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Traditionally, bodybuilding programs utilize more sets than endurance or strength programs (Reference 1). Image Credit: Minerva Studio/iStock/Getty Images Successful body building combines proper intensity and training volume for optimal muscle growth. Due to the inverse relationship between intensity and volume, sets per body-part must balance both factors. Intensity refers to load lifted while volume defines total work completed per session or week. Inadequate set completion hinders bodybuilding results and should be considering during program design....

Homemade electrolyte drinks are healthier and significantly lower in sugar than sports beverages. Image Credit: AscentXmedia/iStock/GettyImages Both water and electrolytes are vital for overall health. While there are trace amounts of electrolytes in water, it’s not enough to cover your daily needs. Simple tricks, such as adding a pinch of salt and lemon juice to plain water, can help maintain fluid and electrolyte balance in the body. Advertisement Tip Homemade electrolyte drinks are healthier and significantly lower in sugar than sports beverages....

To bake with coconut milk, replace it 1:1 for milk in the recipe. Image Credit: LucidSurf/iStock/GettyImages If you need a non-dairy alternative to milk for baking, then you can substitute coconut for milk in your recipes as long as the coconut flavor won’t interfere. The key is to pay attention to the type of milk or cream the original recipe calls for. Advertisement Tip To bake with coconut milk, replace it 1:1 for milk in the recipe....

A person cuts up a skinless duck breast on a chopping block. Image Credit: Biggereye/iStock/Getty Images Duck breasts may be purchased with or without the skin. Removing the skin reduces the fat and calorie content of the duck. A 3-oz. serving of skinless duck breast contains 119 calories and 3 g of fat, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. A 3-oz. duck breast with the skin contains 172 calories and 9 g of fat....

A plate of hot dogs with an American flag. Image Credit: Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images Hotdogs are a perennial favorite for cookouts or large kids’ gatherings. Having to grill large quantities of them all at once is a challenge, however, and using a large roaster pan can solve that problem. The roaster gives you two choices, boiling or steaming. It is also helpful for keeping large quantities of hotdogs warm after they’ve been cooked elsewhere or by some other method....

Your workout program needs to contain three essential components to be safe, effective and balanced. A balanced routine reduces your risk of injuries such as strained muscles or painful joints, plus each type of exercise contributes to your overall well-being. Aerobic exercise improves your cardiovascular system and helps with weight loss or maintenance. Resistance exercise improves your muscular tone and endurance. Flexibility exercise enhances your range of motion. Some days your workouts will include all three components, other days you may do only two....

Burpees are a full-body exercise and deliver major benefits for your strength and endurance. Image Credit: Cavan Images/Cavan/GettyImages If you want a full-body exercise that works both strength and endurance (and has a pretty amazing name), the burpee checks all the boxes. This popular body-weight exercise — especially in CrossFit gyms — named after its inventor Royal H. Burpee, can also be easily modified to make it easier or harder, depending on your fitness level....

When doing leg curls with a dumbbell, make sure your knees stay in contact with the floor at all times. Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com In This Article Instructions Benefits Tips Machine Leg Curls More Variations Deadlifts get a lot of praise for their hamstring-building ability. But if you really want to give your hamstrings a muscle-twitching challenge, the leg curl is a must-try exercise — just get ready for some post-workout soreness....

Receiving the news that your blood test for protein is too high can be scary. Total protein is a lab test health care providers may order as part of a group of tests to measure liver and kidney function. Some diseases can cause elevated protein levels; however, sometimes total proteins are elevated simply because the person being tested was dehydrated at the time the blood was drawn. Dehydration may occur when you don’t drink enough fluids, especially during hot weather, or with significant physical activity....

Wheat germ provides a healthy dose of fiber and minerals including zinc, folic acid and iron. When people cut saturated fat out of their diets, they usually tend to cut out their intake of meat. However, when this happens, they may be missing out on vital nutrients. Enter wheat germ, the fat-fighting embryo of the wheat kernel, also known as the portion that is removed during processing. As you work through your weight-loss goal to cut back on saturated fatty foods, opt for a sprinkle of wheat germ in every meal to provide you with a filling dose of fiber to satisfy your appetite, as well as a bounty of minerals and vitamins that you may be missing....

Blood when wiping may not be a sign of something serious, but it's always worth a call to your doc. Image Credit: LightFieldStudios/iStock/GettyImages One of the “red flag” signs GI docs often talk about is the presence of blood in your stool. It’s always something you should pay attention to — rather than just hoping it will go away — because it can be an indication that something serious is going on....

Five awesome guacamole recipes so you can upgrade your favorite guac from something sorta special to something spectacular. Image Credit: rez-art/iStock/GettyImages Avocados are a nutritional powerhouse. The stone fruit fruit is a good source of fiber, vitamin K, folate, pantothenic acid, copper, antioxidants and healthy fats. Advertisement "Avocado is very high in monounsaturated fats that have been shown repeatedly to reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure and improve insulin sensitivity," says David Perlmutter, M....

The benefits of whole grains extend far beyond their fiber content. Image Credit: alvarez/E+/GettyImages Whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa and amaranth, to name a few, are a staple in kitchens around the world. Advertisement The USDA 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends getting three servings of whole grains each day, but 98 percent of Americans fall below that recommendation. Each serving is 1 slice of bread or 1/2 cup per cooked grain, such as: Video of the Day Brown rice Wheat Barley Bulgar Quinoa Amaranth Oats Muesli Rye Kamut Popcorn Wild rice...

Stretching by yourself is active range of motion. Image Credit: Creatas Images/Creatas/Getty Images Range of motion, or ROM, refers to how far a joint moves during exercise and physical therapy. Muscle strength and flexibility are the key components to movement. Lack of activity due to injury or disease lead to a decline in these two vital functions. Range of motion helps maintain movement by stretching the muscles and moving the joints....

Cycling is a great low-impact exercise. Image Credit: Trevor Williams/DigitalVision/GettyImages A neck injury is, well, a pain in the neck. It can disrupt your sleep, make everyday activities difficult and limit your ability to exercise. But you might not have to give up on exercise altogether. Advertisement If you've got chronic neck pain, aerobic exercise might even make your condition better. According to an article published in 2014 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, regular aerobic exercise can improve quality of life and reduce functional limitations....

The protein and fiber in apples with peanut butter help keep you feeling full. Image Credit: AlexPro9500/iStock/GettyImages When dinner is hours away but you still have a lot to accomplish, a snack can help you power through the rest of the afternoon. Instead of reaching for a candy bar or cookie, consider the benefits of incorporating apples with peanut butter into your regimen. You’ll get protein, fiber, minerals and vitamins in a small package....

Cheese sticks are a healthy lunch box snack. High quality cheese sticks are not a processed cheese food, but the real thing. Made from mozzarella cheese, individual sticks can be peeled into long stringy fibers, which make them fun to eat. Found in the cheese case of your grocery, you can eat them plain, or bread and deep fry them. Advertisement Considerations Whether a food is healthy is determined by looking at the food’s macronutrients, micronutrients and health status of the individual....

Any diet that has you eating fewer than 1,200 calories is a very-low-calorie diet and carries risks for your weight and health. Image Credit: asiandelight/iStock/GettyImages In This Article What Are They Weight Loss Health Risks Calculating Calories Healthy Diets to Try The Bottom Line Want to lose a lot of weight — and fast? You might be tempted to drastically slash your calorie intake. But going too low isn't good for your body, and it can actually backfire....

Beef spare ribs (aka beef back ribs) and short ribs come from different parts of the cow. Image Credit: vasiliybudarin/iStock/GettyImages In This Article Spare Ribs Short Ribs Nutrition When you go to a restaurant, ordering ribs is easy. When you make ribs at home, it gets a little more complicated. There are different types of ribs, and their differences usually boil down to the type of meat (such as beef or pork ribs), the part of the animal they come from and the preparation method....

People working out in a TRX class. Image Credit: MaxRiesgo/iStock/Getty Images A TRX class offers it all: core strength, balance, flexibility and total-body strength. Some classes are even designed as a cardio-strength circuit, providing bursts of cardio between exercises performed on the TRX trainer, to boost your calorie burn. Exactly how many calories you use depends on the class structure, your intensity and your size. Regardless of calorie-burn rates, though, a TRX class guided by a trained instructor can help you build functional strength to improve sports performance, daily activity and your overall well-being....