Fitness fads come and go — remember the thighmaster? — but if you want a well-rounded workout, then embrace the fitness ball. It’s no secret that exercise balls are a great way to add variety to your workout and improve strength in your core and lower body. But working out…
Summer means hot weather, and heat means not wanting to fire up the oven and sweat out a meal. But if you can’t stand the heat, then there’s no reason to stay out of the kitchen. Just change the way you make meals. You might think the slow cooker is…
Don’t rush through the very best part of eating: tasting the flavors and enjoying the textures. It may sound simple, but chewing your food slowly and savoring every bite also helps you eat less. Many of us take just 10 minutes or less to wolf down a meal. It takes…
They taste great shelled, boiled or smashed up into peanut butter, but peanuts tend to get a bad health rap. In reality, nuts are a healthful and sensible snack in moderation. They contain about 15 percent of your daily protein needs, plus folate, vitamin E, niacin, vitamin B6, and many…
It’s that time of year again when we create lofty goals for ourselves that are virtually impossible to meet. Avoid the self-recrimination that you’ll undoubtedly feel in a few months, and resolve just to do the best you can. Whether your goal is health-oriented, altruistic or family-oriented, you’ll feel better…
Crossing a fish with a tomato may sound like science fiction, but it’s reality in the world of GMOs, or genetically modified organisms. DNA is injected into one organism from another, creating a hybrid that may make the food hardier and more resistant to pests, spoiling, etc. So what’s the…
It’s time for a little spring cleaning, and by cleaning we mean unloading all of the unhealthy foods taking up space in your pantry and cabinets. Upon first glance, there are probably plenty of foods that have no place in your pantry. Maybe they’ve expired. Maybe they never had a…
Emotional eating can wreak havoc on even the most determined dieter. It’s a way to suppress or soothe negative feelings like boredom, grief, fear and anger. Triggers may include unemployment, financial stressors, relationship strain, health problems or simply fatigue. Our first reaction when anxiety rears its ugly head is to…
Don’t go nuts for nuts. Although many variations of nuts are rich in good fats — monounsaturated fats – and protein, they can still pack on the pounds when consumed in excess. It’s important to observe proper portion control. Unfortunately, it’s easy to overindulge on these high-fat treats. A reasonable…
Goal setting plays a huge role in helping you stick with exercise. The best way to go about it is to choose an attainable goal. You may want to choose one of these four goals to work toward: losing fat, gaining muscle, sports conditioning or health. Losing fat is one…