Wellsphere. Pushup. Recipe.

Is it just me or does it truly feel like spring has sprung? I know, I shouldn't have said that because it's so very far from the truth. Winter isn't over, don't be silly! This heat wave is but a tease, a welcomed reprieve...a taste of what's mellow from Mother Nature herself. And I love it, despite my greatest efforts to fight it. Why get used to something that's just going to disappear? Silly Tara, you live in Michigan! You know better. More snow will come, that's but a guarantee. And an unfortunate guarantee at that. So, here I sit. Typing away, talking to you. Giving my attention to something lasting and true.

But that's neither here nor there, and it's certainly not a dose of fit. So let me begin that part of this whole conversation by introducing you to an excellent website. Feast your eyes on the column at right and scroll down until you see my newest badge of honor, bestowed upon me by Wellsphere. It's an excellent website that brings together health bloggers from across the 'net, combining them all into one easy-to-search resource. Got a question? Find an answer. It's that easy. And I'm more than willing to share my ideas with the community. More than honored to, actually. So take a look around and let me know what you think.

And now, we move on to one pushup. I know, I know...you hate pushups. But you also (hopefully) realize how good they are for you. Good for the chest muscles, good for the back muscles...good for the core muscles, too. But, well. Let's be honest. Pushups can be boring, which is why you should vary them on occasion. Here's one such variation:

LEG LIFT PUSHUPS: Get into a pushup position, then point your right foot to set yourself up in a one-legged pushup position. Lower yourself down, pause before you touch the ground and then lift your right leg up a few inches. This adds a gluteus element to your pushups, while simultaneously challenging your core and chest muscles a bit more than usual. Push yourself back into your starting position, switch legs and repeat. Perform as many pushups as you can, and if you can't reach your desired goal, finish your set with normal pushups.

How's that sound? Hard? Yeah...but who doesn't love a good challenge. So challenge yourself! That's how you make advances in fitness and in health. But you already know that, right? So let's talk about that recipe I mentioned yesterday. Pineapple Granola Bars:

They turned out really well! The recipe itself didn't specify what type of dried fruit to use, so I went with pineapple because...well, pineapples are fantastic. And quite frankly, I needed a break from cranberries and raisins which are the standard fare for granola bars. Now, I can't find the original location of this recipe, so I share it with you here and now without taking full credit for it. But with a few modifications of my own, of course.

Pineapple Granola Bars
Ingredients
1-1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup ground flaxseeds
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup dried pineapple, chopped
1/2 cup honey
1 egg
1 banana, mashed
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat your oven to 350F. Coat a 9x9-inch square pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Mix the wet ingredients in a smaller bowl, then add to the dry ingredients. Stir until combined. Press the granola into the pan, use wax paper as it might stick to the spoon. Bake for roughly 30 minutes. Let cool for five, then cut into 12 individual bars.

And then, enjoy!

Question: When you need health information, what websites do you turn to? Further, I'd like to know how you challenge yourself at the gym.