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Eating a lot while lifting weights will not help you gain muscle. Instead, you should focus on exercise, proper nutrition, rest, and getting your recommended calories from good food sources. Image Credit: Claudia Totir/Moment/GettyImages If you want to gain muscle mass, you may think you have to eat a lot of food, but requiring a calorie surplus to build muscle is a myth. Instead of focusing on eating all you can, you should focus on exercise, proper nutrition, good sleep, and eating just your required caloric needs for each day....

Wheat bran contains gluten. Image Credit: MamaMiaPL/iStock/Getty Images A kernel of wheat grain contains three parts: the germ, endosperm and bran. The endosperm, which makes up about 83 percent of the kernel, is typically ground into white flour. The tiny, high-fat germ portion contains the plant embryo, and is usually removed during processing to extend the shelf life of the flour. The bran, or tough outer coating of the kernel, is also removed during the manufacturing process for white flour....

Make careful beverages choices to control blood sugar. Image Credit: sirichai_raksue/iStock/Getty Images Some people mistakenly think that because diet drinks usually contain sugar alternatives, they are low-glycemic – have a low impact on blood sugar and don’t cause rapid blood glucose increases like high-glycemic foods. If you’re using the glycemic index as a method for meal planning, it’s crucial to know that some diet drinks influence your blood sugar. Advertisement Glycemic Index 101 The glycemic index, or GI, ranks foods from zero to 100 based on how quickly they raise blood sugar....

A bowl of skinless tropical fruit. Image Credit: Design Pics/Tomas del Amo/Design Pics/Getty Images If you’re struggling with a bout of mild-to-moderate diarrhea, adding fiber to your diet might help. Look for foods high in soluble fiber, which absorbs water in the digestive tract. Mixed with water, soluble fiber turns into a gel, resulting in firmer, bulkier stool that moves more slowly through your system. If you have severe or persistent diarrhea, however, skip the self-medication and visit your doctor for a diagnosis....

Water is a good diet aid, but it can’t magically flush fat from your body. It helps with weight control by maintaining fluid balance, helping you feel full and controlling calorie intake. If you’re trying to lose fat, consult your doctor or dietitian to help you design a healthy diet plan that includes adequate water to meet your daily requirements. Water and Fluid Retention Drinking water may not flush out the fat, but it can flush out the water....

The proper balance of calories helps you maintain weight. Image Credit: Ljupco/iStock/Getty Images Different people need different amounts of calories to maintain a healthy weight. Calories help fuel the body and prevent it from burning stored fat for basic functions. When you eat the proper amount of calories, your body functions efficiently and you neither lose nor gain weight. Advertisement Basal Metabolic Rate Your basal metabolic rate indicates how many calories your body needs to perform basic functions like breathing and digestions....

The amount of time you spend on the treadmill depends on your goals. Image Credit: andresr/E+/GettyImages Using a treadmill is a convenient and effective method for torching calories and boosting heart health. Advertisement When you use a treadmill, you are performing aerobic, or cardiovascular exercise. This is the type of exercise that elevates your heart rate and causes you to break a sweat. The amount of time you spend on the treadmill depends on your objectives with training....

Is a doughnut worth the extra time in the gym? Image Credit: Jupiterimages/Stockbyte/Getty Images Although doughnuts taste delicious, you may not want to indulge in the treat when you think about the time you need to spend in the gym to burn the calories off. Doughnuts contain anywhere from 175 to 550 calories per serving. This could mean hours in the gym depending on the intensity of your workout session. Instead of eating a doughnut, choose a healthier snack option that is lower in calories....

Image Credit: DragonImages/iStock/GettyImages To be successful in many sports, you need to be able to generate great amounts of lower-body speed and power during short bursts of all-out effort. This is known as anaerobic fitness, and it's an essential component of every sport. For example, think of a soccer player sprinting down the field for a final goal or a power lifter picking up as much weight as possible off the floor....

Cooking a ham in a roaster oven provides an entrée to feed a family or a house full of company. Image Credit: istetiana/Moment/GettyImages Cooking a ham in a roaster oven provides an entrée to feed a family or a house full of company. The leftovers can be used to make sandwiches or to flavor bean soup and other dishes. Advertisement Tip To cook a precooked ham in an electric roaster, cut off most of the fat and prepare a glaze to apply twice during the cooking process....

Smoked Italian sausage on a cutting board. Image Credit: ulkan/iStock/Getty Images Italian sausage is a versatile and tasty basis for any meal. Traditional Italian sausage contains pork and sometimes veal, but if you are looking for a low-fat alternative, turkey Italian sausage is also available. Cooking Italian sausage is not difficult. Pan-frying it and then braising it in sauce ensures that the sausage cooks through without scorching the casing or drying out the ground filling....

Fry ground pork burgers as you would ground beef or turkey. Image Credit: alicjane/iStock/GettyImages There are many reasons why people are turning to pork at the grocery store. Not only is pork accessible in most places, but it’s also affordable, flavorful and a great substitute for beef. But is it easy to prepare? And how do you make pork burgers on the stove? Advertisement Tip To cook pork burgers on the stove, make 1/2 inch think round patties from ground pork adding salt and pepper as desired....

Ribeye steak can be prepared using many different styles and cooking methods. Ribeye steaks are a boneless rib cut of steak and are one of the most tender cuts of beef. There are many ways to cook ribeye steaks, including broiling them in the oven. Broiling your steaks is quicker than grilling them and requires less maintenance than cooking them in a skillet. This recipe provides an Italian marinade glaze, though there are many different combinations of spices that you can use to change the flavor of your steak....

Dehydrated sausages on a table. Image Credit: rlat/iStock/Getty Images Drying sausage is one way of preserving it without impacting its nutritional value. Dehydrated sausage makes a nutritionally-dense snack, or you can rehydrate it to take the place of regular sausage in soups and stews. Dehydrators wick the moisture out of sausage by cooking the meat at a low temperature in a dry environment for an extended period of time. Although a lengthy process, dehydrating sausages in a dehydrator is simple and easy to do....

Cucumbers are low-calorie and refreshing. Image Credit: Floortje/iStock/GettyImages Fruits and vegetables, including cucumbers, aren’t just good for your overall health, they’re a welcome addition to weight loss diets. Cucumbers provide generous amounts of essential nutrients, including vitamins C and K, and they have some nutritional properties that make them helpful for weight loss. Advertisement You don't have to stick to cucumber slices served plain, though — you can include cucumber in a range of delicious weight loss-friendly dishes....

A V-cut stomach requires time in the gym and a well-managed diet. Image Credit: iammotos/iStock/GettyImages Six-pack abs are arguably the most desired physical feature for fitness enthusiasts. And except for the rare case, six-pack abs are visual proof of dedicated exercise and sound nutrition. But there’s one addition to the classic six-pack that takes your body to the next level: A V-cut stomach — the hallmark of a lean, athletic physique....

Foods with added sugars provide less nutritional value than foods with natural sugars. Image Credit: mediaphotos/iStock/GettyImages We’re overdoing it when it comes to the sweet stuff. On average, Americans are eating about 17 teaspoons of sugar per day, but the American Heart Association recommends no more than six teaspoons for women and nine for men. Advertisement Why is going overboard a big deal? "Aside from the larger calorie load, foods with tons of added sugar are usually low in the nutrients we need for proper fueling and higher in artery-clogging fat," says Lauren Harris-Pincus, RDN, founder of NutritionStarringYOU....

If you let your head fall back against the bench, you're making a common hip thrust mistake. Tuck your chin to your chest for better form. Image Credit: Hirurg/E+/GettyImages Imagine putting numbers into a spreadsheet for several hours each week only to realize, a year later, you’ve been using the wrong system the whole time. Advertisement Doing an exercise with incorrect form is kind of the same thing. And if glute strength or size is your goal, yet you're making a few common hip thrust mistakes, you may be working, at least partially, in vain....

Regular exercise may help you feel more motivated and less depressed about your prostate cancer. Image Credit: Halfpoint Images/Moment/GettyImages The moment you learn you have prostate cancer, your world changes. Anxiety over making the right treatment decisions and uncertainty over the outcome can take over your thoughts. Advertisement Worries about how your treatment might affect you only add to the overwhelm — and can change the way you see yourself. Video of the Day "Depending on the therapy, there can be significant implications, including changes in muscle mass, erectile dysfunction, libido and fatigue," says Ian Sadler, PhD, a clinical health psychologist specializing in cancer at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York....

There's a proven muscle mass difference between males and females: Men on average have a higher percentage of muscle than women. Image Credit: andresr/E+/GettyImages There’s a proven muscle mass difference between males and females: Men on average have a higher percentage of muscle than women. However, there is great variation within each gender, and women can — and should — strength-train regularly for athletic performance and health. Advertisement Muscle Mass and Body Fat Science has long acknowledged a difference between muscle mass and body fat for men and women....