To get fast results, take your sweat sesh al fresco. A study from California Pacific Orthopedic and Sports Medicine found that outdoor exercisers lost an average of 7.43 pounds and 6.17 percent of body fat in eight weeks. That's because outdoor workouts challenge your muscles with inclines, declines, and obstacles, explains Tina Vindum, founder of Outdoor Action Fitness in Marin County, California. You'll also improve your mood and boost self-esteem by performing outdoor exercises, ...

Intermittent fasting, or limiting your eating to a set window of time each day (or week), is one of the biggest trends in nutrition right now. Promising research has linked intermittent fasting with health benefits like weight loss, better blood sugar control, and healthier aging. But it's far from a cure-all for any of these issues, and there are still limitations to the research showing its benefits for humans, experts say. Abstaining from food - even for short periods - can...

Miki Gorman-an elite runner and the last American woman to win the New York Marathon until just last year-was known for running as if she had a built-in metronome. She had a vibration with each step, a beat she followed: one step at a time, one breath at a time. No distractions. In fact, she described running as a meditative state of movement, a feeling many runners can relate to. Yet, there's a disconnect: Have you ever really connected your feet to your mind? While we often follow ...

Gluten - the protein found in grains like rye, wheat, and barley - gets a bad rap. But the truth is, gluten can be a healthy part of most diets.   While there isn't enough research to suggest that gluten-free diets offer meaningful health benefits, there are certain groups of people, like those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, that should avoid gluten.  To help you figure out if you really need to cut gluten out of your diet, we spoke to two dietitians about the s...

Getting enough sleep each night is vital for your health, but there are several factors that can interrupt quality sleep. For example, you might involuntarily follow an inconsistent sleep schedule (maybe you work the night shift several nights a week) or drink caffeinated beverages or alcohol too late in the day or well into the evening. Or maybe you routinely go to bed on an empty stomach. All of these circumstances can interfere with your sleep cycle. But the foods you eat during the...

We’ve all been there: The clock strikes midnight, and our thoughts race on as if we’d just walked into the office with our first cup of coffee. Sleep? Never heard of her, minus a few quick minutes of shut-eye in between the tossing and turning. This scenario is all too common for many. It’s incredibly challenging to calm down a racing mind after a full day of working, parenting, and taking care of other responsibilities, not to mention trying to survive a pandemic. The good news is you c...

The godfather of fitness Jack LaLanne himself once told me that his secret to avoiding plateaus was religiously changing his workout routine every three to four weeks. He was pushing 90 at the time, and though certainly past his physical prime, he was still remarkably fit and strong, thanks to heeding his own advice. LaLanne understood that the human body is incredibly adaptable. That’s why we train: When you push the limits of what your body is comfortable with and capable of,...

Frozen foods have gotten a pretty bad rap over the years thanks to the rise of T.V. dinners and microwaveable mac and cheese. Traditionally, freezer meals are loaded with sodium, preservatives, synthetic flavors, and other sketchy ingredients to help prolong shelf life as well as enhance flavor that's seriously lacking. So to say that most frozen meals are unhealthy is pretty accurate. But stepping into the freezer section isn't all that bad. Along with all the bad of prepared froze...

Most Americans consume between 19 and 25 teaspoons of added sugars daily. The added sugars mainly comes from these items: Sweetened drinks (including coffee and tea with sugary add-ins) Desserts and sweet snacks Candy Sugar you add to foods (like oatmeal and pancakes) Breakfast cereals Bars (like granola bars) The health impacts of this sugar surplus are considerable. A sugar-laden diet ...

A strong lower body powers your stride and wards off injury. Incorporating resistance moves like squats into your strength-training routine is an essential—and easy—way to round out your training. Squats are a functional exercise that benefit your joint and muscle health, as well as your posture—all of which are important for improving your running form and speed, explains Noam Tamir, C.S.C.S., CEO and founder of TS Fitness in New York City. But the...