are often busy, overloaded, and bombarded with questions all day. A good video can often tell you just as much, if not more.

#3: No Shame In Rewinding.

You don't need ab workouts! Instead of doing real exercises to try and strengthen yourself the old-fashioned way, check out these 5, totally-viable, completely-not-ridiculous ways to replace them for good.

#5 Lean, Toned Abs are So Last-Year.

All that beer you've been drinking, that belly you've been building up over the years? It's finally time to shine, because you no longer have to hide it! It's 2010, and fat is in, and you've got a free pass from the tastemakers and the trend-setters to let that fat belly hang right out of your shirt. Go ahead!

#4 You Don't Really Notice Extra Fat, Anyway.

I know I was just talking about beer bellies up there, but really, they're ultra-rare. You don't really need to do any ab workouts because your belly is probably already super-toned anyway. If you're eating a lot of junk, don't worry — most of that stuff does you a huge favor and goes and hides somewhere out-of-sight, on the back of your legs or maybe in your feet or something. No one really gains any fat on their stomachs. Nope!

#3 No One Goes to the Beach Anymore.

Pau d'arco (Tabebuia avellanedae) is native to South America, where reportedly it has been used to treat a wide range of conditions, including pain, arthritis, inflammation of the prostate gland (prostatitis), fever, dysentery, boils and ulcers, and various cancers.

Although preliminary lab tests show that a chemical in pau d'arco called lapachol can kill some viruses, bacteria, and fungi in test tubes, it isn't known whether it will have the same effects when taken by humans. So even though pau d'arco is sometimes used for conditions ranging from candidiasis (a yeast infection of the vaginal or oral areas), herpes simplex virus, and influenza to parasitic diseases such as schistosomiasis and bacterial infections such as brucellosis, there is no evidence it works. Test tube studies to evaluate whether pau d'arco has any effect on cancer have shown mixed results; and even in studies where pau d'arco does reduce the number of cancer cells, the amounts used would be toxic to humans.

The same is also true of some of the doses that might be needed to kill bacteria or viruses. If you decide to take pau d'arco, do so only under your doctor's supervision.

So you are thinking about trying some healthy recipes, but you do not know where to start, or you think you don't have enough time? Well you are mistaken! Healthy foods can now be simpler than you would ever have expected. There is no need for complicated calorie counting; all you need are a few tips to help you through it. You will realize soon enough that cooking and eating healthy meals is definitely worth it.

You are getting up. You need to get to work, to feed the kids; basically you are in a rush, as ever. You want to eat healthy but you need something quick and easy. You like the whole "breakfast sandwich" idea, even though you know it is not the best thing to feed your body first thing in the morning… Well here is a fast alternative that will provide you with the nutrients your body and soul needs!

So for your next breakfast, try this: 30g of whole grain cereals and 175g of yogurt mixed together, with 125ml of orange juice on the side. You don't like orange juice? Not a problem! You can substitute for your choice of vegetable of fruit juice, as long as it is 100% pure. You can also add as many fresh fruits as you want to your breakfast. For even more delicious nutritious, add in some scrambled eggs. Now that is a quick and nutritious morning!

Adapting all of the recipes you are used to using into gluten free recipes can be very intimidating once you or a family member gets the diagnosis of celiac sprue. As you know, celiac sprue is an intolerance to gluten. The body looks on the gluten as a foreign invader and attacks it, eventually leaving the nutrient-gathering villi in the intestine damaged and unable to extract vitamins, minerals, fats, proteins and carbohydrates from food that is eaten.

Looking for a gluten-free flour substitute? The Featherlight mix recipe by Bette Hagman takes 1 c. Rice flour, 1 c. Cornstarch, 1 c. Tapioca starch. Add 1 Tbsp. Potato flour (make sure this is potato flour, not potato starch). Mix. You can use this in a 1:1 ratio as a flour substitute.

You may want to keep this whole pan of brownies all to yourself once you taste how good they are. Take three eggs and beat until frothy. Add in a half a cup of oil and a cup of white sugar. Mix this up till well blended. Then add in two tablespoons of cocoa plus a half a cup of potato starch and a cup of nuts (optional). Combine well. Pour batter into a nine-inch, square baking pan that you greased previously. Put into a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for about 30 minutes.