If you're having trouble falling, or staying, asleep, try this pre-bedtime tip from yoga and wellness experts Gina Norman and Stan Woodman of Connecticut's Kaia Yoga. "A quick restorative yoga pose is a great way to prepare your nervous system and mind for a restful sleep," says Norman. First, lie with your legs up the wall in an "L" shape, which "will help to relieve some of the activity of the day by giving your legs a rest, rejuvenating your organs and reversing the affects of gravity." (This pose is also great for jet lag and helping to reset your internal clock.)

Next, while in the pose practice complete diaphragm breathing with an emphasis on lengthening your exhale; try inhaling for the count of 4 and exhaling for the count of 6 and then, if you feel comfortable, lengthen the count to 6 in and 8 out. This type of slow inhale/exhale mimics our sleeping breathing patterns, so it will help get the body primed for a restful night.

For more on Kaia Yoga, visit www.kaiayoga.com

Athletes have been training with heart rate monitors for years, but can the average fitness enthusiast benefit from using one? According to the experts at The Sports Club LA, the answer is yes. "The purpose of the monitor is not to see how high you can get your heart rate for bragging rights," says Advantage Trainer Riccardo Specchierla, but to gage if a workout is serving its purpose. For example, if you feel like you are working as hard as possible but your heart rate won't rise to the prescribed zones, you may need to stop and get more recovery. Alternatively, a monitor can also tell you when it's time to push and measure your total calories burned. And it's not just for aerobic activities: keeping your heart rate elevated between circuit training exercises will also help increase the amount of calories burned.

For more on The Sports Club LA's locations, visit www.thesportsclubla.com.

According to the experts at The Sports Club LA, keeping track of your heart rate training zones will help make your cardio workouts more effective, and help ensure that you are improving all aspects of your cardiovascular health. "Working out at different heart rate zones will develop varying aspects of cardiovascular fitness," explains Advantage Trainer Riccardo Specchierla. "The benefits range from lowering blood pressure and cholesterol to losing weight and improving your endurance."

There are four main heart rate zones, each with its own benefits. Zones are based on percentages of your own maximum heart rate, which can be calculated through various formulas found on the web. The Fat Burning or Recovery Zone (60%-70% of your maximum heart rate) is your foundation, and helps develop basic endurance, aerobic capacity and recovery. Working out in the Aerobic Zone (70%-80%) helps improve the cardiovascular system and increases your ability to work out longer and burn more calories and fat—while being in the Anaerobic Zone (80% to 90%) will make your lactic acid system more efficient, which helps delay the onset of fatigue and increases fat burning post-workout. Finally, training in the Maximum Effort Zone (90%-100%)—only for the fit and experienced—develops speed and peak-level endurance.

For more on The Sports Club LA's locations, visit www.thesportsclubla.com.

With the dawn of a new year, it's once again time for resolutions about getting healthy and undoing damage done by too many holiday indulgences. To help kick-start your diet, Metabolife contributing expert Kathy Jordan, who has over 20 years of experience in nutrition, fitness and weight management, suggests these tips for eating right:

• Clean out your cupboards: Remove un-opened packages of foods that may not fit well into your diet and donate them to the local food bank or shelter.
• Stay energized : Try to eat 5 - 9 servings (2 1/2 to 4 1/2 cups) of fruits and veggies every day, which will not only get you lots of vitamins and fiber, but may even assist with weight loss.
• Got somewhere to go? Don't go hungry: Have a snack such as an apple or a cup of clear soup before grocery shopping or social events. Eating soup before meals results in fewer calories consumed during your meal.
• Pre-plan meals and snacks for the week: You'll have the right foods on hand and the temptation in check. It will help you make healthier choices, even when you're out and about.

For more diet and lifestyle suggestions, visit www.metabolife.com/take-action.

Along with eating right, getting (and staying) active is an important part of any diet. To help jump-start workouts—and incorporate simple exercises into our busy everyday lives--Metabolife contributing expert, Kathy Jordan suggests the following tips:

• Ditch the car: Go green and get fit in the process by leaving the car at home when possible, and running errands on foot or on your bike. Carrying groceries home from the supermarket can give you an aerobic and strength training workout all in one.
• Volunteer to walk a dog: Volunteer at your local animal shelter and burn extra calories while walking a dog.
• Make your chores work for you: Pick up the pace to get your heart pumping as you wash your floors, scrub your bathroom, or rake your yard. Not only will you get dreaded chores out of the way, but you'll also burn extra calories in the process.
• Don't let lack of time be an obstacle to reaching your fitness goals: Several short (5-15 minutes) bursts of exercise throughout the day can be just as effective as one long work-out.
• Spend quality time with your kids: Burn calories at the same time by choosing fun family activities like bowling, bike riding, shooting hoops, ice skating or a walk in your local park.
• Meet for a walk and chat: Instead of grabbing a drink after work with friends, suggest meeting for a walk and chat.

For more diet and lifestyle suggestions, visit www.metabolife.com/take-action.

When it comes to working out, sometimes it can be difficult to just get started—particularly if you haven't been so active recently. Once you do get motivated to find a workout you like, though, make sure to start slow. "When starting an exercise program, don't try to make up for lost years all in one day," advises Carol Espel, Group Fitness Director for Equinox gyms. "It's so important to start slowly, and progress slowly, to avoid soreness and injury—and so you can stay motivated to exercise the next time without fear of pain." Espel also recommends proper pre-workout nutrition. "Make sure you eat something before starting your exercise session, ideally 30- to 60-minutes beforehand," she stresses. "Try yogurt with fruit, peanut butter on wheat toast, cottage cheese and fruit, or oatmeal with raisins" for the right combination of carbs and protein. For more on Equinox, visit equinox.com.

As you gear-up for summer, keep in mind these tips on eating right from Jackie Warner, trainer, fitness expert and star of Bravo's "Work Out" series. First off, "be a smart consumer and read labels carefully," she cautions, since many "fat-free products are loaded with sugar. Fat does not make you fat—sugar does." In addition to limiting sugar and alcohol intake, and loading up on veggies, fruits and lean meats, Warner also recommends drinking three liters of water a day, which "can burn 50-75 calories, double your energy and clear your skin." Finally, no matter how busy you might be, "never skip meals. The moment you allow your blood sugar to drop (when you feel hunger pangs), you become a fat storing machine," she explains. "You must eat small meals or snacks every few hours" to help keep your metabolism going.

For more diet and fitness tips, visit www.jackiewarner.com.

To help get the year started off right, this month we're spotlighting a few different tips on New Year's resolutions courtesy of Jeff Silverman, a personal trainer at Peak Performance in New York City.

On the fitness front, Jeff stresses to be realistic in setting your goals. "Start off saying you will workout 3 days a week," he recommends, instead of picking a number you might not be able to stick to. It's also good to be sensible when choosing a gym. "Pick a gym that is close to your home or office," he suggests, "and if you can, plan "gym dates" with a workout partner, since you're less likely to make up an excuse to not work out if friend is involved." And since cold weather is often the biggest deterrent to heading to the gym, Jeff also suggests keeping some workout tools around the house. "Stock up on resistance bands, dumbbells, jump rope, stability balls, or medicine balls. These are all items that can be easily stored, and that help make for very efficient workouts when hitting the gym isn't an option."

According to Linda Farrell, founder and president of comprehensive online fitness resource, LindaFit Pilates, many people drop off of their workout regime in the fall and winter, since the cooler weather makes a trip to the gym seem unbearable. For those days when you just can’t stand to venture outside, Farrell has developed a series of Pilates-based exercises that can be done at home or the office. One of our favorites: the Swan Dive, a chest and shoulder stretch that helps relieve the strain of hunching over a desk all day. This easy move will also work to strengthen the abdominal muscles, which are crucial for proper spinal support.

To do the Swan Dive, sit straight in your chair, lengthen your arms in front of you and press hands gently on to the desk top. (Move your chair closer or further away to make sure arms are straight and feet are flat on the floor.) Inhale and lengthen up through spine, then gently press down through your hands as you arch the top of the head and neck backwards, feeling the spine deepening between the shoulder blades. Exhale and hold the position for a moment, keeping the abdominals strongly engaged up the front of the trunk. Inhale and start to lengthen the spine up between the shoulder blades, bringing the neck and head upright last. Repeat 5 times, then gently round the spine forward when you are done, keeping arms gently placed on the desk.