Ever had the thought, “Can I wear Spanx to the gym under my clothes?” I mean you’re wearing spandex at the gym, your tightest clothing and your flab is left unconstrained! Doesn’t seem right, huh? Well, the heavenly ladies over at Spanx have solved your problems—They did the unthinkable and came out with workout gear! Just when you thought they couldn’t help you anymore, they’ve done it with a fantastic line of power pants that flatten your tummy, pants that firm your figure, the ultimate workout top that makes you appear slim, and even workout socks (no they don’t make your feet look skinny!)

Spanx sent me a top to try out and I was so impressed. First of all don't be wary that you won't be able to breathe, because the tops are just made to make you appear slim, it doesn't actually suck you in like typical Spanx products. While I did look quite slim (if I do say so myself), the feeling is one of lightness, airiness and breathability rather than a feeling of tightness, which is perfect because who wants to feel smothered while your sweating your butt off! 

Check out the new collection on Spanx.com and enjoy free shipping until the end of September—no BUTTs about it!

Stay tuned, we should have a giveaway in the near future for one lucky reader!

I wanted to tell you about a yummy recipe from celebrity nutritionist, Kimberly Snyder. Sally’s Salsa, featured in Kim’s book The Beauty Detox Solution, is a perfect healthy snack to bring to the beach, BBQ or just have handy in the fridge. Make a hearty bowl of this every week to keep for you and your family to snack on. It tastes amazing and you will realize you don’t need dense snack foods! Visit Kim’s blog to get more healthy and delish recipes and beauty food tips.

Sally’s Salsa

Ingredients:

4 large tomatoes

1 large sweet onion

1 large orange bell pepper

1 large yellow bell pepper

2 cups chopped cilantro

½ tsp. ground black pepper

2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

½ tsp. Celtic or Himalayan sea salt

Cayenne pepper, to taste

Directions:

Turn on some good music in your kitchen! Then dice the tomatoes, onion and bell peppers and add to a large mixing bowl. Add the chopped cilantro, black pepper, lemon juice, sea salt and cayenne pepper, and adjust the seasonings to taste.

This recipe and many more are available in The Beauty Detox Solution, featuring a full guide on eating your way to radiant skin, renewed energy and the body you’ve always wanted!

In what is the latest effort to get children to eat their 'veggies,' Kraft has slipped "cauliflower" (yes, it's meant to be in quotations!" into its classic staple, Mac-n-cheese! According to the Chicago Tribune, "the company freeze-dries cauliflower and pulverizes it into a powder, then uses that powder to replace some of the flour in the pasta."

It is my biggest pet peeve that companies are allowed to call this a serving of vegetables! Come on! If something is that processed it's just not the same as eating a stalk of the white stuff! Vegetables lose many nutrients when freeze dried and certainly their fiber when they're ground up and processed beyond recognition.  I think it's a travesty how companies like this market the idea to parents that they're fulfilling their children's nutritional needs! I'm a big believer in "eating your vegetables" but they need to be just that, veggies! Yes, your kids may want to feed them to the dog or slip them into the plant but if you learn to prepare them the right way, your kids will eat them! Check out this recipe for Spinach and Artichoke macaroni and cheese! Not the healthiest dish fat wise but at least it's real cheese and real vegetables! Plus you can modify to add low-fat cheese, whole grain pasta and more veggies!

Allowing our youth to think that anything in a box that can sit on the shelf for a year can contain your full serving of "vegetables" is absolutely ludicrous to me!  

How old is she really? Plastic surgery procedures, treatments and injections to the face will have you guessing. But, there is a way to get your “hands” on the answer. An gal’s hands are the biggest tell-all of her true age. When examining the hands, the marked loss of fatty tissue results in a prominent appearance of the bones, tendons and blue (reticular) veins. Aging skin is characterized by surface roughness, volume loss, laxity, wrinkles, brown spots, and broken blood vessels. This not only applies to the face, but also to the hands.

Advances in technology now allow for safe rejuvenation of the hands, which is more difficult to treat due to increased risk of scarring.

According to New Jersey Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Brian S. Glatt of Premier Plastic Surgery, “You can get your hands on a few quick fixes.”

1. Chemical peels or laser treatments can help improve the appearance of the hands. Lasers and light-based therapies such as intense pulse light, photodynamic therapy, q-switched lasers, and nonablative fractionated lasers (Fraxel re:store, Fraxel re:store DUAL) offer minimally invasive treatment options for rejuvenation of skin both on and off the face.  Multiple treatment sessions are necessary for these devices which improve, each to varying degrees, fine wrinkles, brown spots, texture and redness.  Your laser surgeon will help you decide which laser is the most appropriate for you to optimize your results.

2. Prominent hand veins can be successfully treated by injecting a medication into the veins (sclerotherapy) resulting in the disappearance of the injected vein. Advances in sclerotherapy including the introduction of Asclera (polidocanol), foam sclerotherapy, and new treatment methodologies offer more comfortable and effective means of treating unsightly veins.  Typically, one or two treatment sessions are required. Radiesse, calcium hydroxylapatite, can address multiple aspects of the aging hand. This injectable product restores volume to the backs of the hand while simultaneously decreasing the appearance of prominent veins, tendons, and bones resulting in a more youthful appearance.

3. Fat injections can give the hands a full and youthful appearance. Your surgeon will remove unwanted fat from a specific area, and then reinject selected fat cells into your hands. The procedure is done under local anesthesia and is painless with a quick recovery time.

Who isn't on the lookout for a healthy yet completely satisfying summer salad? I saw this recipe and my mouth watered! It's healthy as can be and truly looks better than restaurant quality!

Visit Oh She Glows! for the recipe!

After my trip to Miami I was not too thrilled when my husband and I both forgot to protect our lips! He got a worse dose of the burn than me (since he’s much fairer skinned than I am) but neither of us were very happy! It’s no fun not being able to kiss your new husband because your lips hurt!

Enter, Kiss My Face SPF 30 Sport LipBalm. I love it because it’s long-lasting and made with organic ingredients, is preservative free and water resistant. Beeswax softens your skin, shea butter moisturizes and FDA-approved sunscreen keeps my lips from getting toasted!

It’s made without animal ingredients, artificial colors or unnecessary animals. And it’s only $3.49 for a tube! Available at Whole Foods, KissMyFace.com and retailers nationwide that feature natural body care products.

Namaste, ladies! I just got back from my trip to Miami for my post-wedding getaway/Smartypanties review-trip (real honeymoon is scheduled for January next year in case you were wondering!). It was definitely a week of excess eating, drinking and sun. So necessary after all the wedding planning! I’ll start with my favorite hotel we stayed at, the Canyon Ranch. From the moment you walk in you instantly become relaxed. This is Miami’s off-season so the property was definitely less busy than say during spring break but this made it the most perfect time to go in my opinion. If you’re looking to unwind, this is the time! The check-in process was a dream. Our room wasn’t ready yet so the receptionist took our number to call us as soon as it would be. They took our bags and we were off to explore!

Our beautiful little kitchen! They give you a lovely tea set to use. I made us a pot of soothing chamomile before we showered one day. It was heavenly.

The Rooms

Our suite was equipped with a beautiful kitchen and living room. Everything was absolutely immaculate. We had two balconies overlooking the beautiful ocean and pool. They give you luxurious robes to put on after a great shower or a soak in your enormous bathtub. They have maid service twice a day and super technologically advanced buttons you can press if you want privacy or to have the room made up. Each night we came back to a turned down bed and soft rock music. This was one of our favorite parts of the trip! The bed was so comfortable as you would imagine.There were also two enormous flatscreen TVs in our room, so the technology was way up to par!

The Activities

They have something everyone would want. Yoga, Gyrokinesis, Meditation, Group Walks, Spinning, Abs, Legs and Kickboxing. Oh and did I mention the 2 story rock-climbing wall? The Huzz and I even made it all the way to the top! It’s harder than it looks! The instructors are fabulous. We spoke with our rock-climbing guide and he told us that Canyon Ranch interviewed over 1000 applicants before they hired their staff. Each instructor is truly an expert in his or her field and it makes the experience so fabulous. If you’re not a class person, there is also a state-of-the-art gym, complete with touch-screen TVs on each machine to watch your favorite shows, that is if you get tired of the ridiculous view of the ocean. You’d be surprised how much quicker your run goes when that’s what you have to look out at. Or if you want to run outside there is a fabulous path just along the water. The rest of the gym is gorgeous and super-clean as well.

The Grounds

The grounds are beautiful. Everything about this place screams whispers, “Zen!” There are 4 pools, one being adults-only, which is nice if you just don’t feel like getting splashed. Although, I have to say the children that were around were completely innocuous, when it comes to annoying children it’s always nice to have a safe escape. I had read some reviews on Trip Advisor complaining about children but I think the resort does a nice job of giving adults their space as well as fun activities for the kiddies and families to do together. At the main pool you can order food. You can also do this on the beach. The property is beach-front and they have attendants down waiting to set up chairs for you. It’s the perfect place to put your feet up and chill out. You can also order food by just raising your flag and having them bring it right down to you! The property is spattered with water fountains and gardens to sit and chill out or read a book. There is also a lovely library and lobby where you can rest, put your feet up and take it easy. We even loved perusing the store, filled with workout gear, yoga goodies and inspirational books and CDs. Yep, we drank the Kool-aid!

The Spa/Aquavana

The spa is truly the most unique I’ve ever been to. First of all, let me start by saying I am a total germ-a-phobe, for those of you who don’t know me. I have insanely high standards after visiting some of the best spas in NYC (and unfortunately also some of the worst—enter, Spa Castle). But I had never seen anything as fabulous as the Aquavana at Canyon Ranch. It’s a mixture of heaven and water! It’s a haven between the locker room and the spa that’s filled with wet saunas, dry saunas, foot tubs, cool showers, Jacuzzis and an igloo! Yes, I said it, an igloo! The idea is to go from hot to cold. It’s supposed to help rid your body of toxins. It’s a European-inspired aquathermal oasis offering intriguing treatment suites designed to relax your muscles and enrich your blood with oxygen. It’s truly an invigorating experience and even if you don’t book a spa treatment (which I think you should) you have unlimited access here if you’re a guest of the hotel. Once you’ve indulged in the Aquavana to your heart’s content you should try out the spa. I personally am old-fashioned so I stuck with a facial and a Deep-Tissue massage, which were soothing as can be, but the spa offers standout unique treatments like body wraps and traditional detox rituals. They also employ two healers who can offer Reiki treatments, healing energy or acupuncture, if that’s your thang. There are also medical consultants and nutritionists if you need to detox your diet or learn about building better health habits. The spa isn’t exorbitant but it ain’t cheap either. It’s pretty much what you would expect, somewhere around average for such a luxurious spa, which offers use of its aquavana as well. So in my opinion definitely a place worth the splurge. You could come here with a girlfriend and relax in the aquavana all day long. Massages begin at $140 for 50 minutes. Facials start at $150 as well for a deep cleansing facial. Body wraps also start in the same area at $165 for a 50 minute treatment session.

The Restaurant

The restaurant is gorgeous inside but has fabulous outdoor seating that’s in the shade and oh-so relaxing. I know you may be nervous that at a facility like Canyon Ranch, where they emphasize healthy eating and exercise, that you may not be able to indulge at the restaurant, I mean it is a vacation afterall, right? Well have no fear, I bear good news. The portions were not unreasonably tiny and the prices weren’t unreasonably exorbitant. Plus, many things are even organic (or at least partially so). Egg dishes ran about $11-12 and many came with potatoes, toast, or fruit. Nothing skimpy about that! Also you can easily supplement a side of turkey or veal bacon or other side-dish for only $4. Personally I loved the fresh-squeezed juices. My favorite was the watermelon! It’s so sweet and refreshing you’ll find yourself ordering a second. Also, good to know, the hotel serves complimentary coffee and tea until about 9:30 in the library, which is divine and also will save you a few bucks at breakfast!

The service in the restaurant is fabulous. Each staff member is friendly but not over-intrusive. My other morning favorites included “The New Yorker,” which is half a hemp-seed bagel with lox, tomato, cream cheese and onions, omelets, filled with anything your heart can desire, and the Sweet potato pancakes. Those were my absolute favorite! Definitely not to be missed! So unique and light but so filling at the same time.

It’s such a pleasure eating at Canyon Ranch because although the food is delectable you know you can’t get into too much trouble. Plus, they list calorie counts for everything so you at least know what you're getting into! Lunch Favorites? The artichoke fries were ridiculous. Such a satisfying, salty snack and yet totally on your diet because they’re baked! The fish tacos and grass-fed beef tacos down by the pool were also to die for! The portions were also pretty hearty if you’re hungry. The only thing I ate that I didn’t love was the chocolate zucchini cake and chocolate chip cookies. Not bad, just wouldn’t say they were my favorite. The other desserts were much better, especially the cheesecake lollipops. A must-try! My favorite part about the restaurant is that during the day it is an extremely laid-back environment but at night it transforms into a chic, trendy restaurant.

The Bar

I had one of my favorite drinks that I’ve ever tasted here. It’s called a “Purple Pillow” and it consists of house-made lavender infused vodka and muddled blueberries. Other cocktails were fabulous too like the Lychee martini, which uses house-made vanilla infused vodka. She even showed me how to make the infused vodka. You just soak overnight whatever you want it to be infused with! Okay so maybe I could have inferred that, but point is, the bartender was a sweetheart and her drinks were to die for! And they were strong as heck! Just don’t have too many of them the night before your 7am beach walk!

Things to Know Before You Go

Bring lots of workout clothes you’re going to want to do a million classes. You may want to spa or swim in between though so make sure you bring lots of changes for throughout the day. No one wants to put back on sweaty gym clothes! Gross!! My only complaint (literally!) was that the bath products were not my favorite so if you’re picky you may want to bring your own. Finally, it gets pretty windy down by the water so you may want to bring a light sweater.

I can't tell you enough how much we enjoyed our stay. It was everything you would come to expect from the rumors about how fabulous Canyon Ranch hotels are!

Have you guys been to Canyon Ranch Miami? Tell us about your experience!

For more information or to make reservations visit Canyon Ranch Miami's website or Facebook page!

*Smartypanties received 2 complimentary nights in consideration for a review. However, we did stay for 3 more nights, which we paid for and were well worth it. As always Smartypanties only posts honest opinions.*