Posts

Adding a level of precision to your lifts can take your strength to the next level. Image Credit: Mireya Acierto/Photodisc/GettyImages Ever notice how much more difficult it is to perform a biceps curl or squat at a slower, more controlled pace? It may be easier to just swing a weight up, but it means you’re missing out on a lot of the strength-building benefits the exercise has to offer. Advertisement Muscle contraction and your mind-muscle connection work hand-in-hand in the weight room....

Drink juice in moderation in addition to a balanced diet for the most benefits. Image Credit: lola1960/iStock/Getty Images In moderation, fresh juice can be a nutritious addition to your diet. It’s a concentrated source of essential vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that can help you meet your recommended intake of fruits and vegetables. In the long term, however, juice fasting is not a healthy approach to nutrition. If you drink only juice and don’t eat whole foods, you run the risk of not getting enough of some important nutrients, including fiber, and this can lead to constipation....

Macronutrient recommendations vary depending on your overall health and what you're trying to accomplish. Image Credit: YelenaYemchuk/iStock/GettyImages Macronutrient recommendations vary depending on your overall health and what you’re trying to accomplish. Some recommendations are specific, while others leave a large window for experimentation. Ultimately, you have to figure out what works best for your body. Advertisement There are three macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates and fats. Your body needs large quantities of them for energy....

A woman is grocery shopping. Image Credit: Minerva Studio/iStock/Getty Images Nutritional recommendations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Institute of Medicine are based on gender and age. As a 37-year-old woman, your nutritional needs are different from men your age and women of other age groups. Following the recommendations for your specific gender and age group helps ensure that your nutritional needs are met. Advertisement Fruits and Vegetables Eating a diet rich in fruit and vegetables might reduce the risk of heart disease and prevent cancer....

A young man snacking on potato chips. Image Credit: Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images The crunchy texture and salty flavor of potato chips might have you reaching for the nearest bag of the snacks, but perhaps you should reconsider your snack choice. That’s especially true if you’re watching your cholesterol levels. No, potato chips don’t contain cholesterol, but they can be high in saturated fat, which can cause your cholesterol level to increase. They are also low in essential nutrients such as calcium and vitamin C....

You made the decision, enlisted in the U.S. Navy and need to get in shape for boot camp. The standards for the Navy Physical Readiness Test, or PRT, differ by age and gender, and the minimum passing score changes once you complete basic training and move into your post-training duty station. To pass boot camp, meet or exceed the fitness standards and the height/weight or body fat percentage standards. PRT During Boot Camp The U....

Forget pumpkin pie and try one of these savory dishes instead. Image Credit: GMVozd/E+/GettyImages Pumpkin conjures up feelings of fall and all things warm, sweet and, yes, even spicy — PSLs are still very much still a thing. Advertisement But, much like other fruits and vegetables, you can actually enjoy pumpkin year-round by using canned pumpkin, or, at least what we call canned pumpkin. Canned pumpkin may include pumpkin, but it can also include (and it often does) a mixture of other squashes, according to the Food and Drug Administration....

After pulling a hamstring it is not the best to stretch it right away. Image Credit: Val Loh/Photodisc/GettyImages A pulled or strained hamstring can put a big damper on your exercise routine. If you’re trying to get back to your workout as quickly as possible, it’s not a good idea to stretch it right away. You need to rest your pulled hamstring, and then you can begin to build your flexibility slowly through a daily stretching routine....

Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative In This Article Cocoon by Sealy TEMPUR-Pedic Nolah Stearns & Foster Avocado Brooklyn Bedding Nectar DreamCloud Serta Casper Purple Traditional Independence Day celebrations are great and all — backyard barbecues, pool parties, trips to the beach and the like — but this year, the July 4 weekend is also prime time to snag a new mattress. Advertisement What does the Fourth have to do with getting a better night's sleep?...

references Peter Polos, MD, PhD, a sleep medicine specialist and expert for Sleep Number Sunjya Schweig, MD, a sleep expert and founder and president of the California Center for Functional Medicine. Nicole M. Avena, PhD, assistant professor of neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and visiting professor of health psychology at Princeton University Is this an emergency? If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, please see the National Library of Medicine’s list of signs you need emergency medical attention or call 911....

Exercising at the gym. Image Credit: Ibrakovic/iStock/Getty Images Devoting at least 150 minutes per week to aerobic exercise is a simple way to potentially improve your health. In this form of activity, you’ll strengthen your cardiovascular system and burn calories (and, thereby, burn body fat). Although many types of exercise equipment are conducive to aerobic exercise, the Bowflex TreadClimber — part treadmill, part climbing machine — provides a challenging workout that burns calories quickly....

Staying inside for long periods can affect your mental and physical health. Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative What Really Happens to Your Body When examines the head-to-toe effects of common behaviors, actions and habits in your everyday life. Going out has taken on a whole new meaning during the coronavirus pandemic, among fears of catching or spreading COVID-19. And as colder temps across much of the country nix outdoor dining and other relatively lower-risk activities, many of us face the potential of days, weeks or even longer without leaving the house....

You shouldn’t have to fit into a diet and fitness plan. The plan should have to fit you. Click here for all the details on our January challenge. Word to the wise: Resist the temptation to think of recovery and mobility workouts as "just" stretching or easy sessions you can skip. Foam rolling may not feel as challenging or exciting as burpees, but mobility and recovery are just as important in a well-rounded fitness routine, says Holly Rilinger, personal trainer, Nike master trainer and creator of creator of The LIFTED Program....

Feeling cold all the time could just be your normal, but it might also be a sign of a condition. Image Credit: Grace Cary/Moment/GettyImages It’s normal to bundle up in the dead of winter or to feel chilly when your office’s central air is set on arctic blast in the summer. But if you constantly feel like an icicle when others seem cozy and comfortable, you might wonder if there’s something strange at play with your body....

You have a few options when it comes to cornstarch alternatives in apple pie. Image Credit: Metkalova/iStock/GettyImages In This Article Wheat Flour Instant-Mixing Flour Other Starches Pre-Cooked Filling Just about the only thing better than a ripe, fresh, juicy apple is that same apple and a few of its friends baked into a pie. Advertisement Of course, much of that fresh juice will cook out of the apples as your pie bakes and will need to be thickened to prevent the pie from boiling over or developing a soggy crust....

Hair naturally thins with age, even on your legs. Image Credit: SPmemory/iStock/GettyImages Hair loss is often a normal and expected part of aging. Hair naturally thins with age, and hormonal changes and genetic influences can lead to hair loss, particularly in men. But the aging process does not explain excessive or abnormal hair loss, also known as alopecia. When hair loss is specific to a certain body area – such as the legs – a common cause is poor circulation....

Although the names are often used interchangeably, there is a difference between turmeric and curcumin. Image Credit: Sundaemorning/iStock/GettyImages Turmeric is a natural spice, originally from India, traditionally used not only to flavor foods, but also for its therapeutic benefits. Used extensively in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries, curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric and responsible for its health-giving antioxidant effects. Advertisement Tip Although the names are often used interchangeably, there is a difference between turmeric and curcumin....

Sore muscles, especially in your arms and chest, are normal after doing pushups. Image Credit: PeopleImages/E+/GettyImages Arms sore after pushups? You’re probably experiencing DOMS, otherwise known as delayed-muscle onset soreness. While any condition with its own acronym tends to sound scary, DOMS is a normal response to exercise, particularly when you’re embarking on a new workout regimen. Advertisement DOMS can occur 24 to 48 hours after a workout, especially when you've activated muscles that haven't been worked for awhile — or ever....

The advent of cereal forever changed the way Americans think of breakfast. Image Credit: Carol Yepes/Moment/GettyImages Here’s something that might make you spit out your coffee: Breakfast isn’t the most important meal of the day. Despite what you may have learned from a silly rabbit, zany bird or hunky tiger, breakfast doesn’t necessarily have a leg up on any other meal. Advertisement Still, the philosophy that breakfast trumps lunch and dinner is pervasive — and that's all thanks to some incredibly clever marketing that began in the late 1800s....

A woman is bench pressing in a gym. Image Credit: LUNAMARINA/iStock/Getty Images One of the many reasons the average person works out is to see a change in physique. One unexpected change that many women experience is a reduction in breast size. Exercise helps you reach a caloric deficit. Over time, using more calories than you eat forces your body to use its fat stores, including those in the breasts....