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Bananas are a healthy addition to most diets and only lead to weight gain if you're regularly eating more calories than your body needs. Image Credit: KucherAV/iStock/GettyImages Some foods are more likely to make you fat than others, but bananas aren’t particularly fattening. They’re low enough in calories to make a healthy, filling snack without ruining your calorie budget on your calorie counter. Advertisement On the other hand, bananas aren't a calorie-free food, so their calories must be included as part of your daily calorie goals....

Don't blow all your hard work! Image Credit: Getty Images/Hero Images The good news is that, through determination and hard work, you achieved your weight-loss goal. The not-so-good news is now you have to work to maintain it. For many dieters and exercise enthusiasts, the sobering reality is that maintaining weight loss can prove to be more challenging than shedding pounds in the first place. Advertisement However, with the right tools — and maybe more importantly, the right mindset — staying at your goal weight once you're done losing doesn't have to be a constant uphill battle....

There are several dumbbell chest exercises you can do with no bench. Image Credit: Antonio_Diaz/iStock/GettyImages A strong chest adds power to your upper body and keeps your upper-body muscles in balance, improving your posture and reducing the likelihood of injury. You don’t need a gym membership to build a strong chest. If all you have is a set of dumbbells, you can perform dumbbell chest exercises — without a bench — at home....

A 30-pound weight loss requires total lifestyle changes. Image Credit: Guido Mieth/Stone/GettyImages Does it ever seem like men just have an easier time losing weight than women? That’s not reason to despair. With the right plan, women can reach any fitness or weight loss goal a man can — for example, she can follow an exercise plan to lose 30 pounds. Advertisement As the Office on Women's Health explains, it's not exactly a misconception that men have an easier time losing weight....

Stretching and strengthening exercises can target the gracilis muscle. Image Credit: mihailomilovanovic/E+/Getty Images The gracilis is a long, thin muscle that runs along the inside of your thigh. Along with three other muscles near the same location, the gracilis helps adduct your thigh at the hip joint, moving it toward and across the center of your body. Perform stretching and strengthening exercises that target the gracilis regularly to help keep the muscle healthy and strong....

Shoulders may not get a lot of attention in the fitness world, but they're very easily injured. Image Credit: Jun/iStock/GettyImages Sculpting sexy shoulders is at the top of many fitness fanatics “to-do” lists. And while including shoulder exercises in your overall strength training program is beneficial, there are a few things you need to know before stacking on the weight. Advertisement "The shoulder is a highly injured area of the body, so it is advisable that you are not only working the larger shoulder muscles, but also the smaller stabilizing rotator cuff muscles," says Grayson Wickham, CSCS, physical therapist and founder of Movement Vault....

Child's pose is soothing and relaxing. Image Credit: Ridofranz/iStock/Getty Images Stomach gas makes you feel bloated, crampy and downright uncomfortable. If you have gas now that you want to relieve, try some exercise to reduce gas in the stomach. Advertisement You can prevent future gas episodes by watching what you eat and drink, as explained by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, but light cardio activity, such as a brisk walk, can also help you deflate....

Strengthen your diaphragm to reduce symptoms from hiatal hernia. Image Credit: Koldunov/iStock/GettyImages A hiatal hernia, which occurs when the stomach presses up into the diaphragm, can vary in severity of pain and symptoms. Large hernias often require surgery, but smaller ones may go unnoticed. While a hernia can appear under many conditions, certain exercises and life choices can severely diminish the chances of getting one. Exercises that strengthen your diaphragm can help improve less-severe hernias....

Capsule vitamins Image Credit: rep0rter/iStock/Getty Images Most people don’t think twice about the gelatin used to coat vitamin capsules and other medications. Gelatin is an ideal vessel for encapsulating vitamins, since it has no smell or taste and is easy to digest. Gelatin has no known side effects, unless you are allergic to the animal parts used to make it. Gelatin doesn’t interact with other medications or supplements, either. However, for vegetarians, gelatin is anathema....

Not a HIIT fan? You can still get a fantastic workout. Image Credit: Colin Anderson/Blend Images/GettyImages Sweating your butt off in a packed HIIT workout class is all the rage, with science backing up the shorter, more intense workout trend. But what if you absolutely hate HIIT training? How can you effectively build muscle and burn fat? Advertisement Here are seven HIIT alternatives that help you burn roughly the same number of calories and give you some of the same awesome benefits — but without that sense of dread beforehand....

Look for breads that are high in fiber and made with all-natural whole grains. Image Credit: Stefka Pavlova/Moment/GettyImages A diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods can heal your gut and provide relief from symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, autoimmune diseases and even arthritis. By consuming anti-inflammatory breads rather than refined grains, you can begin to feel better almost immediately. Advertisement Tip Look for breads that are high in fiber and made with all-natural whole grains....

If you don't eat enough fat, your skin and hair might feel drier than normal. Image Credit: RealPeopleGroup/iStock/GettyImages In This Article Hunger Fatigue Achy Joints Illness Brain Fog Dry Skin Hair Loss Irregular Periods What About a Zero-Fat Diet? How Much Fat to Eat With the popularity of low-fat and fat-free diets, fat has been vilified for ages. And while eating too many saturated fats isn't a great idea for heart health, fat doesn't deserve the bad rap it gets....

Poop that smells bad is totally normal, but there are a few specific smells that can tip you off to gut problems. Image Credit: serezniy/iStock/GettyImages Look, there’s a reason why bathrooms are equipped with a fan: Yeah, it’s to get rid of moisture from your shower, but it also zips odors outta there. Because, people, your poop smells. Advertisement Granted, you probably already know that. But did you know the fragrance of your feces (sorry, couldn't resist), can clue you into what's going on inside your body?...

The high sodium content of baking soda may raise your blood pressure. Image Credit: Eskay Lim / EyeEm/EyeEm/GettyImages If you like to bake, no doubt there’s a box of sodium bicarbonate — better known as baking soda — in your kitchen cupboard. Though its leavening powers can help you work magic with dough, baking soda is high in sodium, and that could affect your blood pressure. Advertisement The Pluses of Baking Soda Baking soda is actually a molecular mixture of sodium, hydrogen and oxygen, according to the American Chemical Society’s ChemicalSafetyFacts....

The hip thrust is a more effective butt exercise because it keeps the glutes under tension the entire time. Image Credit: ANRproduction/iStock/GettyImages Sir Mix-a-Lot might have sung about big butts, but we also want a strong butt. That’s where hip thrusts and deadlifts come in. These power-producing glute exercises work your backside like no other. But when you’re comparing which move puts your glutes in the driver’s seat, the hip thrust has the advantage....

Constipation and dizziness can occur together for a few different reasons. Image Credit: dragana991/iStock/GettyImages When you’re constipated, you might pass hard, dry and lumpy stools, have trouble pooping in the first place, or get that feeling that not everything came out that needed to, per the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Advertisement But what you might not expect is dizziness, too. Video of the Day Why You Might Get Dizzy When You're Constipated First, know that constipation isn’t a common cause of dizziness, says Michael D....

Woman walking on country path in fall Image Credit: Anetlanda/iStock/Getty Images Regular aerobic activity like power walking and jogging can help you live a longer and healthier life. Moving at a moderately brisk pace also increases the number of calories burned. The faster the pace of a power-walk or jog the more calories you’ll burn in one hour. Other factors must also be considered when calculating calories burned. Advertisement Body Size Weight and body size affect how many calories you’ll burn from one hour of power walking or jogging....

Just a few teaspoons of olive oil per day can have a positive effect on your health. Image Credit: Muratani/iStock/GettyImages “Drink a glass of olive oil every day,” blares a headline on The Conversation’s website, promoting a Mediterranean diet. The method was reportedly used by Cretan fishermen in the 1960s who started their day with a glass full of the golden liquid and allegedly enjoyed a long, active life as a result....

Roasting a whole chicken in a bag is an economical and simple way to prepare this classic Sunday-supper treat. Image Credit: istetiana/Moment/GettyImages Roasting a whole chicken in a bag is an economical and simple way to prepare this classic Sunday-supper treat. Pan-roasting any meat usually results in a greasy pan with caked-on food that needs copious amounts of scrubbing. Advertisement Oven-roasting bags made from heat-resistant nylon not only mean minimal post-meal cleanup, but the bag traps the moisture during the cooking process, ensuring that your chicken comes out flavorful and juicy....

Fish is a rich source of vitamin D. Image Credit: OksanaKiian/iStock/GettyImages Sun lovers, rejoice — the vitamin that’s formed naturally by exposure to sunlight is essential to your health. Vitamin D plays a significant role in bone maintenance, muscle function and the immune system. Your body naturally produces vitamin D when you’re exposed to sunlight, and some foods contain the vitamin. If you discover that you’re deficient, there are some ways to bring your vitamin D levels up as quickly as possible to prevent potential long-term damage to your body....