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A young woman lifting weights in a gym. Image Credit: JGI/Blend Images/Getty Images Performing weight training workouts on a regular basis gives you a wide variety of benefits, including increased bone mass, improved strength for everyday activities, elevated metabolism and increased muscle tone. When designing a weight training program, you must decide how many repetitions, or reps, of each exercise you’ll perform. You must also choose how you will group these reps into sets....

A cup of plain soy milk contains only 100 calories. Image Credit: Sean824/iStock/Getty Images When consumed in moderate quantities, some studies suggest that soy milk can help you lose weight by mimicking hormones in the body that reduce hunger. While any calorie-containing food or beverage can cause weight gain if consumed in excess of caloric needs, high-calorie drinks such as whole cow’s milk or liquid nutritional supplements promote more weight gain than soy milk....

Image Credit: yacobchuk/iStock/GettyImages A rib muscle injury can be more difficult to treat than a pulled muscle in other areas. There are three layers of muscles located between each rib -- the external intercostal muscles, internal intercostal muscles, and innermost intercostal muscles. Any of these layers can be pulled, producing a rib, or intercostal, muscle strain. A direct blow to the chest, sudden twisting of the upper body or sudden forceful movement of the arm can cause an acute strain that begins abruptly....

1 of 11 Overview When it comes to food and other products in your home, naturally you want what's healthiest for you and your family. Navigating grocery store aisles however, can be downright challenging. Bombarded with labels proclaiming "organic," "all-natural," "gluten-free" and "non-GMO," it can be difficult to discern what it is that you're actually buying. Read on to find out the real meanings behind eight food marketing claims that appear on food labels and determine which you actually want to be putting in your shopping cart....

Too many Monster Energy drinks can cause health problems including increased blood pressure, irregular heartbeat and mental health issues. Image Credit: Peter Dazeley/Photographer’s Choice/GettyImages If you enjoy even the occasional can of Monster, you need to be aware of the dangers of too many energy drinks. The high concentration of caffeine and other stimulants can cause a host of health problems. Advertisement Tip Too many Monster Energy drinks can cause health problems including increased blood pressure, irregular heartbeat and mental health issues....

By adjusting four key elements of your workout, you can be your own personal trainer. Image Credit: Corey Jenkins/Image Source/GettyImages With the wide variety of potential workouts and exercises, it can be challenging to put together a fitness routine on your own, especially if you want a sense of progress over a series of weeks. That’s where the FITT Principle comes into play. Advertisement An acronym for "frequency, intensity, time and type," this structure is what many personal trainers use to build workouts for their clients, and what coaches rely on to help athletes level up in their chosen sports....

Exercising can make you feel bloated temporarily. Image Credit: LarsZahnerPhotography/iStock/Getty Images You didn’t head to the gym to leave feeling fatter than you did when you arrived, but this can be the effect of some of the most intense workouts. This feeling doesn’t actually mean you’ve gained weight. It may be a result of water retention, muscle pump or mild inflammation. Even if the scale reads a little heavier after exercising, don’t worry — you haven’t gained fat....

Irritation to the stomach by food, including by acidic citrus fruit, can cause stomach pain. However, stomach pain can also be inherent of a more serious condition, such as a stomach ulcer or gastritis. For this reason, if citrus fruit aggravates your stomach and causes pain when you eat it on a consistent basis, it is important to see your doctor. Acid Reflux Citrus fruit contains a lot of acid, which can cause heartburn and aggravate acid reflux....

Image Credit: nebari/iStock/Getty Images Being unable to fall asleep and stay asleep is commonly referred to as insomnia. Symptoms include waking up during the night, feeling unrested in the morning, fatigue, irritability, depression, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, headaches and digestive problems. You may effectively treat occasional insomnia at home with dietary and environmental changes, including eating yogurt before bed. Call your doctor if you have chronic insomnia because you may need medication to treat the condition....

Altering your exercise routine helps reduce the bulky appearance of your legs. Image Credit: John Foxx/Stockbyte/Getty Images Bulky legs are typically due to excess weight and fat in the legs. However, they also occur if you have large muscle development in the legs. Bulky legs sometimes make everyday activities, agility exercises and competitive sports difficult. Fortunately, with a few adjustments to your fitness routine, it is possible to decrease the size of your bulky legs — whether they are caused by excess fat or an overabundance of leg muscle....

To make Belgian waffles with pancake mix, you just need to add more milk, fewer eggs and a bit of butter. Image Credit: alvarez/E+/GettyImages Although they look different, waffles and pancakes are basically made of similar ingredients, says Chef Erica Barrett of the pancake and waffle mix brand SoCu Kitchen. Advertisement "The cooking method is different, but the mixes are basically the same." That's why you can easily dream up Belgian waffles with a dry pancake mix from the grocery store....

Image Credit: macniak/iStock/GettyImages Whatever your ideal body shape may be, exercise and a healthy diet can help you achieve it. Regular cardiovascular workouts will torch calories for fat loss around your midsection, while strength training will help you build size in your thighs. Keep your calories in check, and eat energy-promoting foods to power you through your workouts. Advertisement Banish Your Belly Image Credit: MilanMarkovic/iStock/GettyImages This should come as good news: You don't have to spend hours on the treadmill to achieve your body goals....

Turn up the volume on your favorite playlist and dance around your house to sneak in some extra steps. Image Credit: Westend61/Westend61/GettyImages From social distancing to working remotely, your daily time spent at home is probably longer than ever before. And after several days or weeks indoors, it’s normal to feel a little anxiety, particularly where your health is concerned. Advertisement One of the best ways to help calm your nerves — and one of the least expensive — is exercise....

Planking will help strengthen your abdominals, back and shoulders. Image Credit: Science Photo Library/Science Photo Library/GettyImages When you make the commitment to lose weight, it’s natural to want to see results in a relatively short period of time. But if you want slimmer, more toned belly, arms and legs, then you need to stick to the right exercise plan, keep your diet in check and of course, have a little patience....

If you're experiencing acid reflux, it may have to do with a weakened lower esophageal sphincter muscle. Image Credit: PredragImages/E+/GettyImages If you want to ease the discomfort and pain of heartburn and other symptoms of acid reflux, but aren’t keen on taking medication, you might be able to find some relief by strengthening your lower esophageal sphincter (LES) muscle, which is designed to keep stomach acids from escaping. Advertisement About Your LES Muscle About 20 percent of Americans experience acid reflux due to a weakened LES muscle, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)....

Club soda gives you the bubbly feel without adding sugar. Image Credit: Kanawa_Studio/iStock/GettyImages Club soda is a popular way for many people to stay hydrated. Club soda benefits, along with benefits from other unflavored fizzy waters, include that bubbly taste many people prefer, without the added sugar or calories that come from sweetened flavorings. Club soda and its fizzy counterparts can be good for you, but there are some caveats....

It’s important to lose weight at a safe, sustainable pace. Image Credit: Prostock-Studio/iStock/GettyImages When starting a weight loss plan, it’s understandable to want to see fast results and aim for something like losing 15 pounds in a month. However, it’s important to lose weight at a safe and sustainable pace. Advertisement There are risks to rapid weight loss, and losing weight takes time. Taking things slow and steady helps protect your health and ensures that your weight loss results have staying power....

Vinyl and neoprene dumbbells are color-coded. Image Credit: Comstock/Stockbyte/Getty Images Dumbbells are made of cast iron but many manufacturers cover the iron with other materials to improve the look and feel of the dumbbells. Neoprene and vinyl are two of the most common dumbbell cover materials. Although different in many respects, neoprene has the advantage of being less slippery when your hands become sweaty. Advertisement Slippery When Wet Neoprene dumbbells have a soft, smooth coating with a matte finish....

Pure maple syrup, while still considered a sugar, contains valuable nutrients such as calcium, potassium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and iron and B vitamins, among others. Image Credit: showcake/iStock/GettyImages Pure maple syrup is made when the sap from sugar maple trees is collected, boiled and strained until thick enough to pour on a plate of pancakes. In addition to its unique flavor, maple syrup’s nutrition benefits are surprisingly high — it contains a variety of essential vitamins and minerals....

Iron-rich steak is low in carbs and fits perfectly on a diet for anemia. Image Credit: Kesu01/iStock/Getty Images The low-carb diet wasn’t designed specifically for people with anemia. But the meat-heavy plan may be a good way to boost iron levels for those diagnosed with iron-deficiency anemia who also want to lose weight. However, as a medical condition with a number of different causes, including deficiencies in vitamin B-12 or folate, it may not be the best fit for all....