If your goal is to tone up, start by asking yourself what you're trying to achieve: weight loss or fat loss? You may be surprised to learn that these two terms aren't necessarily synonymous. Weight loss vs. fat loss While we often rely on the scale to validate whether or not we're doing a good job at sticking to our diet and exercise regimens, it's not always the best indicator. For example, if you notice your pants are becoming loose but the number on the scale hasn't changed after lifti...

Whether for health, ethical, environmental, or spiritual reasons, plant-based diets continue to grow in popularity, with nearly 10 million Americans adopting one. Here's what you need to know about plant-based diets and their potential risks and benefits. What is a plant-based diet? A plant-based diet consists of mostly plant-based food sources like fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and oils. However, some plant-based diets still include small a...

It can be hard to convince yourself to exercise, especially if it means dragging yourself to the gym. But not all exercise has to be a high-intensity sweat sesh.  In fact, just walking can help you meet the US Department of Health and Human Services exercise guidelines. Walking can also be a great, low-impact way to burn calories.  However, how much you burn depends on a few factors. Here's what you need to know about the calories you burn while walking and how to burn more. ...

Hate the idea of counting calories, but still feel like you need to track something to stay on the road toward your weight loss goals? The macro diet might be right for you. Serious athletes have long paid attention to their macros—short for macronutrients—as a way to optimize their performance. But more recently, macro-focused diets (also known as flexible dieting or the IIFYM diet) have become popular among fitness enthusiasts and other health-conscious eaters who are trying ...

For most of us, it’s been quite a while since we last boarded a plane, navigated a new city, or explored anywhere beyond our sanitized bubbles. But now, decision-makers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are saying fully vaccinated people have the go-ahead to book domestic travel. So, with a big post-pandemic trip on the horizon, it’s time to start thinking about ways to fortify your immune system after more than a year of laying low. It’s not a secret that travelin...

No one wants to hear (or even think) this, but if you work out regularly and don't wash your athletic attire well enough or often enough, you very well may stink. Bacteria, sweat, and body oils collect inside synthetic fabrics like your leggings or sports bra and can cause a funky odor, says dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. And the more bacteria in your sweat, the greater your chances of stinking. (Here are th...

Affecting 15% to 30% of the US population, bloating often feels like a swelling or tightness in your abdomen and can cause your stomach to bulge. It's often uncomfortable but doesn't always signal a cause for concern. You can't always prevent bloating but there are ways to reduce bloating, gas, and stomach pain - here are five. 1. Avoid certain foods Foods that contain certain types of carbohydrates, called FODMAPs, are not as effectively digested by the small intestine, whic...

Even if you’re not up for going full-on vegetarian or vegan, there are so many reasons to move toward a more plant-based diet. Not only is eating less meat associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, it’s also better for the planet since beef production uses up a disproportionate share of the world’s resources. The good news is, you no longer have to trek to a health food store on the outskirts of town to find plant-b...

After a year in quarantine, with many of our usual pastimes unavailable to us, daydreaming has become a welcome escape. But is daydreaming good for you? We live in such a task-oriented society that the idea of just taking a break to let your mind think freely is often seen as lazy or unproductive. We can’t sit at the doctor’s office without scrolling through social media or go for a walk without listening to a podcast. But we’re actually daydreaming more often than we realize—almost 50% of ou...

You're out to dinner and feel a hand on your shoulder as a familiar voice says your name. You turn around and this person is smiling. You know her—you’ve known her for years, in fact. But her name has evaporated from your mind, and all you can muster is a “Hey…you!” Before you start Googling “signs of dementia,” rest assured that some changes in memory and cognition are a normal part of the aging process, especially if they manifest as trouble finding words or momentary lapses in...