Alison Sweeney Leads California Almonds' Life Squad - A Cast Of Experts To Help Consumers Stay Healthy This Holiday Season And Beyond

Whether you are racing to the mall for some last minute shopping, attending a decadent holiday party or planning that perfect family feast, sticking to a sensible eating and exercise plan can be difficult during this time of year. Fortunately, California Almonds has teamed up with Alison Sweeney and a crew of fitness, nutrition and cooking experts to form The Life Squad - a group that offers relevant seasonal tips, creative solutions and tasty advice on how to stay healthy during the holidays and beyond, all featured in a new series of empowering videos that can be seen on Almonds.com/LifeSquad.

As an actress, author, host of NBC's "The Biggest Loser" and busy mom, Sweeney knows a thing or two about balancing work, life and family time while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. "It's easy to get off track and indulge in temptations during the crazy holiday season, but every small, good choice adds up," Sweeney says. "Squeezing in even a few at-home exercises and keeping smart snacks like almonds on hand are good choices to stay energized and keep those holiday party indulgences in check."

Joining Sweeney on the Life Squad and in the videos is a group of lifestyle experts chosen for their ability to help consumers navigate health and fitness challenges throughout the year. The cast includes registered dietitian Keri Gans, celebrity personal trainer Ashley Borden, award-winning chef Seamus Mullen, and Canadian holistic nutritionist Joy McCarthy. Along with Sweeney this group offers solutions like:

• Multi-tasking holiday recipes and hostess gifts
• Time-saving workouts
• Portion control and energizing snack choices
• Rethinking New Year's resolutions
• Snacking on-the-go
• Motivational tips for healthy eating and working out

While the campaign kicks off with Sweeney and the Life Squad fighting holiday villains, future videos will focus on new thinking about New Year's resolutions, and maximizing those good habits to motivate consumers beyond the typical diet and fitness mindset, into an empowering healthier lifestyle.

Visit Almonds.com/LifeSquad to watch the first video and read up on our Life Squad's tips for successfully navigating the holidays - then 'Like' California Almonds on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Instagram to stay in touch with the Life Squad all year long.

About Alison Sweeney
Alison Sweeney is busy juggling the roles of hosting NBC's hit reality series "The Biggest Loser," playing Sami Brady on NBC's Emmy Award winner daytime drama "Days of our Lives," and author of several books including her first novel "The Star Attraction," in addition to her roles as producer, director, wife and mother.

Sweeney, who is hosting her twelfth consecutive season of NBC's "The Biggest Loser," leads the hit reality series in transforming the lives of show contestants and television viewers worldwide. Sweeney's previously released book, "The Mommy Diet," revealed the "diet" of nutrition, fitness and self-care that women can follow to look and feel fantastic- before and during pregnancy, and after giving birth. Her recent novel, "The Star Attraction," gives a glimpse into the world of Hollywood amidst a fun tale of romance. Her next novel will be released in June.

Sweeney resides in Los Angeles with her husband Dave, a California Highway Patrol officer, and their 8-year-old son Ben and 4-year-old daughter Megan.

For more information on Sweeney's tips for health, wellness, fashion and personal anecdotes, follow her on Twitter here or at @Ali_Sweeney.

About Keri Gans
Keri Gans is a registered dietitian/nutritionist, spokesperson and media personality with a private practice in New York City. She is the author of "The Small Change Diet," (Gallery, March 2011), a weekly blogger for Shape.com and US News & World Report's Eat + Run. Keri is a past spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and a past president of The New York State Dietetic Association.

The Huffington Post voted Keri one of the top 35 Nutrition & Diet Experts to follow on Twitter in 2011 and 2012. She is also the proud winner of the New York State Dietetic Association's 2010 Media Excellence Award and 2006 Emerging Dietetic Leader Award.

Keri lives with her husband Bart and four-legged son, Henry, in New York City and East Hampton and is an avid yoga practitioner. She can be found at www.kerigansnutrition.com and followed on Twitter here.

About Seamus Mullen
Seamus Mullen is an award-winning New York chef, restaurateur and cookbook author known for his inventive yet approachable modern Spanish cuisine. In August 2011, Seamus opened his first solo restaurant Tertuliain Manhattan's West Village, which was awarded two stars from The New York Times, three stars from New York Magazine and was a finalist for one of the industry's highest honors, the James Beard Foundation Award for Best New Restaurant.

Seamus has appeared as a finalist on Food Network's "The Next Iron Chef" in 2009, and was a regularly featured judge on the James Beard Award-winning Food Network series "Chopped." In 2012, Seamus released his "Hero Food: How Cooking with Delicious Things Can Make Us Feel Better," (Andrews McMeel) and currently contributes to SURFACE Magazine and Panna, an iPad video cooking app.

Most recently, Seamus opened his restaurant project El Colmado, a tapas and wine bar at Gotham West Market, a new food hall in New York's Hell's Kitchen. Learn more about Seamus at www.seamusmullen.com; Like Seamus on Facebook here, and follow him on Twitter here.

About Ashley Borden
Ashley Borden is a globally recognized fitness and lifestyle expert and consultant. Borden's ability to customize her training system, coupled with her sharp wit and candor, suits many types of the high-profile clients she has worked with including Christina Aguilera, Chelsea Handler, MAndy Moore and Ryan Gosling, to the likes of New York Yankee Nick Swisher and UFC Champion Matt Hughes. Borden also works as a master trainer with fellow trainers and coaches.

Women's Health named Borden a top "Body Transformer" in 2011, one of only six trainers in the country, and Women's Health UK just named Borden among their "A-Team" as one of the seven best personal trainers in the world. Her tips and techniques are regularly featured in publications such as InStyle, Vogue, Elle, Allure, Departures, and the Los Angeles Times, and most recently she can be seen on "The Doctors" and Hallmark's "Home & Family." She is also an advisor for Livestrong.com and Fitness magazine.

Borden currently trains privately and at Fitness Factory in Los Angeles, and can be found at www.ashleyborden.com, followed on Twitter here and liked on Facebook here.

About Joy McCarthy
Joy McCarthy is a Canadian certified holistic nutritionist (CNP, RNCP), founder of the hugely popular healthy living blog JoyousHealth.com and wellness clinic Joyous Health, where she consults a global community of clients and teaches workshops. In addition to being the author of "JOYOUS HEALTH: Eat & Live Well without Dieting," she is also a faculty member at the Institute of Holistic Nutrition. If that weren't enough, Joy is also an international speaker, and a featured nutrition expert on Global TV's "The Morning Show" and CBC's "Steven & Chris," which also airs on ABC's Live Well Network.

Joy regularly contributes her health expertise to many North American publications, television and radio shows, and often gets to indulge in her love of amazing food by writing restaurant reviews.

The co-founder of Eat Well Feel Well, Toronto's first integrated nutrition and yoga program, Joy lives a life rooted in balance, love and healthy living, all common themes of the 6 week course.

Joy lives in Toronto with her two adorable kitties and husband Walker.

To learn more about Joy and her holistic approach to a healthy lifestyle, visit www.joyoushealth.com, follow her on Twitter here and Pinterest here and 'Like' her on Facebook here.

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