Push ups are a great pec exercise. Image Credit: Matthew Leete/DigitalVision/GettyImages It’s one thing to say you’re going to build up your chest muscles, but if your intention is to develop a well-sculpted — dare we say, artistic — chest, there’s more involved than just maxing out your pecs with bench pressing. Advertisement The pectoralis major, the most visible of chest muscles, is one large muscle, but it does have discernible regions....
A teenager speaking into the microphone at a podium. Image Credit: Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images Human speech is a complex process. The lungs, vocal cords and sinuses all contribute to the tone, quality and volume of the voice., while the lips, tongue and other structures in the mouth control how we form words. Most people are not trained to speak; it just comes naturally. We learn from observing others. However, there are specific techniques that improve the quality and tone of the voice and allow us to speak loudly and clearly without vocal strain....
Whether you're sweating it out with a home workout or taking a walk on a sweltering summer day, it's important to drink plenty of water and eat hydrating fruits and veggies. Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative Stay Hydrated, My Friends takes a look at all things hydration, dehydration and the different ways to meet your daily water needs. Drinking enough water ensures we feel our best, from helping us recover after a workout to keeping our body cool during the sweltering summer heat....
woman exercising in gym Image Credit: Minerva Studio/iStock/Getty Images When you exercise, your body relies on energy derived from the foods you consume in your daily diet. Eating before exercising is typically a vital way to provide your body with enough fuel to sustain physical activity. However, if you have diabetes or a related disorder called insulin resistance, eating after exercise can improve your body’s ability to properly use the glucose in your bloodstream....
Sourdough isn't different from any other breads when it comes to weight loss. Image Credit: angelsimon/iStock/GettyImages You love bread, but you also love fitting into skinny jeans, which is a common dilemma. Bad news: Bread isn’t the best food for weight loss, especially white bread. Advertisement So what about sourdough? It's nutritionally similar to other breads, but it's fermented with healthy bacteria that allegedly can aid weight loss. Unfortunately, baking destroys these bacteria and makes sourdough just like any other bread....
Man doing leg exercises in chair. Image Credit: endopack/iStock/Getty Images Strong knees are important for athletes and non-athletes alike. Your knees are supported primarily by your quadriceps and hamstrings, but your calf muscles and hip adductors and abductors also play a role in knee stability. Strengthening these muscles is a critical part of protecting your knees from injury and pain. If you already have knee pain or injury and are unable to support yourself while exercising, there are several knee-strengthening exercises that can be performed while sitting in a chair....
Do you even lift with chains, bro? Image Credit: Travis McCoy/LIVESTRONG.COM Chains. They can be used on tires and fences, to lock doors — and to work out! Yep, chains can be used as a form of variable resistance training that can develop your body in so many beneficial ways. Advertisement Resistance in any form — chains, dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, etc. — have numerous physical benefits. These include muscle tone, cognitive ability, preventing and fighting disease and greater stamina....
Choosing the right nutrients will help you maximize your nutrition and fitness goals. Image Credit: Milan_Jovic/E+/GettyImages With busy schedules and limited time to meal prep, many people prefer a pre-workout shake instead of a pre-workout meal. Not only are shakes convenient, but they’re easy on your stomach before a workout. Choosing the right nutrients will help you maximize your nutrition and fitness goals. Advertisement Goals of Pre-Workout Meal The goal of a pre-workout meal is to energize your muscles to fuel your upcoming workout....
If you can't stand on tiptoes, there are things you can do to increase ankle strength and mobility. Image Credit: Aprian Erlangga / EyeEm/EyeEm/GettyImages Standing on your tiptoes isn’t just for ballerinas. The ability to flex your ankles and come onto the balls of your feet is fundamental for day-to-day activities (say, reaching for something on a shelf) as well as physical fitness (running, jumping, etc.). Advertisement And regularly raising on your tiptoes will strengthen your legs, calves and feet, says Jessica Mazzucco, certified posture specialist, lower-body fascial stretch therapist and founder of The Glute Recruit....
The bench press is a common lift used to strengthen the upper body. Up until the rise in the popularity of the bench press in the late 1950s, the standard of strength was the press. Pressing a large weight overhead builds the shoulders and triceps, and, performed correctly, recruits a great deal of both upper-body musculature, such as your back. When performed standing, the press will also recruit your lower back and abdominals, which stabilize your torso....
1 of 12 Overview For many of us, Starbucks is a ubiquitous beacon of hope, especially when we need an immediate caffeine fix. Whether it's a blonde roast after a morning run or a mocha latte before a long conversation, we can depend on Starbucks to satiate our craving of the moment. Unfortunately, some of their time-tested beverages, meals and snacks can be major diet disrupters. To help you navigate the syrup-laden waters of America's favorite cafe, here's a list of simple swaps you can make to reduce your calorie, sodium, cholesterol and fat intake without sacrificing familiarity and flavor....
Highly processed foods like sugary breakfast cereals are among the worst for your brain health. Image Credit: Israel Sebastian/Moment/GettyImages If you want to think sharp today — and continue to do so as you age — you’ve got to feed your brain the good stuff. You know, the whole foods-filled diet packed with plant-based fare, like the dark green leafy veggies, berries, nuts, olive oil, beans and omega-3-rich fish that make up the MIND diet, which has been shown to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia....
Whole-grain breakfast cereal is a solid way to start the day with energy. Image Credit: Eva-Katalin/E+/GettyImages Feeling forgetful, spacey or just mentally off? It could be lack of sleep, an impending illness or hormones, but it may also be rooted in your diet. That’s because food plays a major role in brain health — when you eat the right nutrients, you encourage good blood flow to your brain. Advertisement To help banish that spacey feeling, here are the top brain foods for focus that may help improve your concentration....
There are a lot of claims about the benefits of chromium picolinate, but not a lot of rigorous scientific evidence to back them up. Image Credit: Witthaya Prasongsin/Moment/GettyImages In This Article Potential Health Benefits Claims Without Evidence Risks How to Take It Food Sources A lot of claims are made about the benefits of chromium, a trace mineral our bodies absorb naturally from various foods, but in many cases, the evidence to back up the claims is slim....
Avoiding candy when you're trying to lose weight is your best option. Image Credit: S847/iStock/Getty Images Candies and weight loss don’t usually go together. Candy is almost entirely sugar, which is high in calories and lacking in nutrients — also known as empty calories. Since weight loss requires lowering your calorie intake below the calories you expend each day, eating a lot of empty calories makes it easy to miss this target....
Swimming is a great way to lose weight. Image Credit: efenzi/E+/GettyImages The best stroke to lose weight is the one you perform best. When you swim efficiently, you waste less energy just staying afloat and you work out longer. Thrashing around doing a poorly executed butterfly — the highest calorie burner — will only exhaust you quickly and create turbulence around you. Advertisement The number of calories you burn performing each of the four competitive strokes differs slightly due to the mechanics behind the movements....
Don't just think about calories. Go for healthy foods to support weight loss. Image Credit: Enrique Díaz / 7cero/Moment/GettyImages You hear that to lose weight, you should eat fewer calories than you burn. In the simplest analysis, this equation can lead to weight loss, but going too low can actually undermine your weight-loss efforts and leave you with unwanted side effects. If you’re eating less than 1,000 calories a day, know the consequences and, if you can, boost your intake to achieve weight and health goals....
Your kidneys help remove waste and excess water from the bloodstream. Image Credit: Foxys_forest_manufacture/iStock/GettyImages The human body has two kidneys. Your kidneys help remove waste and excess water from the bloodstream, while simultaneously regulating your body’s chemical balance. When your kidneys aren’t functioning properly, your body may form kidney stones and experience other health issues. Certain foods and drinks can help your kidneys cleanse themselves and help promote healthy organ function....
With its sweet, moderate flavor, black garlic is ideal for those who dislike the strong odor of fresh garlic. Image Credit: ma-no/iStock/GettyImages Wondering “What’s the healthiest way to eat garlic?” Then you might want to try black garlic, which is a lot more nutritious than its conventional counterpart. With its sweet, moderate flavor, it’s ideal for those who dislike the strong odor of fresh garlic. Advertisement What Is Black Garlic? Several garlic varieties exist and each has distinctive properties....
A group stretch on the beach. Image Credit: Valueline/Valueline/Getty Images Your lumbar and sacral vertebrae are part of your lower back region. You have five lumbar vertebrae and five sacral vertebrae, the latter of which are fused together to form the sacrum. The two areas meet at the L5 and S1 vertebrae. This part of your spine can become stiff with age and lack of use. Your doctor may recommend gentle stretches to regain mobility in this area....
