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You should combine situps with other exercises. Image Credit: mihailomilovanovic/E+/GettyImages It’s hard to find a person who wouldn’t like to have a washboard-flat stomach with rippin’ abdominal muscles. It also might be hard to find many people whose idea of a good time is doing hundreds of sit-ups. Advertisement If you aspire to a flat stomach but don't relish the thought of earning it, you may be pondering just how many sit-ups it will take to do the job....

Make sure your recovery program is just as strong as your training program. Image Credit: Westend61/Westend61/GettyImages What you do after your workouts matters just as much (if not more) than what you do during them. If you work out hard day after day, but don’t spend any time helping your muscles and joints recover, you won’t see the fitness gains you’re after. Instead, you might find yourself achy, injured or plateauing....

Raw chicken pieces on a cutting board with lemons. Image Credit: lisaaMC/iStock/Getty Images Lemon is a classic flavor for marinating chicken, especially when paired with black pepper and rosemary. Use a lemon marinade on thin chicken breasts for a quick weeknight meal or marinate a whole chicken for roasting. You can remove the skin and visible fat before marinating chicken pieces; with a recipe this tasty, you won’t even miss it....

Here's your guide to reading a hospital monitor. Image Credit: Arctic-Images/DigitalVision/GettyImages If you’re a patient staying in the hospital or visiting someone who is, you may wish you could better understand the monitors beeping beside the bed. Advertisement Two common readings taken from patients in a hospital are heart rate (measured by electrocardiogram) and blood pressure, per Oklahoma Heart Hospital. In order to understand these readings, you need to know what each wave of the electrocardiogram means, as well as the ranges of systolic and diastolic blood pressure....

You lose electrolytes through sweating, so it's important to replace some of what you lose. Image Credit: Matt Lincoln/Cultura/GettyImages Electrolytes are electrically charged minerals found all through the body. You’ll find electrolytes in essentially every type of bodily fluid — from blood to urine. These minerals are essential for health, because they help move nutrients into cells and move waste out. Advertisement However, electrolyte levels can change regularly because of exercise, illness or even the amount of water you drink....

Soften crunchy kernels of oatmeal by soaking them. Image Credit: NelliSyr/iStock/GettyImages As a whole grain, oats contain a hearty dose of fiber, as well as multiple health-enhancing nutrients, including phosphorous, potassium, manganese and selenium. Whether you eat raw soaked oats, oat groat, steel-cut oats or rolled oats, soaking them ahead of time softens the oat kernels. Advertisement Including oats in your diet will help you meet the whole grain recommendations made by the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans....

Strengthen your knees with calf and hamstring exercises. Though the knee is a simple hinge joint moving in primarily one direction, it bears much of the weight of your body and the forces exerted during locomotion. The joint is made up mostly of ligaments and bone compared with your hip joints and shoulder joints, which are surrounded largely by muscles; this bony configuration predisposes your knee to injury. The small mass of muscles covering the posterior aspect of your knees include the gastrocnemius, popliteus and the tendinous ends of your hamstrings....

For tracking accuracy, measure your weight at the same time each day due to weight fluctuations. Image Credit: Bine Å edivy/iStock/Getty Images Carrying extra weight isn’t uncommon in America. More than one in three adults have obesity, and even more have overweight. A body mass index, or BMI, of 30 or higher is considered obesity. Losing the weight takes hard work and dedication; there’s no simple solution. The first step is setting a weight loss goal....

Carnation Instant Breakfast has some healthful attributes, but also contains high sugar and little fiber. Image Credit: SherSor/iStock/GettyImages Carnation Instant Breakfast has several healthful attributes. Drinking Carnation Instant Breakfast is certainly better than skipping breakfast completely. Added to milk, Carnation breakfast drink serves as a healthy beverage to accompany a small breakfast. However, a breakfast comprised of whole foods is healthier, such as boiled eggs, eggs prepared in olive oil, or other lean protein, skim milk, whole grain carbohydrate, one or more servings of fruit and a multivitamin....

Combine your cooking methods for the perfectly seared, tender steak. Image Credit: Alex Walker/Moment/GettyImages In This Article The Best Method Other Tips for Cooking Steak It's hard to replicate the results of a perfectly grilled steak with other cooking methods. But when it comes to cooking steak indoors, you shouldn't choose between the stovetop or oven — instead, use both. Advertisement In fact, whether they are seared on a grill or in a pan, finishing steaks in the oven is the standard in fine restaurants everywhere, and for good reason....

references Lynne J. Goldberg, MD, professor of dermatology, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine; director, Hair Clinic, Boston Medical Center Journal of Clinical & Diagnostic Research: “Telogen Effluvium: A Review” Dermatology Practical and Conceptual: “Diet and Hair Loss: Effects of Nutrient Deficiency and Supplement Use” High-protein diets don't usually cause hair loss. Image Credit: SIphotography/iStock/GettyImages Image Credit: SIphotography/iStock/GettyImages Lynne J. Goldberg, MD, professor of dermatology, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine; director, Hair Clinic, Boston Medical Center Journal of Clinical & Diagnostic Research: “Telogen Effluvium: A Review” Dermatology Practical and Conceptual: “Diet and Hair Loss: Effects of Nutrient Deficiency and Supplement Use”

references American Journal of Ophthalmology: "Environmental Features Contributing to Falls in Persons With Vision Impairment: The Role of Home Lighting and Home Hazards. Arthritis Foundation: Arthritis Friendly Kitchen Tools Journal of Injury and Violence Research: "Slipping and tripping: fall injuries in adults associated with rugs and carpets. Administration for Community Living: Projected Future Growth of Older Population National Poll on Healthy Aging: "Older Adults Preparedness to Age in Place." NewYork Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center: "Burn Safety and Prevention for Older Adults" Is this an emergency?...

Leg weakness can make stair climbing difficult. Image Credit: Todor Tsvetkov/E+/GettyImages Leg weakness isn’t unusual when you’ve been exercising aggressively or when you have a bout of the flu. But when you start to notice leg weakness while climbing stairs, then it might indicate a more serious underlying condition. Advertisement Don't assume your experience is just a part of aging, and head to a doctor as soon as possible to determine the cause and get appropriate treatment....

Your diet can have an effect on your mood and influence depression. Image Credit: MariaDubova/iStock/Getty Images There are a host of diet plans available claiming to promote rapid weight loss. A low-carb diet is a popular diet plan in which only 15 to 20 percent of your calories come from carbs and the rest come from fats and proteins. (ref 1, sec 2) You may be drawn to this diet if you like protein-rich foods, but like any other diet, a low-carb one has its pitfalls....

Muscle strains can cause leg lumps after running. Image Credit: Jacobs Stock Photography Ltd/DigitalVision/GettyImages Running is a good way to work out the cardiovascular system and the muscles of the leg, but it is also very hard on your joints and bones. Each time your foot strikes the ground while walking, it puts pressure equivalent to 1.5 times your body weight on your legs. Running increases this pressure significantly. Over time, that can cause damage to the bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments, especially if you have ill-fitting footwear or weak joints....

Pasta with vegetables is a good, varied source of healthy carbohydrates. Image Credit: Maskot/Maskot/GettyImages Contrary to the fad diet craze, carbohydrates can be part of a healthy diet and don’t necessarily add to unwanted weight gain. Like anything, your carb intake should be balanced and derived from a variety of sources. Advertisement Tip If you're eating an 1,800-calorie diet, you might allow for 75 grams of carbohydrates for breakfast, 50 to 60 grams for lunch and dinner, and the rest for snacking....

references Preventing Chronic Disease: "Association Between Sitting Time and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors After Adjustment for Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Cooper Center Longitudinal Study, 2010–2013" Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism: "Acute effects of muscle stretching on physical performance, range of motion, and injury incidence in healthy active individuals: a systematic review" The pretzel stretch promotes healthy spine rotation, stretches your glutes and is a great cooldown after a workout. Image Credit: Maridav/iStock/GettyImages...

Here’s the deal: Running hurts. Yes, it can make you feel wonderful and give you a serious dose of euphoria (hello, runner’s high!), but ultimately, running is a high-impact, high-intensity exercise that’s bound to end in some aches and pains. The trick is knowing when soreness is normal, and when it means you may have injured yourself. It helps to get acquainted with common runner injuries so you know what to watch out for and you know what you can do to combat soreness....

The benefit of sparkling or seltzer water is that it may help some people drink more water and maintain proper hydration, thanks to its fun bubbles. Image Credit: Makidotvn/iStock/GettyImages Seltzer and sparkling waters have bubbles that differentiate them from still water. The main difference between the two is how their carbonation occurs. Seltzer utilizes artificial carbonation, while the bubbles in sparkling water are naturally occurring from the original water source....

1 of 11 Overview Romantic relationships and working out share a lot of similarities. In the beginning, you're eager to get to the gym and work hard. You feel good, sleep better and are generally happy. This is the honeymoon period. Then one day something changes. You lose momentum. You’re no longer motivated. Everything hurts. Honestly, you just want it to end. You and your workout clearly need “to have a talk....