Posts

A 5 day protein shake diet can help you lose weight quickly. Image Credit: Peter Berglund/E+/GettyImages Almost half of Americans are trying to lose weight at any given time, and many of those people who are desperate to shed some pounds quickly will opt for some type of protein shake diet. While following one of the many shake diet programs out there for a short period of time, like five days or a week, probably isn’t going to cause any harm, your results likely won’t last....

Moving more easily and without pain is a great fitness goal. Image Credit: Halfpoint/iStock/GettyImages Before you ever pick up a weight or hop on a treadmill, it’s a good idea to set a goal. Having one — for that day, week, month and year — will give you direction and motivation. And it can help light a fire under your butt and get you to do the darn thing. Advertisement When it comes to fitness goals, trainers want you to consider setting ones that have nothing to do with your size, shape or how you look....

You'll enjoy these healthier doughnuts without steering away from your nutritional goals too much. Image Credit: Drazen Zigic/iStock/GettyImages If you celebrate Hanukkah, you know that sufganiyot (aka jelly-filled doughnuts) are both delicious and quintessential to the Jewish holiday. In fact, the delicious dessert was declared the official food of Hanukkah by the Israeli Labor Federation in the 1920s. Advertisement Whether you're observing the Festival of Lights with your immediate family, a few friends or solo this year, we've rounded up seven flavor-packed doughnut recipes so you can enjoy all that baked goodness in your own kitchen....

The poses in this yoga flow for tight hips are designed to give a deep but gentle stretch. Ease up, bend your knees and modify the posture however you need to stay comfortable. Image Credit: LumiNola/E+/GettyImages Tight hips can feel like a fact of modern life. After all, sitting all day (in front of the computer?) is the number-one cause of tight hips, according to the International Sports Science Association....

Overcooking rice can cause the development of cancer-causing substances. Rice is, according to the USA Rice Federation, the most commonly used grain in the world. Found in nearly every culture, rice is low in fat and calories and in its brown variety, a nutritionally dense food. Rice can be prepared in a variety of ways, generally beginning with a dip in boiling water to soften the grain and release the nutrients....

Baths can help relieve pain from sore muscles. Image Credit: andresr/E+/GettyImages A long, hot bath is something you may look forward to after a day at work or a stressful situation. Baths are a convenient stress reliever because almost everyone has a bath tub. If you are experiencing sore muscles or aches, a bath may help to relax muscles and make the pain and discomfort more manageable. Advertisement Home Remedies for Sore Muscles Muscle aches and soreness is often related to stress on muscle or joints....

One missed workout won't ruin your morning weigh-in. Image Credit: IPGGutenbergUKLtd/iStock/Getty Images No matter how committed you are to your weight loss plan, sometimes life just gets in the way and you are forced to skip a workout. It’s easy to picture all of your hard work going down the drain while you’re sick in bed or working late. Don’t worry, however – missing one day of exercise won’t cause all of your lost weight to come rushing back, nor will it completely derail your progress....

Push ups are a great workout. Image Credit: Cecilie_Arcurs/E+/GettyImages “Buff” can mean different things to different people, but usually it connotes a taut, chiseled look that’s muscular without necessarily being bulky. Push-ups and pull-ups together cover quite a bit of core and upper-body real estate and will take you far toward that Greek god look. Each activates muscle groups in the neck, chest, shoulders, arms, back and to some extent, the abdominal muscles....

Chest pressure or pain can indicate a wide variety of health problems, some of which are serious or even life-threatening, and others that are much more benign. If you experience chest pressure, you may think that you’re having a heart attack or some kind of heart problem. But if your chest pain or pressure is relieved by moving around, you probably aren’t having a cardiovascular-related episode. Nonetheless, make sure to mention any concerns you may have to your doctor....

Use proper form to help avoid squat injuries. Image Credit: Drazen_/E+/GettyImages Squats are a popular exercise for leg strengthening and building a nice booty. However, squats aren’t without their risks. Groin injury, such as sports hernia, muscle strain and hip impingement, can be caused or be exacerbated by strain put on the lower abdominal muscles and inner thigh muscles during heavy squats. It can also occur with improper form or overtraining....

Water aerobics is a low-impact workout. Image Credit: Wavebreakmedia/iStock/GettyImages As you submerge yourself into the deep end of a pool for a water fitness workout your body becomes nearly weightless, giving you a new kind of workout challenge. Advertisement While deep water aerobics has a low impact on your joints, it has a high impact on your cardiovascular system, improving your overall health and fitness and aiding weight loss and maintenance....

Many foods may help to nourish and strengthen your retina. Image Credit: Maria Teijeiro/Photodisc/Getty Images The inner, back section of the eye has a lining called the retina. This tissue contains light-sensitive cells that send visual information to the optic nerve, and the optic nerve then transmits these images to the brain. If your retina tears, this could result in changes to your vision. Knowing the ways that nutrition may play a role in strengthening your retina will help you choose foods to protect your eyes and vision....

A chef begins cooking with white wine. Image Credit: Kondor83/iStock/Getty Images Wine can be a delicious addition to many recipes, but you must choose the right wine for your dish. Although you may be tempted to use up the bottle in the back of the fridge, the one you don’t remember opening, a fresh and appropriate wine will do much more to enhance your food. Use as much care in selecting your wine for cooking as you do in choosing your wine for drinking....

It may be counterproductive to consume caffeine if you take Ativan. Image Credit: ValeryEgorov/iStock/Getty Images Lorazepam, available under the brand name Ativan, is a powerful prescription medication classified as a benzodiazepine. It slows activity in the brain with sedating properties. Caffeine, in contrast, is a stimulant, and consuming large amounts may counteract some effects of Ativan. You may not need to completely give up caffeine if you take Ativan, but consult your doctor before combining the two substances....

Drinking white wine in moderation may promote weight loss. Image Credit: Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images Many dieters know that red wine consumption has been linked to lower cardiovascular risk and weight loss. Some evidence suggests that this benefit extends to white wine as well. Drinking a light or moderate amount of white wine may help you shed extra pounds. Other effects of wine consumption may negate these weight loss benefits, however. Talk to a doctor before beginning to drink wine for health reasons, because alcohol consumption may not be safe for you....

A young man is jogging. Image Credit: Ibrakovic/iStock/Getty Images Scary though they may be, palpitations are rarely threatening on their own. However, in some cases they are indicators of underlying problems. If you don’t get enough exercise, heart palpitations might be your body trying to send you an important message. Advertisement Heart Palpitation Symptoms The American Heart Association describes a heart palpitation as a single premature heartbeat, which might feel like your heart is “skipping a beat....

Compressed and powdered yeast Image Credit: Will Heap/Dorling Kindersley/Getty Images Because of nutritional yeast’s high nutrient content, vegetarians will sometimes use it as a supplement. In vegan recipes, nutritional yeast also makes a good substitute for Parmesan cheese. But nutritional yeast isn’t that high in calories, so it isn’t likely to cause weight gain. If you’re trying to gain weight, you’re better off choosing other foods – including higher-calorie dishes that contain nutritional yeast as an ingredient....

Exercise helps maintain lean muscle while encouraging your body to burn fat. Image Credit: g-stockstudio/iStock/GettyImages Most people would like to burn as much fat as they can while losing minimal amounts of muscle, or lean body mass. Different weight-loss methods will lead to either more or less muscle being burned by your body, affecting the ultimate body composition that you will end up with once you have lost the weight you are trying to lose....

Certain yoga poses — especially twisting ones — can help relieve constipation. Image Credit: PeopleImages/E+/GettyImages Feeling backed up? Instead of hitting the drugstore for over-the-counter relief, first consider natural ways to spur on number two. Advertisement In addition to consuming adequate fiber and water, engaging in daily physical activity will help to keep you regular and combat constipation, says Mark Stephens, yoga instructor and author of the forthcoming book Yoga Adjustments Deck....

There are several exercises you can do to strengthen your feet. Image Credit: kbycphotography/iStock/GettyImages Noticing your foot turning inward when you’re walking or running could mean that you are overpronating. Pronation of the feet to an excessive degree can potentially lead to lower leg injuries, according to a December 2014 analysis in the ​Journal of Foot and Ankle Research​. Advertisement Fortunately, there are ways you can exercise to keep your ankles from turning inward and overpronating....