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There is no magic pill for weight loss. Image Credit: Blackzheep/iStock/GettyImages You’re desperate to drop a few extra pounds — or perhaps more than just a few. While most people would gladly shed any fat they can, many are after belly fat, which hangs over your belt line and is particularly dangerous to your health. Advertisement Belly fat heightens your risk for many health conditions, including diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, high blood pressure and gallbladder problems....

Adults need 150 minutes of aerobic exercise every week for good health. Image Credit: kieferpix/iStock/Getty Images You can’t improve your fitness by popping a pill, sprinkling protein powder over your food or drinking a special shake. To get fit fast, you need to focus on eating right and engaging in both cardio and strength-training exercises. Consult your doctor before making changes to your diet or starting any exercise program. Advertisement Get Enough Calories If you’re aiming to get fit fast, you need to be at a healthy weight....

Use strength training exercises to help you tone up. Image Credit: Paper Boat Creative/DigitalVision/Getty Images Toning up requires two basic steps: strengthening and developing your muscles, as well as losing the fat overtop them so they’re more visible and defined. Diet and exercise modifications can help you get fit and lean. However, how much effort and time you’ll need to look toned depends on exactly how fit you’d like to be....

A high-carb diet could be the cause of your sinus problems. Image Credit: Art-Of-Photo/iStock/Getty Images People with sinus problems often experience congestion, irritation, runny nose, frequent cough and facial pressure. The condition can be caused by a wide variety of factors, from seasonal allergies to food sensitivities. In fact, there are a few suggested connections between sinus problems and carbohydrates. Although it’s not healthy to eliminate all carbs from your diet, restricting your intake to complex carbohydrates could improve your symptoms....

Weight gain can be a dangerous side effect of taking Omeprazole. Omeprazole is a drug used as short-term treatment for various ulcer diseases and conditions, esophagitis and heart burn. It comes in the forms of omeprazole/sodium bicarbonate, and omeprazole/magnesium, generally in delayed release tablets or capsules. Prilosec is one of the most propular name-brands of the medication. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, less than 1 percent of patients who use omeprazole in some form experience weight gain as a side effect....

Cardio might not be the best form of exercise when you're on a diet. Image Credit: nd3000/iStock/GettyImages Lifting weights is typically associated with bulking up and getting stronger, not slimming down. However, lifting heavy on a calorie deficit is not only possible, but it’s important if you want to keep your hard-earned muscle and strength. Advertisement Achieving a Calorie Deficit Reducing your calories to lose weight or for other health reasons can be challenging....

Image Credit: dziewul/iStock/Getty Images Eating moderate amounts of unsweetened dark chocolate has a number of health benefits, including boosting brainpower and enhancing the health of arteries. Advertisement Antioxidants Antioxidants shield your body from the damage caused from harmful molecules called free radicals. The primary sources of antioxidants in most people’s diets are fruits, vegetables and whole grains. However, chocolate is an excellent supplementary source of a class of antioxidant known as flavanols, which come from the cocoa beans used to make chocolate....

Why do my legs tingle after walking? It could be caused by something as simple as wearing new shoes. Image Credit: Oleg Breslavtsev/Moment/GettyImages The tingle of your pre-workout kicking in is one thing, but feeling a tingling in your legs after a workout is another. It might seem concerning, but it’s not always a cause for alarm. Advertisement As blood flow increases to your body during exercise, your muscles enlarge to accommodate it....

Zinc is found in a wide variety of foods, including eggs, red meat, dairy products, legumes, seeds and nuts. Image Credit: ratmaner/iStock/GettyImages Zinc is an essential mineral needed by your body in relatively small amounts, 20 milligrams or less per day, depending on your body size. Elemental zinc is very poorly absorbed in your gut so in supplemental form, it’s often attached to a chelating agent, which is a compound that binds or grabs onto it and facilitates absorption....

A fit woman in an exercise class. Image Credit: dolgachov/iStock/Getty Images Seeing that dreaded three-digit number on the bathroom scale can often make or break your day. Unfortunately, that number does not break down into how much of your weight is healthy and the amount that is potentially unhealthy. The healthy, necessary weight reflects your lean body tissue. The rest is fat mass, of which a certain amount is also needed....

Peanut butter offers plenty of vitamins, minerals, plant protein, fiber and good fats. Image Credit: belchonock/iStock/GettyImages Every year, Americans consume approximately 700 million pounds of peanut butter. It’s a healthy choice as the spread offers plenty of vitamins, minerals, plant protein, fiber and good fats. Because of its low glycemic index of 14, peanut butter helps prevent disease, satisfies hunger and lifts your energy by stabilizing your blood sugar. Advertisement Read more: Is Peanut Butter Bad for Weight Loss?...

Carbs and protein help build muscle mass. Image Credit: Roxiller/iStock/GettyImages Carbohydrates and protein are both essential macronutrients that the body requires to sustain energy and health. Still, the battle of carbs vs. protein for muscle gain continues. Advertisement With carbs getting so much flak, it wouldn't be surprising if you didn't give them much credit in your muscle-building routine. But you just might be surprised at how much they can impact you bulking up process....

Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, bone spurs and stress fractures could cause pain in your heel when stretching. Image Credit: PeopleImages/iStock/GettyImages Heel pain when stretching a calf muscle can be a sign of many different ailments. Tendinitis, bone spurs, plantar fasciitis, stress fractures and heel bursitis are just a few causes of heel pain. Advertisement First, a quick refresher on heel anatomy: The heel is a structure that includes bones, muscles, tendons and fascia (connective tissue)....

Gentle yoga exercises for peripheral neuropathy can improve muscle strength, balance and even promote healthy nerve function. Image Credit: Kosamtu/E+/GettyImages In This Article Poses Benefits Tips If you have peripheral neuropathy, consider treating your body to a regular yoga practice. Advertisement A form of nerve damage that causes tingling, numbness, sensitivity to touch and pain in the hands and feet, peripheral neuropathy most commonly develops as a complication of diabetes, but it can also result from autoimmune diseases, infections and various genetic conditions, according to the Mayo Clinic....

If you jump up to grab the bar, you will swing during the pull-up. A pull-up performed without any swinging is called a dead-hang pull-up. Proponents of dead-hang pull-ups consider swinging to be a style of cheating -- swinging allows you to use momentum to help yourself up. Military branches, such as the Marines, require recruits to perform dead-hang pull-ups as part of their physical fitness test. If you swing when you do pull-ups, the dead-hang version will be more challenging at first, but it will help you build up your strength and endurance....

You can lose weight while recovering from a broken leg. A broken leg can keep you off your feet for a period of six to eight weeks or longer. During this time you will likely have a cast on your leg and be required to use crutches or another form of walking aid. Being this sedentary can make losing weight a challenge. But rest assured, there are actions you can take to lose weight with a broken leg....

Live your life! Image Credit: Getty Images/Cavan Images News flash: Life happens. And you can’t always be at home to make amazing, healthy, delicious meals in your own kitchen. Sometimes you go out to dinner with friends. Sometimes you need to have lunch with a client. Or sometimes you’re just out running errands and can’t make it home. Advertisement That doesn't mean that your portion-control plan has to go out the window!...

Lightly tap a cake pan after it's filled to eliminate bubbles. Image Credit: SherSor/iStock/Getty Images Though baking your own cake may seem intimidating, basic batters, such as butter cakes, actually require minimal ingredients and are fairly simple to make. One problem beginning bakers have is the formation of air bubbles in the batter when mixing. This can cause large holes to form as the cake is baking; while the holes will not affect the taste, they are unappealing to most bakers....

If you want a low-impact way to burn belly fat, ride a stationary bike. Image Credit: jacoblund/iStock/Getty Images Churning your legs on a stationary bike is more likely to help you lose an extra belly bulge than crunching your abs. Exercise, especially cardio, helps you lose visceral fat that resides in the deep belly and gain lean muscle. A consistent program that weaves both steady-state riding and intervals into your week burns calories and stimulates fat-burning so you get slimmer...

Staying properly hydrated is essential to your overall health. Image Credit: m-gucci/iStock/GettyImages Staying properly hydrated is critical, as is keeping your blood pressure under control. But can one affect the other? Water has a host of health benefits, and the connection between water and blood pressure is one that can’t be ignored. Advertisement Read more: How Can I Tell When My Body Is Hydrated? Video of the Day How Much Should You Drink?...