How about making a new kind of resolution this year, one that can actually change your life? That resolution would be to patch up a rift with someone by using the power of forgiveness.

When I put together our book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Power of Forgiveness, I was astounded by how many of the contributors talked about the freedom they felt after forgiving someone. They hadn’t realized how much they were harming themselves by holding onto resentment.

My co-author for the book — the actor, writer and producer Anthony Anderson — shared his own story, “The Forgiveness of Robert and Me,” about finally having a meaningful conversation with his mostly absentee biological father right before he died. They talked for hours and it was liberating. Anthony says, “I sleep peacefully at night knowing that I was able to release my father from a burden of guilt as well as Robert releasing me from the burden of anger I had towards him.” And he comments on why we need to use the power of forgiveness and says, “Life is fleeting. We need to live in the moment and love in the moment.”

One of our contributors, Joe Rector, wrote a story called “Coaching the Coach” about what happened when he resigned as coach of his son’s baseball team after some parents complained that their sons were not getting enough playing time. The father who took Joe’s spot exacted revenge on him by not letting Joe’s son play for the rest of the season. Joe remained angry for years, until one day his son said to him, “Dad, it’s time to quit being mad. I’m okay now and don’t care.” Joe realized he was right and he forgave the other father. He says, “Almost immediately, I felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders.” He was able to enjoy baseball again. The only person he had been hurting during all those years was himself.

As Christina Galeone wrote in her poem called “The Road Ahead,” “anger begets anger” and “rage stumbles forward, steamrolling good as well as bad.” Forgiveness brings peace. Rage and anger bring nothing but more of the same.

One strategy is to focus on the motivation of the person who hurt you. Sometimes, when you realize that he or she didn’t do it on purpose, all the resentment will disappear. And while you’re at it, don’t forget about self-forgiveness. You’re doing your best, right? That messy home office isn’t really hurting anyone!

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The 19-year-old Keeping Up with the Kardashians star and model made her second appearance on Love magazine's 2015 advent calendar on Christmas Eve, and she absolutely smoldered in a forest fire scene in hot black lingerie.

The video, titled "YuleFire," was shot by James Lima. It shows Jenner dancing among the flames of the forest fire in a black, lacy Chantilly teddy, matching panties, suspenders and sheer black thigh-high stockings, torn at the toes. She's rocking a wintry vampy look, with a heavy smoky eye and dark purple lipstick.

More: 7 Things Kylie and Kendall Jenner are teaching your teens

"The idea came to me in a dream, like most of my concepts for films often do," Lima said about the video. "I saw this figure, this vision of a woman as an ancient force, elemental, and mystical. She is a goddess who created the seasons, the elements, and the concept of astronomical time."

He continued, "Kendall is the perfect person to play this character. She is beautiful, powerful, fearless, and yet vulnerable. She committed 100 percent to the concept; she was an amazing collaborator. And of course, the backgrounds are all composited visual effects. I would never have put Kendall in a real forest fire!"

This is Jenner's second time appearing in this year's Love advent — she was also featured on Dec. 1. She was in three of the advent calendar's videos last year.

More: Balmain and H&M has finally landed, but there's very bad news for shoppers

What do you think of Kendall Jenner's Love advent calendar look? Let us know down in the comments.

More: Farrah Abraham slammed mercilessly for her adoption news

A new teaser for new episodes of Teen Mom OG, beginning Jan. 4, shows Abraham continuing her nasty feud with one of the show's producers, Larry Musnik.

Abraham hasn't been shy about her feelings about Musnik — she's pushed and hit him before, and most recently called him a "twisted motherf***er." But the new video shows her going a step further when Musnik tries to corner her outside a store to talk about an upcoming event.

"I just need to correct this with Johnny because this is a promoted event right now," Musnik says to Abraham in the clip, referencing her manager, Johnny Donovan. "It's using the network logo, and you know that we just can't do that. We can figure this out if we all talk about it."

More: Farrah Abraham's retaliation to her costars' diss makes things much worse

Abraham clearly doesn't want to talk about it, as she begins to back her car out of it's parking space even while Musnik is still standing near the open passenger side door.

"Sure. You know what? Then I won't be a part of the logo, and you guys can all go eat s***," Abraham shouts at him. "Shut the f***ing door, Larry."

Eventually, a security guard gets involved. Musnik tries to explain that he works with Abraham, but she denies it.

"No, he does not work with me," she tells the guard. "Sir, can you just shut my door? Sir, can you shut my door so I can leave?"

The guard complies, and shuts Abraham's car door, allowed her to speed out of the parking lot, leaving Musnik looking a little bewildered.

More: Farrah Abraham causes backlash after branding her daughter 'selfish'

Check out the full video of the confrontation below, and then head to the comments and tell us: Do you think it's time for Farrah Abraham to give her feud with Larry Musnik a rest?

Puff pastry dough is simply rolled out and filled with cooked turkey taco meat, refried beans, a bit of cheese and a dollop of sour cream for a new and improved way to eat your favorite meal.

To keep this dinner speedy, you can prepare your taco meat a day or two in advance so it's ready when you are to make your hand pies.

You can also make these vegetarian by skipping on the meat altogether and adding extra beans, cooked diced potatoes or tomatoes. Another bonus: These hand pies freeze well, making them a handy, homemade after-school snack or quick, ready-made meal.

Turkey taco hand pies recipe

Serves 6

Prep time: 15 minutes | Bake time: 30 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
• 1 cup cooked taco-seasoned lean ground turkey (or use beef or chicken)
• 1 cup refried beans
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Fresh cilantro, for garnish
• Salsa, for serving

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cut each sheet of pastry dough into 3 pieces for a total of 6 pieces, and place them on the baking sheet.
3. Divide the turkey taco meat, refried beans, cheese and sour cream among the dough pieces, placing each ingredient on 1 side of the dough.
4. Gently fold the other half of the dough over the top, covering the filling, and press the edges down to seal.
5. Bake the hand pies uncovered for 25 – 30 minutes or until the dough is golden brown.
6. Remove from the oven, and garnish with fresh cilantro. Best served warm with a salsa (if desired).

More hand pie recipes

Honey barbecue chicken hand pies
Chocolate, ricotta and pear hand pies
Blueberry hand pies

In what many consider to be a new childbirth trend, right alongside eating during labor and delaying cord clamping, new moms are opting to delay baby's first bath — sometimes, for a few days after birth. In the past few years, delayed bathing has been popping up as a hot topic on birthing forums like What to Expect and The Bump.

A growing number of moms are choosing to leave the vernix (the waxy, white coating on a newborn's body) on a baby after birth to improve after-birth bonding and to offer an easier transition into breastfeeding. Some moms who adopted the no-bathing practice said that their babies smelled "wonderful" and held off on that first bath for up to four days.

Are these new moms just lazy, or do they know something we don't? We asked a few experts to weigh in on any potential benefits of waiting to give a baby their first bath.

The advantages of skipping Baby's first bath

Great news for the moms who don't have "bathing a baby" at the top of their new parent to-do list: Experts say there are a few medical benefits to holding off on a baby's first bath. But before we dig right into the research, it helps to understand a little more about the vernix — that cheese-like coating that babies are born with on their skin.

More: Are "gentle C-sections" the new trend when it comes to birth options?

Vernix begins to cover a baby in the womb at 18 weeks into pregnancy, and it has a very specific purpose. Vernix, made of the oil and skin cells that slough off a baby's skin in utero, helps to protect a baby inside and outside of Mom's oven. In the womb, vernix can moisturize a baby's skin and make it easier to slide out of the birth canal. Outside of the womb, vernix can conserve heat after birth and seal a baby's delicate skin from the outside world.

"It's like a fatty cream that absorbs into the skin if not wiped off," says Dr. Aaron Rossi, a private practice chiropractor in Covington, Georgia. He continues, "When you think about it, amniotic fluid evolved as the ideal environment to grow a baby in, so is it really that bad to keep it on the new baby's skin a little while? The amniotic fluid that is left on the baby will positively influence the proper amounts and proper production of vitamin K — removing the importance of the after-birth vitamin K shot. How? The amount and type of friendly bacteria living on us and in us, called the microbiome, is of crucial importance to human health. And it's the bacteria living in our gut that produces much of the vitamin K we need. The amniotic fluid, remaining on the skin until dry, positively influences our microbiome."

Choosing not to wash babies after birth is not a new concept, according to Laurie MacLeod. MacLeod says that in her work as a midwife at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, she's seen parents wait at least 12 hours or longer to bathe their newborn for the first time. Putting off the first bath is normally done to minimize separation between mother and baby at the hospital and to stabilize a newborn's temperature after birth. And of course, there are health benefits too. MacLeod explains, "The vernix does not need to be wiped or washed off. It has been shown to contain immunities in it to help strengthen Baby's immune system and helps to keep the skin nicely moisturized. It can just be rubbed off by the parents."

More: Crowd-birthing is the latest childbirth trend and it sounds like hell

For Kay Johnson, CNM at Atlanta Birth Care, it's this mother-baby bonding benefit that is one of the biggest. Johnson points out that research published just weeks ago, to be presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference & Exhibition, shows that immediate skin-to-skin contact after birth (putting off that first bath) can help to relieve maternal stress after labor. Johnson says, "Bathing the baby involves separating the mother and baby during the first critical hours that also affect bonding and milk stimulation and perhaps more subtle postpartum events like normal uterine activities that control bleeding."

How long is too long to wait?

Holding off on a baby's first bath for all of the benefits mentioned above is all fine and good, but when is the time right to first introduce your baby to water? Some mothers chose to wait for more than half a week after birth. MacLeod says some of her patients wait anywhere from 12 hours to several days to bathe their babies.

More: What's the deal with orgasmic birth?

And for Dr. Rossi, he practices what he preaches — all of his four children were born at home, and the amniotic fluid was left on until it absorbed and dried on its own. His children were first bathed with Mom after the vernix had dried completely. Rossi describes the experience as "peaceful, happy, completely non-dramatic."

Like many other aspects of the birthing process, waiting to bathe a baby is ultimately a decision parents will have to discuss with their doctor and make for themselves. From a pediatrician's perspective, Dr. Deepak Patel of the online health portal iCliniq says he doesn't see a reason why a baby should be bathed right after birth. He advises, "I think that a time period of at least six hours in a hot climate and at least 24 hours in a cold climate should be given to the child for bathing."

Hey, it's doctor's orders.

In a new video, the YouTube star said that in the days after, her "normal, 20-year-old skin" turned into a canvas of painful red cysts and pimples that sent her into depression because she felt "disgusting."

"Every day, I was crying," she says in her video of the period after getting the Mirena IUD inserted. "And I don't know if it was the acne that was causing me to be so emotional... or my hormones being super whacked out and unbalanced."

More: 13 Surprising skin care routines that worked for former acne sufferers

She eventually went to a dermatologist, who told her that acne from the Mirena "happens a lot," so she eventually decided to have it removed and started an Accutane treatment regimen to eliminate the acne. It took six months, but her skin finally went back to the clear complexion she had pre-IUD.

The Mirena is a hormonal IUD, meaning it releases a progestin hormone called levonorgestrel that is often used in birth control pills. It releases levonorgestrel into the uterus, but only a small part of that goes into the blood. It contains no estrogen like other birth control pills, so some women still experience acne after it's inserted. A recent Reddit thread attracted comments from women who experienced an increase in acne.

"My acne actually got worse when I was on Mirena. I had it in for three years before I realized it was contributing to my worsened acne. It was removed about two months ago and I started the Pill; finally things are starting to clear up. It's been a long process," one commenter wrote.

More: How to get over your microbead addiction without sacrificing clear skin

But others noticed no difference. "The Pill always made my hormonal acne a bit worse, but Mirena had no noticeable effect for me," added another woman.

The good news: While the Mirena might cause some breakouts, it's treatable for most women.

"Most of my patients who had this side effect were able to use topical acne treatments and retain the IUD," Hilda Y. Hutcherson, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University Medical Center, told Allure.com of the birth control method many female doctors use themselves. "I think the value of a very effective method of birth control that is convenient to use outweighed the inconvenience of treating the acne in these women."

And if things don't get better? There are other IUDs available that contain no hormones at all.

More: 5 Simple tips for getting better skin — no matter what your skin type

The results? Women pay 7 percent more, on average, for most products. The biggest differences were in adult clothing — women pay 8 percent more — and personal care products — women pay 13 percent more.

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Examples of the "pink tax" — which is what the pricing discrepancies are called — include shampoo and conditioner ($8.38 for women; $5.68 for men), razor cartridges ($17.30 for women; $15.61 for women) and lotion ($8.26 for women; $7.43 for men). Denim jeans are another big difference, with men paying $68 for a pair for every $88 a woman pays.

Ugh. Just... ugh.

"While DCA's study does not estimate an annual financial impact of gender pricing for goods, the findings of this study suggest women are paying thousands of dollars more over the course of their lives to purchase similar products as men," the study authors wrote in the final report. "Though there may be 'legitimate drivers' behind some portion of the price discrepancies unearthed in this study, these higher prices are mostly unavoidable for women."

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Women, in general, spend a huge part of their budgets on fashion and beauty products — much more than the average man. Pair that with the fact that women make 21 percent less than men and it creates a situation where we're are at a huge disadvantage in life with disproportioned expectations on how we're supposed to look and act.

The simple answer to this is to purchase the male version of products whenever possible, but that's not the point. Our best bet is to continue making noise with studies like these on social media. Activism does work and it's beyond time for us to make our voices heard.

More: 16 Bra types every woman should know about

More: Bristol Palin's latest baby bump pic attacked by haters (PHOTO)

The daughter of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin got an early Christmas gift when she welcomed her second child, a daughter, into the world on Wednesday.

"My sweet Sailor Grace was born yesterday, our family couldn't be more complete," Palin wrote on Instagram alongside a sweet photo of her cuddling the newborn in her hospital bed. The photo was shared Thursday, Christmas Eve.

"My heart just doubled," she captioned a second photo, showing baby Sailor and her big brother, Tripp, who turns 7 this weekend.

The entire Palin family seemed ready to welcome little Sailor, whose name was revealed back in November. Around the same time, grandma Sarah gave an interview to CBS News, gushing about how excited she was to meet her new granddaughter.

"I can't wait for about 45 more days, and I'm gonna have a little baby granddaughter," she said at the time. "And I'm happy about it."

More: Sarah Palin finally speaks out about her daughter Bristol's pregnancy

She added, "Being a single mom is, oh, my goodness, my heart goes out to the single parents. But my enormous admiration for what it is that they're able to accomplish doing double duty. And I watch Bristol do double duty all the time, you know, with her little boy, Tripp."

Bristol Palin, who has been a staunch advocate for abstinence outside of marriage, has come under fire for now having two children out of wedlock. She announced her second pregnancy in an honest and humble blog post.

"I know this has been, and will be, a huge disappointment to my family, to my close friends, and to many of you," she wrote. "But please respect Tripp's and my privacy during this time. I do not want any lectures and I do not want any sympathy."

More: Pregnant Bristol Palin reveals that her unborn baby's already been named

What do you think of the cute photos of Bristol Palin's daughter?

More: Robert Downey Jr. has some harsh words for journalist he walked out on

According to E! News, the Iron Man actor has been pardoned by California Governor Jerry Brown for a string of drug and alcohol-related offenses he was convicted of in the 1990s.

Fifty-year-old Downey was one of 91 people who received official holiday pardons this year, many of whom had also been convicted of crimes related to drug use. Downey had been requesting clemency for years before being officially pardoned on Christmas Eve.

In November of 1996, Downey was sentenced for possession of a controlled substance, carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle with a prior conviction, driving under the influence with priors and use of a controlled substance. According to E! News, he served just over a year in prison, followed by nearly three years of probation. He was released in 2002, just before his film career really took off.

More: Robert Downey Jr.'s MTV Movie Awards speech sends teens a powerful message

According to the pardon documents, Downey "obtained from the Superior Court of the State of California in and for the County of Los Angeles an order dated Oct. 20, 2015, evidencing that since his release from custody, he has lived an honest and upright life, exhibited good moral character and conducted himself as a law-abiding citizen." The official pardon also states that he "paid his debt to society and earned a full and unconditional pardon."

Downey petitioned for clemency, citing his recovery from drug and alcohol addiction, as well as his successful career, philanthropy and family, which includes his wife, producer Susan Downey, and two kids, 3-year-old Exton and 1-year-old Avri.

More: Robert Downey Jr. shares first picture of his blue-eyed baby (PHOTO)

Do you think Robert Downey Jr. deserved to be pardoned for his past crimes? Head down to the comments and let us know.

Recently, I found myself strolling through the aisles of my local grocery store looking for candy canes. When I asked someone working the floor to direct me to said candy canes, certain I must have missed them, he pointed me in the direction of the blue fruit-flavored cane-shaped candies. Obviously, these imitation canes were masquerading as the real thing and wouldn't do at all, so I went home defeated.

I'm not the only Canadian suffering from a lack of my favourite Christmas candies. Many retailers have been unable to stock the holiday staple on shelves this year, thanks to a U.S. takeover of a popular Canadian candy cane brand. It turns out, the candy canes we know and love were manufactured by the company Allan Candy. Recently, Hershey's took this company over, and for whatever reason, they're no longer manufacturing enough candies to meet Canada's very serious needs this time of year.

Why is this happening to us?

The Hershey's owned Allan Candy apparently "told all the retailers that they were not going to produce candy canes for this year's Christmas for 2015," explained Mitchell Eng — a man who orders candy canes for London Drugs Canada — in an interview with CBC News.

This crisis is also affecting people like Dick Wording, who dresses up as Santa at Vancouver events. Wording told CBC that he tried to stock up on the 7,000 peppermint candy canes he typically buys each year, but could only track down yucky fruit-flavoured candy canes covered in cartoon characters like Frozen's Elsa and Batman.

"There was cherry, raspberry and watermelon, if you can believe it. The peach ones were awful," Wording told CBC.

More: Chocolate peanut butter bark

How do we survive?

If you're lucky, you may find a retailer who ordered candy canes from one of the brands working to fill the candy cane void in our nation, like Karma Candy, a Hamilton-based manufacturer. "Our sales of candy canes have exploded — up, in essence, 30 percent year over year with the same customers," Karma Candy's Craig Bliss explained to CBC.

More: Buckeye bark: An easy alternative to buckeye balls

Alternatives to candy canes

If you can't get your hands on any candy canes, you may have to have to get creative in the kitchen.

You don't have to give up your Christmas bark — check out these delicious candy cane-free bark ideas that people are sharing on social media. You can swap out your usual candy cane for ingredients like pistachios, Craisins, dried fruit, M&M's, pretzels or sprinkles:

And you can still get that minty taste without the canes themselves. Try adding a little peppermint oil — or better yet Peppermint Schnapps — to your usual hot chocolate. Because once you've had a few Peppermint Schnapps hot chocolates, you'll have forgotten our national candy cane crisis entirely.

More: 23 Gluten-free Christmas cookie recipes to try this holiday season

I knew I’d start on January 1, so in the days leading up to the new year, I found a couple of support groups that would help me be accountable on my journey. If other people knew that I was accepting this challenge, I’d feel more pressure to not give up. I decided to use Instagram as my platform and joined up with the My4Hens P365 group. I also created my own hashtag to use because hashtags are awesome. So, #fox5p365 became my little niche in the P365 world and gave me some added motivation to post every day. I learned quickly that support and motivation would be the key to finishing this project.

With an online group and the support of my sweet family, I began the challenge on January 1, 2015. I’m proud to say I haven’t missed a day the entire year, and with only a few weeks left, I better not! Going into the project, I didn’t have a clear goal of what I wanted to accomplish other than just taking the photos.

As the year progressed, I found my groove and began approaching my photography with intentionality. Using only my iPhone camera (I knew I wouldn’t lug around my big camera everywhere I went), I began looking for ways to improve my photos. I learned a lot about my iPhone’s capabilities and began to love the photos I could take with it. I learned that although my “real” camera is still the best, the iPhone is pretty darn good, and having any camera with me is far better than having none at all.

It was so interesting to see how our family was evolving. I could literally see my children growing and changing from week to week. Those little things I tend to overlook because I see them every day became apparent when looking back on the photos. I learned that kids grow way faster than you realize. It’s much easier to see in print.

I also learned that we’re a busy family. Sure, I can feel the hustle and bustle in our daily lives, but looking back over an entire year’s worth of activities showed me just how much we do. Between sports and dance and trips and just life, we’ve lived a full year. I’m looking for ways to scale back the busyness, and this project has shown me areas where we can find some extra down time.

Most importantly, I’ve learned that our memories are more important than any material item we have. Now I’ve seen firsthand how much of the year I tend to forget. The day-to-day, seemingly mundane tasks and activities become a blur and are easily forgotten. This photo documentation has shown me how amazing it is to hold on to these memories. What did I do on June 23? Well, all I have to do is look back on my photo from that day and memories will come flooding back. Before P365, I couldn’t have done that.

Project 365 has changed the way I view photography, but more importantly, it’s changed the way I value our family’s memories. Time is too precious to let the little moments be forgotten, and I’ve learned that I can savor them through a photo a day. Keeping up with this project hasn’t been easy, but it’s been so, so worth it.

More: Teaching your kids not to be sore losers

In truth it's all good fun and Trival Pursuit is definitely way more interesting when winning is a matter of life and death. But when it comes to playing games with the younger generation should we be curbing that competitive instinct and — heaven forbid — let them win?

You may be surprised but the answer is no. Or, at least, not all the time.

That's right — you may think you're doing the right thing by letting your little one hammer you at Monopoly or MarioKart but experts say it's actually more beneficial to let them experience losing.

"Everyone remembers the kid in the playground who kicked the ball into the woods when he lost the game," Matthew Biel, a paediatric psychiatrist at Georgetown University Medical Center, told The Wall Street Journal. "That kid wasn't given the skills to recover from failure. You don't want to be that kid."

At around the age of 5 or 6 children become interested in competitive games because they are typically old enough to understand rules, judge odds and recognise fair play.

"You have to recognise the stakes are really high for kids. That doesn't mean they are immature. They are playing the game with the appropriate level of gravity," said Biel. "It's why it's so much fun to play with them."

More: How classic board games can be fun and recreational

I experienced this first-hand myself with my 5-year-old daughter recently. We were playing a simple card game and I tried to fix it so she won. She clocked me right away and was having none of it. If anything, losing the game made her want to play more and she became more determined than ever to figure it out. Until she won, fair and square, and she was delighted.

By throwing a game to a child we run the risk of them sensing that we're not fully committed to the process, which they may interpret as a lack of faith in their ability.

The best option seems to be simply to play the game without any agenda. Don't go out of your way to let your young opponent win or lose. If they win congratulate them but don't act disappointed — keep the emphasis on how much fun it was to play, regardless of the outcome. This helps them learn how to handle losing. If they lose set the example of how to be a graceful winner. A high-five or a handshake is a great way to start instilling the habits of a good sportsman.

The thing about coming from a competitive family is that, we're all so keen to win, our positions on the leaderboard are constantly changing. Which means we've had to get used to losing, whether we liked it or not. And what I've learned is that losing doesn't destroy self-esteem; it helps to overcome a fear of failure. By becoming familiar with losing, we grow less afraid of it and this carries over into other parts of our lives that require courage and faith in our abilities.

Do you let your kid win at games? Let us know in the comments below.

More: Pet-themed Monopoly should be on every animal lover's Christmas list

If you're into fitness, you've probably heard of Pasternak. Stars — including Megan Fox, Katy Perry, Ariana Grande, Kim Kardashian West, Lady Gaga, Adam Levine and many more — owe their incredible bikini bods to him. Was I going to look like Fox after a 45-minute sweaty, painful workout? Probably not — but I did learn a great deal in the short time I chatted with the fitness stud and it’s improved my health ever since.

Even though what Pasternak preaches is so simple, he packages the “rules” in a unique way. Pasternak’s secret is that there is no secret! A fit body and healthy lifestyle isn’t exclusive to the rich and famous, and it doesn’t need to break the bank or cause you tons of grief. It’s time to say, "good riddance, evil juice cleanses," (my boyfriend is happy about that…) and commit to incorporating Pasternak’s five easy rules into your lifestyle every day.

And it really did work for me. I’m a normal woman who's tried tons of fad diets — more than I can count. I’m in decent shape, but have plenty of insecurities. This program made me realize it’s not about the number on the scale — it’s about how I feel. And I feel a heck of a lot better these days. Most importantly, I learned we just need to move more.

Rule No. 1: Eat five meals a day that are full of protein and fiber

Pretty basic, right? I'm sure you've heard this just as many times as I have, but it's better to eat five smaller meals packed with protein and fiber than three huge meals throughout the day. One awesome takeaway I got from Pasternak's program is that bread is OK! And, as long as you don't have celiac disease, so is gluten! The best way to make sure you're not eating empty carbs is to pick bread that has at least 3 grams of fiber. Obviously, everything in moderation, but I happily welcomed bread back into my every day.

More: 5 Ways to lose weight without feeling deprived

Bonus: Pasternak's recipes are delicious. He claims they’re easy to make, but first time around, it did take me longer than I hoped. The taste was worth it, and I found easier ways to make the recipes the more I attempted them. His Italian frittata with zucchini, leaks and Parmesan (I hold the Parm) has become a morning regular.

The sweet potato hash with turkey sausage was beyond good. I'm salivating just thinking about it.

Rule No. 2: Flex your muscles daily

Pasternak's got a pretty cool perspective on working out that seems so simple you may just laugh. All he wants you to do is 15 minutes of resistance exercises a day.

Anyone can do anything for 15 minutes. His book provides a three-week plan of exercises — you only do one per day — and if you're dedicated enough to squeeze them in, you'll see your muscles tightening. I did. Fifteen minutes and 10,000 steps a day are better than only really working out two to three times a week. It all adds up, and the more you do, the more results you see. It's all about consistency and building better habits and life-lasting changes.

More: Why women gain unwanted weight in fall and how to prevent it

Rule No. 3: Just keep moving

In general, Pasternak says our society has become too stationary, and he's right. Many of us sit all day long. So during the five-day plan (and every day after), he urges you to take 10,000 steps. If you're not sure how, just play a game of chase on your lunch break.

If you have a desk job, you have to proactively try to reach 10,000 steps. On day three of my five-day plan, I looked down at my Fitbit after work, and it only read 4,659 steps. I've learned to get up every couple of hours to walk around, I stand while taking phone calls and I choose restaurants in walking distance for lunch. Like Pasternak says, you should only sit when you're being transported from one destination to the next.

The Fitbit seriously helps (aka it's worth the money). Last night, I looked down at my wrist and was 21 steps away from my daily goal — so I dragged myself out of bed and walked around my room until I felt the bracelet vibrate. It was only 21 steps. I could have just let it go, no one would have known. But I felt pretty good about myself, knowing I had stuck to my commitment and reached a goal I had set for myself. The Fitbit constantly keeps me on my toes... literally.

Rule No. 4: Get eight hours of sleep

You've heard this so many times, but you need a good night's rest to have a good next day — mentally and physically. If you're tired, your cravings take over and your willpower backs away. Pasternak — who provides tons of information in his book — also explains that lack of sleep also actually contributes to weight gain. Your body doesn't burn fat for energy well, your appetite really increases and you have less energy to hit those 10,000 steps.

It's another simple change, but really can make all the difference. You'll feel more refreshed and prepared to take on the day and stay committed to your health goals. It was hard for me to quit my late-night Netflix binge watching, but since I have, my room has become a "relaxation only" room and my attitude, in general, has improved.

More: The Five Bite Diet trend: Friend or foe?

Rule No. 5: Unplug and unwind

Technology is taking over our lives and while it makes life easier in so many ways, it can take a serious toll. Pasternak explains that more TV watching is associated with more overeating, poor food choices and can contribute to obesity. Not only that, but studies also prove overuse of technology and the constant sounds of pinging phones and social media lead to anxiety, depression and stress.

By unplugging your electronics and meditating, journaling, doing household chores, taking a stroll, doing resistance training or anything electronic-free, you're allowing your brain to take a much needed break. Plus, you're staying connected to yourself and what you need to stay sane.

After only five days of the plan, this has become essential to my every day routine. I never noticed how unhappy I was — I wasn't listening to my body and I was overwhelmed with stress. By taking an hour to just focus on me, I've started enjoying life so much more.

Read all this and much more in the book because the details Pasternak provides make a big difference.

According to recent study by the Fraser Institute's 2015 Generosity Index, "Americans are much more generous than Canadians," said Charles Lammam, the institute's director of fiscal studies. "So much so that in some cases, they are 2-1/2 times more generous when we look at the share of income being donated."

Don't like the sound of that? Me either. Let's prove them wrong. Check out these top charitable organizations worth supporting in the new year.

More: Brooke Burns loves working with charities, and so should you

Support girls in world's poorest countries

Plan International's Because I Am a Girl campaign was created to help girls living in the poorest regions of the world. Girls are more likely than boys to live in poverty, suffer from malnourishment and be denied health care and access to education, so the work Because I Am a Girl does is often crucial to those it serves. If you donate to the Because I Am a Girl campaign, your money will go to a variety of worthwhile programs working toward everything ranging from ending child marriage to supporting female entrepreneurs.

Help Syrian refugees resettle

Syrian refugees need your help now more than ever. The U.N. estimates that 13.5 million people urgently need help leaving the conflict zone, 6.5 million of whom are displaced from their homes. The Canadian government created the Syria Relief Fund in September 2015, with promises to match every charitable dollar donated to registered charitable organizations in response to the crisis in Syria.

This conflict has a high toll on Syrian women: "Women have been particularly affected by the violence in Syria and when they flee to neighboring countries," explains Oxfam. "Forced and child marriage, rape and sexual harassment are common occurrences. Women and girls rarely report such incidents, and so they occur with impunity."

A donation to Oxfam will be matched by the Canadian government and help them continue worthwhile projects, such as building washrooms with running water in a Jordan refugee camp and refugee settlements in Lebanon.

More: Angelina Jolie exposes charity's unethical practices

Improve the lives of Inuit women in Canada

Women living in Inuit communities face unique challenges. Pauktuutit — an organization working to provide resources to Inuit women and their children — attempts to make their lives better through working to prevent abuse, advocating on behalf of the health and safety of Inuit women and providing counselling services to those who need it.

"Contemporary social conditions such as inadequate and overcrowded housing, high rates of unemployment and poverty, low educational attainment, food insecurity and more contemporary problems such as substance abuse and the highest rates of suicide in the country have contributed to Inuit regions having the highest rates of violence in the country," the organization explains.

Pauktuutit needs your help given that in 2014 its president, Rebecca Kudloo, called out the federal government for not giving more funding to the organization: “With all the social ills in the North, it doesn’t make sense that we’re receiving very little money to help women deal with abuse."

More: Angelina Jolie's interviews with ISIS victims will tear you apart

Help women in conflict with the law

The Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies helps women in prison and advocates on behalf of women criminalized by the law. Your donation will help local Elizabeth Fry Societies across Canada work to improve the "availability of community-based, publicly funded, social service, health and educational resources available for marginalized, victimized, criminalized, and imprisoned women," while working to address issues such as poverty and racism in the justice system.

Thirty-year-old Cretaz is now living in Boston with her husband, and for the first time in her life, she's refusing to have sex. While Michelle Duggar would definitely disapprove of this decision, Cretaz's reasoning will ultimately strengthen her marriage. She fully intends to have sex again, but only when she really and truly wants to.

Cretaz put it succinctly in a piece she wrote for Cosmo: "I refuse to spend any more of my life having sex for other people. I'm sick of the messages that tell us we should do it for our husbands, to make them happy. Resigned silence, for me, is not consent. Compromise sex, for me, is not pleasurable." In light of that, her wonderful husband is standing behind her in complete support. More than anyone, he wants his wife to enjoy and be present during sex with him.

More: How to be supportive of your partner's sexual fetish

Cretaz is far from the only woman who feels like sex has become more obligation than anything else. Susan Elliott, author of Getting Past your Breakup tells us, "Many women feel as if men have a more active libido than women do, and they personalize their disinterest in sex or don’t feel comfortable saying no. Women, unlike men, tend to take on guilt when they are not interested in sex. They also have difficulties expressing their feelings to their partner even if they have a great relationship."

Ultimately, they feel like their relationship will suffer and/or their partner will lose interest if they don't comply. Christine, a writer from New York, says she feels pressure to have sex with her husband when she's not really into it at least twice a month.

"It's hard to say no sometimes. Especially if you're both super busy, and it's been weeks since you last had sex. I feel like I have no excuse to say no in those precious few free moments we have together."

Then there are the women who simply ignore their disinterest, because they've been programmed to think regular sex equals a happy marriage.

"I'm pretty sure my parents rarely if ever had sex. They were never romantic in front of us, and divorced when I was 12. Now my boyfriend and I have sex four times a week, but I'd say I'd be totally fine if we halved, even quartered that number. But then maybe he'd think there was something wrong with us," said Dana, a Los Angeles animator.

More: Calling out slut-shamers is just as dangerous as using the term 'slut'

Elliott says this is a common pattern in which couples tend to fall. It's an easy issue to ignore for long periods of time. However, then it becomes the uncomfortable elephant in the room. "If a woman is in a good marriage with a supportive partner, they need to discuss this as they do anything else. Too often, there are happy couples who have not really tackled this issue because everything else is so good."

Then there are the women who suffer from the same thing, but aren't lucky enough to have a long-term, supportive partner. One of my best friends has spent her entire dating life sleeping with men to feel pretty and wanted. While this is in part due to low self-esteem, it's also an unfortunate result of how sexually available our society suggests women need to be in order for men to like them. As such, she's grown to believe sex is one of the only things she has to offer, and that in turn rubs off on her dates.

More: 9 Reasons feminist men are better in bed

Getting older and watching friends couple off and get married doesn't help the situation. Now she thinks there's something inherently wrong with her that can't be fixed. Sex makes her feel wanted, if only for a short while, but she doesn't actually enjoy the act, just the attention. She, like Cretaz and the many other women who can relate to this, would benefit from abstaining from sex for a while if only to better "know her own boundaries and feelings about sex," as Elliott puts it. Then maybe she'll start to realize she's so much more than a one night stand.

Polenta is a classic Italian dish that is simple yet filling. You can serve it topped with many different ingredients. This recipe includes roasted tomatoes, eggplant and onion. Roasting veggies brings out a touch of caramelization and sweetness.

Grab your favorite tomato sauce and some grated Parmesan cheese too to top your polenta. You’ll have a flavorful and filling dish for dinner (or lunch) in under 30 minutes.

Note: Gluten can be found in many different foods and products, from ketchup to soy sauce to candy and seasonings. While SheKnows tries to ensure that these recipes are gluten-free, carefully read the ingredient labels of all food and food products you use for these recipes to ensure they are also gluten-free.

Creamy polenta with roasted tomatoes, onion and eggplant recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes | Total time: 35 minutes

Serves 4 – 6 

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small eggplant, end trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch rounds, then cut again into cubes
• 1 onion, cut into small wedges
• 4 Roma tomatoes, cut into quarters, then cut again in half
• Salt and black pepper, to season the vegetables
• 1 cup polenta
• 4 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• Grated Parmesan cheese, as garnish
• Nonstick cooking spray

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly spray 2 baking pans with the nonstick cooking spray.
2. Add the vegetables to the baking pans (put the eggplant on its own pan) in a single layer.
3. Drizzle the vegetables with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with the salt and pepper.
4. Place in the oven, and roast, tossing occasionally. The eggplant will likely finish roasting before the tomatoes and onion do. Remove the vegetables when they soften and begin to caramelize slightly.
5. As the vegetables are cooking, prepare the polenta. To a large pan, add the water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring the water to a boil. Add the polenta a little at a time, stirring until it begins to thicken.
6. Reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring frequently, for approximately 25 minutes.
7. Stir the butter into the mixture.
8. Serve on individual plates, each topped with a few spoonfuls of tomato sauce, the vegetables and Parmesan cheese.

More gluten-free recipes

Hoisin-glazed chicken with roasted green beans
Spicy shrimp and spaghetti squash with Gorgonzola
Cinnamon-spiced pear Dutch baby pancake

One of my all-time favorite rice pudding flavors is chocolate because I grew up with it. It is easy and simple to make, with straightforward chocolate and rice flavors. But this time I used dark chocolate and candied orange peel. And for a more intense touch of orange, add a splash of Cointreau, an orange-flavored liqueur. Imagine the orange accent you taste with every spoonful you eat. Delicious.

Dark chocolate rice pudding with candied orange peel recipe

Serves 2 – 3

Prep time: 3 minutes | Cook time: 22 minutes | Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked rice, like Arborio
• 4 cups milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons candied orange peel, finely chopped, plus a few strips for garnish
• 3.5 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons Cointreau or similar orange-flavored liqueur (optional)

Directions:

1. To a medium pot over high heat, add the rice, milk and sugar, and bring it to a boil. When boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the rice is tender with a creamy consistency. Stir occasionally.
2. Add the chocolate, 2 tablespoons of candied orange peel and the Cointreau (if using), and mix well until the chocolate has completely melted and is mixed with the rice.
3. Transfer to individual bowls, and garnish with the remaining chopped candied orange peel and strips.

More rice dessert recipes

Grilled mochi skewers with salted caramel sauce
Rice Krispies Treat ornaments
Rice pudding caramel cake

More: Bristol Palin got an amazing early Christmas present (PHOTO)

On Christmas Eve, Palin shared the first photos of her newborn baby girl, Sailor Grace, who was born Wednesday. And while throughout Palin's pregnancy, she never chose to reveal the identity of the little girl's father, her ex-fiancé, Dakota Meyer, may have just given us a huge clue.

Meyer shared a photo of Sailor in her mom's arms at the hospital on Twitter Thursday, with the caption, "Best Christmas present ever!! I couldn't be more proud of this little blessing."

More: Pregnant Bristol Palin reveals that her unborn baby's already been named

Just before Palin announced her pregnancy, she and Meyer, a 27-year-old U.S. Marine veteran and Medal of Honor recipient, mysteriously called off their engagement. When Palin took to her blog to announce her pregnancy about a month later, she said the baby was not an accident. Meyer did not comment at the time. No further clues were revealed about the baby's father's identity — that is, until now.

Meyer isn't the only one who's excited about Sailor's arrival — Palin's mom, former Alaska Governor and Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin shared a note on Bristol Palin's blog.

"Oh, perfect love! The best gift ever!" she wrote. "Thank you, Bristol, for your strength and good heart and your love of life. The most important people in Bristol's life were there to witness the miracle of Sailor Grace Palin's arrival last night."

More: Bristol Palin's latest baby bump pic attacked by haters (PHOTO)

Do you think Dakota Meyer's tweet confirms that he's the father of Bristol Palin's baby? Are you surprised? Head down to the comments and share your thoughts with us.

More: Kylie Jenner's glamorous wheelchair photo shoot branded insensitive (PHOTOS)

Sources close to the teen model and reality star reveal that she gave away a few extra Christmas gifts this year by fulfilling the needs of the Los Angeles LGBT Teen Center, a charity resource for LGBT teens.

“She wanted to give gifts to kids who don’t have any gifts to open on the holidays,” a source told Us Weekly. “She fully did it on her own.”

Jenner herself hasn't mentioned her good deed on any social media, but representatives from the LGBT Teen Center confirmed to Us Weekly that she had made the donation.

More: 7 Things Kylie and Kendall Jenner are teaching your teens

“Someone from Kylie's team reached out asking what types of things the LGBT youth need this type of year and they have a list of things, so they sent that over,” Jim Key, a marketing officer at the center, said. “They got a message saying that someone was going to drop off a bag and it was wonderful. Three days later Kylie's friend Victoria dropped off bags of goodies in the morning for the homeless youth that they serve.”

He continued, “Kylie donated a lot of things on the list that they need and the support means so much to them. The staff told the homeless youth that the gifts were coming from Kylie and they were all extremely excited because everyone knows who she is. This kind of support is extremely meaningful to them and the social media outreach has been very helpful.”

The Center also tweeted a photo of some of the gifts Jenner supplied, writing, “Here’s a few of the many Jenner-ous gifts donated to our Youth Center today. Thank you, @KylieJenner!”

More: Kylie Jenner gives Tyga the worst birthday present ever (PHOTOS)

What do you think of Kylie Jenner's good deed?