For Mexicans Cinco de Mayo is a celebration for their victory over France, but for Americans it’s another excuse to eat, drink and be merry. Of course, those rich Mexican dishes and high-calorie cocktails are an easy way to derail your diet. Among the worst offenders are the fried tortilla…
Sustaining an injury during a workout can sideline your fitness efforts. But how do you know how to soothe the pain and help your body recover as quickly as possible? First, it’s important to understand what kind of injury is bothering you. Acute injuries are ones that have a quick…
When it comes to managing your weight, the two most important letters you need to know are G and I. They stand for glycemic index – and they’ve become the buzzwords of the diet movement in recent years. The Glycemic Index chart ranks carbohydrates based on their effect on blood…
Maintaining the motivation to workout can be a difficult feat in itself. Why make it any harder? Purchasing the proper footwear for your chosen activity should come first and foremost when undertaking a new fitness regimen. Not wearing the right shoes can lead to discomfort, blisters and even injury. For…
There are benefits of working out muscles in a certain order. Training large muscle groups first when your energy level is the highest usually works best. These muscles include thighs, chest and back. The smaller muscles like forearms, biceps and triceps should be saved for last. Strengthening your muscles through…
Take time to evaluate not only what you eat, but also how you eat it. When you sit down to a meal, do you rush through, gobbling as you go, without stopping for a breath? Take a look at your plate– is it a dinner-sized one, overflowing with food? Smaller…
Japan has 30 percent fewer obese people than the United States – how do they do it? There are plenty of tricks and healthy eating habits that we can learn from the Japanese. The idea of tiny portions of lots of different foods is one that the Japanese adopt for…
Eliminate trans fats from your diet. Trans fats have earned a bad reputation over the last year, and rightly so. Used to increase shelf life and flavor, trans fat is made when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil. In essence, the trans fats found in margarine, cookies, crackers, bread and…
If you’ve made the resolution to snuff out smoking this year, then one of your best allies in the fight can be exercise. It’s great if you’re already committed to a workout plan – after you quit, you’ll see even better results because smoking and exercise have opposite effects on…
There’s a hypothetical witching hour for dieters – sometime in the evening is when most “experts” say you shouldn’t put anything else in your mouth until morning. But if you’re famished after dinner, should you really starve yourself? Nope. In fact, the right midnight snack can keep you from overeating…