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Do daily aerobic activity to burn the most calories. Image Credit: YanLev/iStock/Getty Images Doing daily workouts and eating a healthful diet are key strategies for losing weight. In four months, you can burn fat, build muscle, increase your range of motion and adopt nutritious eating habits that you maintain for the rest of your life. Your actual weight loss will vary depending upon factors such as your current weight, your level of activity, the nutritious foods you choose and your portion sizes....

For an easy dinner with almost no clean-up, cook boneless, skinless chicken breasts in your oven, wrapped in foil. Image Credit: YelenaYemchuk/iStock/GettyImages Keep splatters at bay — make baked chicken in foil. This versatile cooking method allows you to roast plain chicken, coat it with crumbs for a crispy crust, infuse it with flavor from seasonings, or smother it with your favorite sauce. Advertisement Wrapping chicken in foil seals in natural juices, keeping boneless, skinless chicken breasts moist and tender....

Vegetable soup transcends culture — just about every cuisine has some form of it. Image Credit: Dzevoniia/iStock/GettyImages When you think of cuisine from other cultures, what comes to mind? You may have tried Mexican, Chinese, Indian or Greek, but it’s not often in the United States that people have the chance to try African dishes, such as vegetable soup made with ugu leaves, a traditional dish served in Nigeria. Advertisement Making Vegetable Soup Vegetable soup transcends culture — just about every cuisine has some form of it....

Spelt is widely grown in Ohio. Spelt is a glutinous grain that was introduced to the United States in the 1890s. Nutritionally similar to oats, spelt is often used as an alternative to oats and barley in pasta, flour, high fiber cereals and baked goods. Spelt can be obtained as a whole grain or ground like flour, and cooked simply by boiling in water, similar to the way rice or oatmeal is prepared....

Sore thighs can make walking difficult. Image Credit: PeopleImages/iStock/GettyImages Your thighs are home to three large muscle groups. In the front portion are the quadriceps, four muscles that help to extend and straighten the lower leg. On the back of your thighs are the hamstrings, three muscles that bring the leg backward and help you flex the lower leg toward your buttocks. On the outer and inner thigh are your abductors and adductors, which help you kick your leg to the side and bring it back in....

Weight-lifting doesn't have to be scary for newbies. Take it one step — and one rep — at a time. Image Credit: Richard Drury/DigitalVision/GettyImages If your weight-lifting experience is limited to carrying heavy grocery bags from your car to the front door, listen up! In addition to sculpting the strong bodies you see in magazines, resistance training can significantly enhance your physical and mental health. Advertisement But starting a program can be intimidating and expensive....

Rock your core with these 12 exercises for washboard abs. Image Credit: Muslim Girl/DigitalVision/GettyImages Strong abs not only look great, they also help you perform daily tasks, lift heavier weight in the gym, maintain good posture and even prevent back pain. But are endless crunches the solution? Advertisement Try any or all of these ab moves individually or as an add-on to your existing workout. If you plan on doing all of them in a circuit, do one set of each move with 15 to 30 seconds between exercises, repeating the full circuit up to three times total....

Alcohol gets a bad rap, but it doesn't have to be detrimental in moderation. Image Credit: CabecaDeMarmore/iStock/GettyImages Alcohol gets a bad rap, but some studies have shown that (when consumed in moderation) certain types of alcohol can have a positive impact on heart health and even help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. And infusing drinks with ingredients from your garden such as bark and herbs can increase immunity and help soothe everything from the sniffles to belly aches, says nutrition expert Rania Batayneh....

If you are coughing up phlegm after running, you might need to look into it. Image Credit: Thomas Barwick/Stone/GettyImages In This Article Allergic Rhinitis Heavy Breathing Respiratory Conditions Exercise-Induced Asthma Crushing your mile time or hitting a new max during a set of deadlifts calls for a celebration. Unfortunately, for some people, this post-workout time is spent ridding their body of excess phlegm. If you're coughing up mucus after exercise, it's time to figure out what's causing it, and how to cope....

Luckily, you can prevent illness with a few safe storage tricks. Image Credit: BURCU ATALAY TANKUT/Moment/GettyImages Each year, an estimated 48 million Americans get sick due to foodborne illnesses, according to the USDA. While many of us know that certain foods are more likely to be contaminated with bad bacteria and make us unwell (think: deli meats, seafood and eggs), other lesser-known foods, when stored or handled improperly, can result in illness, too....

These exercises improve your squat form by sharpening your technique and movement patterns. Image Credit: Nastasic/E+/GettyImages Whether you want to get lower or make carrying heavy load easier without sacrificing form, nailing down the hallmarks of the squat is key to getting the most out of your glute workouts. Advertisement In fact, dedicating some time away from the squat rack and focusing on the basics can help sharpen your technique, allowing you to try other squat variations that further challenge your glutes, quads and core as well as your back and shoulders....

Stepping on the scale too often could cause your motivation to take a hit. Image Credit: LightFieldStudios/iStock/GettyImages What you pile on your plate is paramount when it comes to shedding pounds. For sustainable, healthy, long-term weight loss, you need to nosh on healthy, nutrient-dense foods and create a calorie deficit. Advertisement But there are also other lifestyle factors — regardless of your food choices — that come into play, which can either help or hinder your weight-loss goals....

Lemon juice with apple cider vinegar mixed together might be a great natural weight loss drink. Image Credit: belchonock/iStock/GettyImages Have you ever thought of mixing water, apple cider vinegar and lemon juice to create a natural weight loss drink? This combo might be exactly what you need to give your metabolism a boost — or at least, this is what some dieters claim. While this beverage won’t melt away fat, it may benefit your health....

Talk with your doctor about your game plan for addressing iron deficiency and high cholesterol. Image Credit: SDI Productions/E+/GettyImages If blood tests show you’re iron deficient and you have high cholesterol, you may wonder whether there’s a connection between the two. But, focus first on the good news — that both of these health concerns can be managed — and learn the steps you need to take. Advertisement Iron Deficiency and High Cholesterol: Not a Strong Link There’s some evidence that in certain populations there may be a connection between low iron and low cholesterol, which may be related to nutrition....

Milk shakes made with milk and peanut butter provide a protein boost. Protein builds the muscles and tissues that help your body run. It also plays a critical role in fighting infections and carrying oxygen throughout your body. Parents of picky eaters -- or those with athletic children who need energy for high-activity sports -- might create protein shakes in an effort to ensure their children get adequate protein. Although the extra supplementation is unlikely to harm your child, most children's regular diets already contain ample amounts of protein....

Additional vitamin E while breastfeeding may be necessary to protect your newborn and promote her healthy development. Image Credit: Digital Vision./Photodisc/Getty Images The nutrients you ingest while breastfeeding will make their way to your baby as she nurses. The first food your baby eats is called colostrum, and is rich in vitamin E, say Victor R. Preedy and Ronald Ross Watson, authors of “The Encyclopedia of Vitamin E.” As your baby grows older, she will need to continue receiving a healthy dose of vitamin E through your breast milk....

references Digestive Diseases and Sciences: "A Novel Delivery System of Peppermint Oil Is an Effective Therapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome Symptoms" Food Science & Nutrition: "Ginger in Gastrointestinal Disorders: A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials" Journal of Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: "Curcumin and Fennel Essential Oil Improve Symptoms and Quality of Life in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome" Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center: "Turmeric" Consumer Labs: "Turmeric and Curcumin Supplements and Spices Review" International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition: "Functional Foods with Digestion-Enhancing Properties" Canadian Society of Intestinal Research: "Peppermint and Irritable Bowel Syndrome Pain Relief" Gastroenterology Report: "Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Diet" These five herbal teas have been shown to help improve stomach issues....

Cabbage is a low-calorie source of fiber and other vital nutrients. Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative Cabbage is part of the cruciferous family of vegetables, which also includes Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens and kale, among others. Advertisement The four major types of cabbage are green, red, savoy and Napa. Green cabbage ranges from pale to dark green, red cabbage looks purple or crimson-red with white veins running throughout and Napa and savoy cabbage are yellowish to pale green in color....

Fruits and vegetables are good sources of potassium. Potassium is a mineral that is used by the body cells to create an electrical conduction system across the cell membrane. These cell membrane transmissions promote heart function, nerve impulse transmissions and muscle contractions. Potassium has been associated with the prevention of stroke, osteoporosis and kidney stones, as well as the treatment of high blood pressure. Too little potassium, called hypokalemia, may affect sleep patterns....

Sneak more vegetables in your morning meal to help cut back on sugar cravings. Image Credit: Malkovstock/iStock/GettyImages If you find yourself hankering for sugary sweets throughout the day, know that up to 90 percent of the population experiences cravings, according to a June 2016 review in the ​Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine​. Advertisement This might be one of the reasons why the average American adult takes in about three times the recommended amount of added sugar per day, which is 25 to 36 grams, according to the American Heart Association (AHA)....