When you’re exercising, it’s crucial that you engage in proper breathing techniques. It goes beyond keeping you alive. In fact, learning how to breathe reduces stress while also increasing your energy levels. Breathing exercises get the oxygen and blood flowing. In doing so, your blood pressure goes down, the metabolism…
Make stretching a mandatory part of every workout. When muscles perform any exercise, they tighten and shorten as a result. Stretching can help maximize your range of motion. A simple warm-up walk while moving your arms in a circular motion is sufficient. When doing strength training, you could stretch each…
Some of us are early birds, and some of us want to shoot the early birds for being so chipper in the morning. When it comes to exercising, it’s important to be aware of your body’s natural clock. Pick the time when you feel the strongest and most energized to…
When you’re on the go and thirsty, it’s always convenient to grab a soda or an energy drink. However, most of the time you’re sucking down an abundance of caffeine and sugar. A 32-ounce soda from McDonald’s has 310 calories and 86 grams of sugar. Surprisingly, a 12-ounce serving of…
Experiment in the kitchen. Variety is the spice life — it’s also a great strategy for sticking to your meal plan. Trying different recipes will keep your weight-loss efforts from getting boring. And you don’t necessarily have to forsake your old favorites simply because you’re dieting. A little research and…
Sleeping your way to weight loss sounds like a gimmick, but there is a correlation between how much sleep you get and how lean you are. One study shows that lack of sleep disturbs metabolic and hormonal process, increasing hunger and making it harder to drop those extra pounds. Lack…
If you like to run, power walk or participate in high-impact activities, then you’re probably familiar with shin splints, that excruciating pain that occurs a few inches below the knee. The term is a generic one that describes pain near the shin bone where the calf muscle attaches to the…
If you’ve been trying to get your family to adopt healthier habits, whether it’s eating better or moving more, then stop nagging. Trying a more positive approach could benefit everyone more. And being sneaky about it doesn’t hurt, either. If you’re not comfortable even broaching the subject of weight loss…
If you think that certain phrases on the labels of foods mean they’re healthy choices, think again. Get down with the lingo before buying something that looks like it’s a boon to your health. Don’t think it’s all good if you see the words “all natural” – after all, saturated…
The sheer amount of dos and don’ts when it comes to weight loss is mind-boggling. How can you keep it all straight? When to eat, when NOT to eat, cut out certain food groups, eat low-fat, eat more fats…no wonder it’s so hard to stick with a healthy eating plan….