Last week, I posted a blog about finding balance and got a variety of interesting comments from readers, many of whom said they have a hard time finding balance in their diets. As one reader said, "To lose weight or maintain my proper weight I am a very restrictive eater...I just have not been able to incorporate the "no BAD food" reality into my daily diet."

With the holidays coming up, this struggle can add even more stress for some people. On the one hand, we want to enjoy ourselves and indulge in foods we don't get very often. On the other hand, we don't want to go overboard or gain the 5 or so pounds that some of us put on during the holidays.

So, what's the answer? Below are a few tips that may help you find a little balance this year:

• Focus on being healthy rather than dieting or restricting foods. Keep your mind on the core elements of healthy living - being active as much as you can, eating healthy options most of the time and enjoying life with rare and favorite indulgences. Relaxing that control can sometimes free you to enjoy yourself without overdoing it.
• Be picky. Don't waste calories on things you can get any old time (chips, dip, etc.). Instead, save your indulgences for things you truly love - a small slice of homemade apple pie or grandma's famous cornbread dressing.
• Eat before you go. Eat small, healthy meals throughout the day before the party. That way, you don't show up starving, which is only asking for overindulgence.
• Know your weak spots. Family gatherings can be stressful and many of us mitigate that stress by mindless munching or drinking a little too much. If you know that tends to happen, plan ahead for how you'll deal with your stress. You may need to fill a plate with carrot sticks or simply relocate to a room without food in it. Knowing what you'll do ahead of time makes it easier to follow through.

What about you? Are you worried about gaining weight over the holidays? If so, how do you plan on dealing with it? Leave a comment and tell us what you think about dieting over the holidays.

Wow. That was my reaction when I read Algarvi's amazing story. As a mother of four, she wanted to be a healthier mom and wife and decided to make some chances after reaching her highest weight of 488 pounds.

Algarvi is proof that slow and steady changes will eventually get you there. She started with small goals, walking three miles each week or drinking more water each day. She eventually started using exercise videos at home and kept herself going by rewarding herself for every accomplishment, no matter how small.

All that hard work paid off and she lost 322 pounds over four years. Read more of her amazing story and share your weight loss success story, if you've got one. This one is truly inspiring.

If you're watching your waistline, you already know about watching what you eat, exerting a little portion control and working out. Many of you probably do this (or at least, like most of us, you give it your best shot), but we sometimes forget to count those sneaky calories - the ones that live in our favorite cocktails.

Estimating how many calories we're eating may be common practice for some, but what about the calories you're drinking? How many calories does your favorite drink have and how does that affect your waistline? In my latest article, I talk about how alcohol can sabotage your weight loss goals - something that's definitely on my mind with the holidays coming up and my grandmother's boiled custard to contend with.

What about you? Do you watch what you drink or is it something you haven't paid much attention to? Or maybe you're a non-drinker. Leave a comment and tell us how you deal with alcohol and your weight.

My clients are busy and easily bored, which is one reason I include a variety of compound movements in their workouts. Working more than one muscle group not only saves time, it adds challenge and intensity - something my clients beg for endlessly (Or maybe they're begging me to stop...whatever).

That's one reason I like the pushup with a pike. The pushup works the chest, arms, shoulders and abs, of course, while the pike focuses attention on the core as well as balance and stability, making this a great dynamic, timesaving exercise. This one is also easy to modify if any of the moves are too difficult. You can keep the ball under the thighs to make the pushup easier and you can roll the ball in, rather than keeping the legs straight, to make the pike easier. Either way, you'll feel this one.

Do it right: Get into a pushup position with the ball under the shins/ankles (easier) or the tops of the feet (harder). Bend the elbows and lower into a pushup. Push back up and contract the abs to pull the ball in as you lift the hips up towards the ceiling in a pike position. For a modification, bend the knees and roll the ball in towards the chest instead of keeping the legs straight. Continue alternating a pushup with a pike for 8-16 reps.