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You don't need regular lunges to build stronger lower-body muscles. Image Credit: ljubaphoto/E+/GettyImages When you think of leg workouts, one of the first exercises that probably comes to mind is lunges. However, many people steer clear of lunges due to knee pain and others simply don’t like them. Advertisement It may seem like the lunge is the ultimate leg exercise, but don't fret! There's a way to get the sculpted legs you desire without having to do a single lunge....

Anchovies' healthy fat, protein and calcium makes them a worthwhile addition to your diet. Image Credit: Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images Fish should make regular appearances in your diet, and eating at least 6 ounces of fish a week protects you from cardiovascular disease, explains the Harvard School of Public Health. Anchovies, while perhaps not the most popular fish, make a healthful addition to your diet. Not only do they come packed with beneficial fish oils, they’re also low in mercury and contaminants, according to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene....

references University of Rochester Medical Center: "Pregnancy: How Your Digestion Changes" U.S. Food and Drug Administration: “FDA 101: Dietary Supplements” Harvard Health Publishing: "Digestive enzyme supplements for heartburn?" Mayo Clinic: "Supplements: Nutrition in a pill?" Neuroendocrinology Letters: "Papaya preparation (Caricol®) in digestive disorders" Kaiser Permanente: "Pregnancy: Avoiding Papaya" Cleveland Clinic: "Weight Gain During Pregnancy: How Much Is Too Much?" Mayo Clinic: "Lactose intolerance" Cleveland Clinic: "Digestive Enzymes 101: Why They’re Important" National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: "Treatment for Lactose Intolerance" National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: "Bromelain" Johns Hopkins Medicine: "Digestive Enzymes and Digestive Enzyme Supplements" Is this an emergency?...

A family is out for a bike ride together. Image Credit: Digital Vision./Photodisc/Getty Images Most people would not turn down a $10,000 custom Italian racing bike, but most people don’t have that kind of money to spend for just a recreational ride. There’s a perfect bike for every rider, at a price for every budget. The rule of thumb is to buy the best bike you can afford, so you can take advantage of higher-quality components and workmanship....

Bananas and yogurt go well together. Image Credit: serezniy/iStock/GettyImages In order to eat healthy, stock your fridge, pantry and fruit bowl with easy and nutritious choices. Bananas and yogurt are two nutrient-rich and satisfying staples that you can grab on the go or use in a number of meals and snacks. Advertisement Nutrients in Yogurt The nutrients in yogurt vary depending on the fat content and flavoring of the yogurt. A 6-ounce container of plain, low-fat yogurt provides 107 calories, including 8....

Following a beginner workout plan for women can help you feel more confident in the gym. Image Credit: Cavan Images/Cavan/GettyImages In This Article Weekly Plan Best Practices Cardio Workouts Strength-Training Workouts Recovery Workouts Starting a gym routine for the first time is daunting. Not only is the gym full of seemingly complicated, high-tech equipment, but it's also often packed with people who look like they know exactly what they're doing. Advertisement But for women wanting to start exercising at the gym, walking in with a plan is the best way to combat nervousness, have the most positive experience and enjoy a safe and effective gym workout....

The farmer's walk works your core, hips, back, shoulders, arms, legs and forearms at once. Image Credit: Diversity Impact/iStock/GettyImages In This Article Instructions Muscles Worked Benefits If you're not doing loaded carries — and more specifically, the farmer's walk — as part of your strength-training routine, you're missing out. Advertisement The farmer's walk targets muscles throughout your entire body, including your transverse abdominis, gluteals, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, shoulders, latissimus dorsi (lats), traps, rear deltoids, biceps, triceps and forearms....

Black fungus isn't associated with any side effects yet it possesses plenty of potential benefits. Image Credit: Silvia Bogdanski/iStock/Getty Images Black fungus belongs to the Auricularia family and its scientific name is Auricularia polytricha. It is one of the 10 to 15 different species of mushrooms worldwide and is mainly found in China, according to the University of Tennessee Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Advertisement Black fungus is also called "cloud ear fungus" or "tree ear fungus" because they look like shriveled ear lobes....

Both green tea and coffee contain caffeine. Image Credit: DevMarya/iStock/GettyImages Caffeine, thought to be the world’s most frequently consumed stimulant drug according to 2015 research in ​Current Neuropharmacology​, occurs naturally in some foods and beverages like coffee, tea and chocolate. Advertisement While green tea and coffee both contain caffeine, coffee has a significantly greater amount per cup. Coffee and green tea contain other nutrients that have been linked with significant health benefits....

Two couples eating in a restaurant. Image Credit: Jochen Sand/Photodisc/Getty Images In diet and nutrition, the term calorie describes the energy content of foods. As with all age groups, the daily calorie needs of 48-year-old women vary with their levels of physical activity. Advertisement Definition The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion defines three activity levels beyond your activities of daily living. Per that definition, sedentary individuals spend less than 30 minutes a day in moderate physical activity, while moderately active individuals engage in 30 minutes to one hour of moderate exercise....

Corn starch is often used to thicken pie fillings, gravies and puddings. It blends smoothly with cold water, has no taste and gives a shiny appearance to foods. It is also makes a thin, crispy golden coating on breaded, fried meats. Baking powder has an entirely different chemical makeup and purpose, and the two are not interchangeable. Ingredients Corn starch is a natural carbohydrate found in the corn kernel. It is gluten-free and is occasionally used as a flour, although its most common purpose is thickening....

Use canola oil instead of vegetable oil in baked good recipes. Image Credit: Mizina/iStock/GettyImages Sometimes you just want to make that delicious brownie recipe, but you don’t have all the ingredients on hand. If you find only canola vs. vegetable oil in your pantry you wonder: Will my recipe come out OK? Advertisement Vegetable oils belong to the larger family of plant oils, referring to any oil that is not made from animal fats or petroleum products....

A close-up of a frozen shrimp in a stainless steel bowl. Image Credit: Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images Few varieties of seafood can rival shrimp as an ingredient in fast, convenient meals. High in protein and low in fat, shrimp lend themselves to almost any healthful preparation method, from steaming to grilling. Like other varieties of shellfish they’re extremely perishable, but if you keep high quality frozen shrimp on hand you can enjoy their sweet flavor any time the impulse strikes....

Ganoderma lucidum – more commonly known as reishi mushroom – is a bitter mushroom, used for thousands of years by Chinese medicine in the treatment of multiple ailments. Called the “mushroom of immortality,” it is an adaptogen, which assists the body in adapting to both mental and physical stress. Your adrenal system controls how your body’s hormones relate to stressful conditions. An imbalance of this system causes anxiety, depression, and inflammation, which leads to disease....

Body shapers might make it more difficult to breathe during a workout. Image Credit: Freid / Whisenhunt/Photolibrary/Getty Images Body shapers give the illusion of a smaller figure, flattening the stomach and bringing in the waist line, and it’s only natural to want those changes to be permanent. Since body shapers make it more difficult to breathe, it might seem that you would burn more calories during exercise due to the increased stress on your body....

Fresh raw oysters. Image Credit: onepony/iStock/Getty Images Oysters are a delicacy that can be eaten raw or cooked, often used in soups, stews and fish pies. When you can’t obtain fresh oysters, canned oysters can step in. While canned oysters may contain more nutrients than raw oysters, they are also higher in sodium, and their increased nutrients are only available if you consume the canning liquid. Advertisement Raw Oyster Nutrition A 1-cup serving of raw oysters has 126 calories per serving, over 14 grams of protein and 4....

A close up of a glass of diet cola. Image Credit: Inga Dronsutaviciene/iStock/Getty Images Diet soda seems like the perfect drink, all of the flavor of soda, but with zero calories – a dieter’s dream. In reality diet soda is a far from perfect drink. Diet soda is packed with artificial sweeteners and chemicals. Drinking diet soda regularly may ultimately cause you to gain weight, but no one factor can be attributed to weight gain....

Drinking your calories means nutritious meals in liquid form, not sodas and mimosas. Image Credit: PavelKant/iStock/GettyImages Most workout and nutrition programs revolve around helping you lose weight, but some people have the opposite problem. If you’re struggling to up your calories and add pounds, weight gain shakes can be your saving grace. Eating large quantities of food can be difficult, but liquid calories will help. Advertisement When You Should Gain Weight Chances are, you won’t garner much sympathy if you complain to others about how difficult it is to gain weight....

Focus on nutrition and hydration to improve dry scalp and hair. Your scalp is part of the body's biggest organ: the skin. Some people with food allergies, including dairy allergy, report an itchy scalp and other skin irritations, ranging from rashes to eczema. Eczema is a chronic disorder that features long-term inflammation of the skin. People with allergies or asthma often experience eczema, and allergies can, in fact, make eczema worse....

There's a reason it's called a "runner's high." Running (and other regular exercise) can help relieve stress and improve mood. Image Credit: TuiPhotoengineer/iStock/GettyImages When you’re stressed with the demands of work or home life, it can feel overwhelming and counterproductive to add another item to your to-do list. You might not feel like you have time to squeeze in a workout, but exercise can be one of the most powerful tools in combating the stress of getting it all done....