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Cycling can help you target multiple large muscle groups. Image Credit: Jupiterimages/Pixland/Getty Images If you’re interested in cycling as a workout, your body is in for some major benefits. Cycling — whether outdoors on a bicycle or indoors on a stationary bike — burns lots of calories and helps improve muscular and cardiovascular endurance. It also targets several major muscle groups in powerful ways. Advertisement "Cycling is an excellent low-impact cardiovascular workout," says Dari Kruse, the director of education for the National Exercise Trainers Association....

If you want to get the most out of every workout, you need to drink water to stay adequately hydrated. As a water that’s free of minerals, including sodium, distilled water helps prevent fluid retention. However, you may not want to drink it all the time. What Is Distilled Water? Distillation is one way water is treated to help remove impurities and make it safe to drink. In fact, distillation works so well that 98 percent of all impurities are removed, according to the University of Nebraska....

Certain sodas carry ingredients that may upset your stomach. Image Credit: Inside Creative House/iStock/GettyImages Does drinking soda upset your stomach and cause diarrhea? If so, you’re not alone, says William J. Bulsiewicz, MD, a gastroenterologist with Lowcountry Gastroenterology in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, and author of the forthcoming book ​Fiber Fueled​. And there are various reasons for this. Advertisement 1. Caffeine For starters, there’s the caffeine factor, says Dr. Bulsiewicz. “A handful of people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) will have an aggravation of their IBS when they consume caffeine,” he says....

Weetabix shouldn't cause constipation because it contains fiber, which helps moves the bowels. Image Credit: MarkGillow/E+/GettyImages Because Weetabix is made of whole wheat, it’s one of the cereals that help you poop. If you’re constipated, increase your intake of fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Be sure and drink enough water, and limit your consumption of refined grains. Advertisement Tip Weetabix shouldn't cause constipation because it contains fiber, which helps moves the bowels....

Why heart rate increases with morning shower Image Credit: nikkytok/iStock/Getty Images It will not hurt a healthy person to take a hot or a cold shower, but either one can increase your heart rate. Another factor that can add to this is worry about getting to work on time and the problems you have to deal with when you get there. Hurry makes you move faster, and this too can increase your heart rate....

In two weeks, you can set realistic goals for yourself, like swapping processed foods for whole fruits. Image Credit: Getty Images/Leo Patrizzi Two weeks isn’t very long at all. But it can be the perfect timeframe in which to kickstart a healthy lifestyle shift. Advertisement While you really can't lose much weight in this short amount of time, what you can do is shed a few pounds, crack the code on the best way for you to tone up and get energized for the long haul....

You might think that losing weight while trying to get pregnant seems contradictory or futile, but in reality, the two goals are quite compatible. According to BabyCentre UK, having overweight not only makes it harder to get pregnant, but also may be linked to more complications during pregnancy, such as preeclampsia and diabetes, and more difficulties during delivery. Moreover, many of the guidelines for a healthy conception are similar to those for healthy weight loss....

Apple cider vinegar may help you lose weight, and have other health benefits. Image Credit: gpointstudio/iStock/GettyImages Apple cider vinegar (ACV) has been touted as a natural remedy for just about everything it seems, from an antibiotic alternative to an acid reflux fix. Some sources even say that drinking apple cider vinegar before bed can help you lose weight. Advertisement But can sipping on ACV or trying apple cider vinegar recipes in the evening really move the scale in the morning?...

A homemade jump rope will also save you money over a store-bought one. Image Credit: dolgachov/iStock/GettyImages Jumping rope is a vigorous and effective cardiovascular exercise. Many athletes jump rope as a warm-up or as part of their workout routine. Jumping rope can be done just about anywhere. Plus, it can burn up to 500 calories an hour. Advertisement You can make your own jump rope so you can customize the length, weight and materials....

Reduce the amount of sugar you eat in order to get rid of yeast in your body. Image Credit: Professor25/iStock/GettyImages You may not think about how you’re carrying around trillions of bugs with you wherever you go, but your gut is home to more bacteria and yeast than you could count. Most of the time, these bugs live in harmony with no issues, but if you have too much yeast in your body, it can cause problems....

Whey protein is only one part of the equation. Image Credit: djiledesign/iStock/GettyImages When your goal is to build muscle, it’s important for your approach to include strength training and proper nutrition. Advertisement As a general rule, you should be getting about 0.4 to 0.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight every day, according to Natalie Digate Muth, MD, MPH, RD, of the American Council on Exercise; athletes should get between 0....

The antioxidants in a teaspoon of cinnamon makes it a valuable anti-inflammatory. Image Credit: Matthew O’Shea/Photolibrary/GettyImages You probably associate cinnamon with the aroma of coffee cake, snickerdoodles and cappuccino, but this tasty spice has been used for centuries by various cultures. Advertisement The ancient Egyptians employed the antibacterial benefits of cinnamon as part of embalming compounds for mummies. During the Roman Empire, it was used to flavor wine and perfume. Cinnamon has also played the role of an appetite stimulator, an aphrodisiac and a treatment for sore throats and coughs....

Cutting most regular vitamins is usually OK, but there are a few exceptions. Image Credit: diego_cervo/iStock/GettyImages A 2019 survey conducted by the Council for Responsible Nutrition found that 77 percent of Americans take dietary supplements — and that means plenty of us know the struggle of actually swallowing them. Advertisement When your supplement pill is a bit too big, cutting the tablets in half (or even crushing them) might seem like the simplest solution....

Learn more about stevia side effects to educate yourself on how to incorporate sweeteners into your diet. Image Credit: Luis Echeverri Urrea/iStock/GettyImages When you want to add a pinch of sweet taste to your food or drinks without the pitfalls of sugar, you may find yourself turning to sugar alternatives like stevia. Learn more about stevia side effects to educate yourself on how to incorporate sweeteners into your diet. Advertisement While stevia is generally considered safe to be used in food and drink, some extracts of the plant have not been approved by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA)....

Exercise helps increase bone density. Image Credit: Silke Woweries/The Image Bank/GettyImages In This Article Maintain Bone Density Increase Joint Range of Movement Reduce Risk of Injury When most people work out, they think about the effects of physical activity on their muscles or heart health. But exercise also has benefits for your skeletal system, including increased bone density, improved joint mobility and increased synovial fluid circulation. Advertisement But the kind of exercise you do matters....

A cyclist is riding his road bike in the mountains. Image Credit: dulezidar/iStock/Getty Images You probably associate the term “watt” with light bulbs rather than riding a bike. But the term, derived from Scottish inventor James Watt, measures rates of energy conversion, whether they be created by electricity in a glowing filament or your legs pumping the cranks to bring a bicycle up a hill, ramp or mountain pass. More watts or power conversion is a good thing, as it demonstrates more reliably than other methods increases in your fitness....

Muscle soreness that lasts for more than three days may indicate a muscle strain. Image Credit: jacoblund/iStock/GettyImages Muscle soreness is a normal part of a strenuous exercise plan. Normal muscle soreness should ​dissipate within a few days​. If you are still feeling sore for days after a workout, then you may have pushed yourself too hard or may have a more serious injury. Advertisement Sore Muscles After a Workout Sore muscles after a workout are commonly caused by delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS....

Orbit offers 10 flavors of sugar-free gum, two of which also promise to help whiten your teeth. Image Credit: Zarifa/iStock/GettyImages Orbit offers 10 flavors of sugar-free gum, two of which also promise to help whiten your teeth. Two Orbit gum ingredients of particular note are sorbitol and xylitol, which give this products its sweet flavor while keeping it sugar-free. Advertisement Notable Orbit Nutrition Facts Orbit has eight “regular” flavors of gum: peppermint, spearmint, freeze mint, wintermint, sweet mint, bubblemint, strawberry and citrus....

Overview of the Grey Sheet Diet Plan Image Credit: Kanawa_Studio/iStock/GettyImages Distributed by Overeaters Anonymous to its members until 1986, the Grey Sheet Diet was a meal plan that received its name from the grey-colored paper on which it was printed. The plan was designed to help control food addiction and promote weight loss. Although Overeaters Anonymous no longer endorses the Grey Sheet Diet, other organizations, including GreySheeters Anonymous, continue to encourage new members to follow the program through sponsors, or members who have adhered to the diet for at least 90 days....

Physical therapy restores movement after wrist fracture. Image Credit: fizkes/iStock/GettyImages A broken wrist is a major inconvenience. This joint is the location at which the two forearm bones — the ulna and radius — make contact with the various carpal bones of the hand. A break or fracture is caused by a large fall or excessive force against the bone. It is most common in the wrist end of the radius and occurs less often in the ulna and the scaphoid of the carpal bones....