HealthyWeek

To truly make the most of your weight loss and fitness efforts, it's best to follow a program that covers all the bases. Resistance training is a great way to build lean muscle and reduce fat, but it may not be enough by itself to produce the results you're looking for. Therefore, be sure to also include regular cardio sessions in your workout and spend some time stretching, as well. The same logic applies for doing cardio by itself; you will drop pounds, but not as fast as you would if you also weight train. And, without resistance training, you will not put on any considerable amount of lean muscle. But, what do you do if you don't have any weights at your disposal? Simple - use your own body weight. This article, from the popular fitness website iLookLikeFit.com, offers some great tips on how to get a solid body weight workout. The solution? Take a moment to reevaluate your workout. Be sure to include both resistance training and cardio sessions throughout the week. And,...

According to a report by the Society for Women's Research , seventy-four percent of women ages 18 to 44 don't have even a clue as to what their cholesterol numbers are. Clearly this is a problem, as high cholesterol is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, the number one killer of women. So, what should your numbers be? I'd suggest that you talk to your doctor to find out the answer to this question. In the meantime, here's a pretty good guide: Total Cholesterol (HDL + LDL + Triglycerides) : You should aim to keep it less than 200 mg/dL. Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) : Try to keep this bad cholesterol at a level of less than 100 mg/dL. High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) : Keeping this good cholesterol at around 50 mg/dL or higher is a good idea. Triglycerides : Keep these energy-storing fatty acids at a level of less than 150 mg/dL.

I happened upon an interesting article on calcium depletion while thumbing through this month's edition of Healthy Awards magazine. In it, the author discusses the problem we have absorbing calcium and, making this process even more difficult, how certain foods can actually rob us of calcium we consume. According to the article, if you ... ... drink more than two cups of coffee, tea, or soda per day, aim to take in an extra 200 to 300 mg of calcium, as caffeinated beverages increases calcium excretion. ... eat more than six ounces of meat daily, try to consume an extra 300 to 500 mg of calcium each day. This will help prevent the calcium absorption interference, which can occur when your diet consists of phosphorus-rich foods -- such as meat. ... get the majority of your calcium from vegetables, supplement with at least 300 mg of calcium per day. Because veggies naturally contain xylates and phytates -- substances that decrease calcium absorption -- supplementation will help replac...

If you haven't heard by now, researchers have found that women who take birth control pills may be choosing or staying with the wrong mate due to their influence upon sense of smell . Humans typically, as part of the survival of the species, naturally are attracted to those of the opposite sex who genetically have a different make up. Our sense of smell guides us towards choosing our ideal mate for procreation. I don't know about you but the way someone smells can make or break my moving forward in a relationship. I love the way my boyfriend smells and I have to admit, even more when he gets back from the gym! Is that TMI? We've been together almost two years and I have always had a sense that our genes would make great babies, not that more kiddos from my body are in my future! Anyway, oral contraceptives are not on my daily menu so I feel pretty good that I can trust my sense of smell in telling me that genetically he is a great match for me. The study was conducted by a ...

Working with SportsHealthExercise.Org (a company built on real advice from real experts in various areas of health and fitness), I was able to film a ton of great Fit Kicks , including this one here. Fit Kicks are smart, energetic and quick Kick Butt tips to help get you in the best shape of your life!

The debate over whether energy drinks have health implications usually centers around heart-related issues. But, a new study published in the journal General Dentistry reveals yet another compelling reason for oral argument. Citing the General Dentistry study, Women's Health reports that drinks like Red Bull and Amp have the same acidic effect on our teeth as sodas. The article states that these power-up drinks restrict our saliva's natural ability to neutralize acids-which thereby allows this acid to take up temporary residence in our mouths, where it is then able to penetrate our gums. To fight back against these tooth-tarnishing energy drink villains, the folks at Women's Health suggest using straws (aim your drink toward the back of the mouth), rinsing with water to dilute acids, and not brushing your pearlies for 30 minutes after downing energy drinks, for the scrubbing can remove enamel ­weakened by acidity.

When winter is in full force, you almost expect to catch a few colds. But, with August temperatures reaching the upper 80s on an almost daily basis, a sniffle in the summer seems altogether unusual -- not to mention unfair. Nevertheless, as evidenced by a pretty nasty three-day man cold I got hammered with back in early July, it's abundantly clear colds -- though more prevalent during colder months -- are a sickness for all seasons. Fortunately, there are some dietary steps we can take target-harden ourselves against illness. Here are just a few I felt were worth mentioning. Yogurt - A study showed that people who ate three-quarters of a cup of yogurt daily for a year had 25 percent fewer colds than those who didn't. Because it contains probiotics, yogurt helps strengthen the immune system. Red Bell Pepper - With 130mg more vitamin C than an orange, red bell pepper is a great source for this cold-fighting nutrient. Eggs - High in B vitamins, zinc, and amino acids, eggs boost wh...

Being happily married doesn't just mean you and your spouse can go out to dinner without arguing about the most asinine issues you can think of, it also means being the recipients of better health. Brigham Young University researchers discovered that happily married couples, on average, experience lower blood pressure than singles with supportive social networks. The study involved the 24-hour evaluation of 204 married couples and 99 single adults, all of whom wore portable blood pressure monitors at all times for the duration of the study. Evaluation of the monitors' results revealed that the blood pressure of happily married adults lowered more during sleep than that of single people. And, since high blood pressure at night is a sign of increased risk of cardiovascular problems, this finding was particular important. The full results of the study were published in the March 2008 edition of the Annals of Behavioral Medicine.

After weeks and weeks of successful weight loss , the needle on the scale seems to freeze at a certain number. And then, worse yet, you notice it begins turning clockwise again. Fear not, there are things you can do to stop that needle and soon get it turning in the healthier direction once again. Here are five ways to help make that happen: Amp-up the Exercise. If you haven't changed your workout in four to six weeks, you're probably starting to plateau. In addition to mixing the reps, number of sets, rest time, distance on treadmill etc., for maximum results, you should also increase your intensity level. Eat Slowly. Sit back, relax, and savor the food you're eating. Research shows that people consume around 67 fewer calories per meal when they take their time. Make Half Sandwiches. Skipping the top slice of bread will save you around 70 calories. If you eat a sandwich a day for lunch, you'll save yourself 490 calories a week. Eat Protein. Try to consume more protein ...

Of all the healthy foods I've posted about here on That's Fit, I'd have to say the one I mention most frequently is green tea. Whether it's highlighting its protective effects against Alzheimer's and certain types of cancer, or its ability to improve cardiovascular health, the green stuff continues to earn its place in a healthy diet . To help solidify its standing, green tea has added a new benefit to its already impressive resume: fighting physical and mental fatigue. Muscle & Body magazine , citing a recent Japanese study, reports that an active ingredient in green tea -- known as epigallocatechin gallate -- reduced markers of fatigue and oxidative stress. What if you don't like the taste of green tea? Good question. Thankfully, the answer is not to block your nose and chug it. Instead, try one of the many flavored varieties that are available.

Those interested in the lives of the stars will recall that mega celeb Nicole Kidman gave birth a few weeks ago to daughter Sunday Rose, who is no doubt cute as a button. But recent photos of the actress getting into her car for yoga class are raising some eyebrows -- not because motherhood has changed her but because she looks, well, the same as she did before she got pregnant: Thin. Check out these photos -- from the looks of it, I would bet she is back in her pre-baby jeans already, and the baby isn't even three weeks old. Granted, Nicole has always been thin and she maintained her svelte figure throughout the pregnancy, but do you think this is a little extreme? Or are all the naysayers just raising a fuss because they're jealous? Whatever the case, it takes dedication to look that good, don't you think?

When you really get down to it, one of the main objectives of life is to stay alive for as long as we can. On average, we occupy a place on this planet for about 75 years. Some of us hang around for a little longer, while others take an earlier ferry. Still, barring any unfortunate accident or contraction of a terminal illness at a younger age, 75 seems to be the norm. Keeping your stay on this wonderful world of ours from being cut short sometimes requires a good amount of work (regular exercise, adequate amounts of sleep, stressing less, etc.). However, there are also some easy ways to prevent early departure, many of which involve nothing more than a revised grocery shopping list. For the next eight days, we'll offer one death-defying food choice each day to help keep you healthy and happy for many more years to come. Death-Defying Food #4: Greek Yogurt Build a body of a goddess with this perfectly balanced treat and reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes . A University of Tennesse...

Trivial Pursuit Question: What's the most important meal of the day for athletes? If you answered 'breakfast,' then off to your nutrition tutor, you just flunked. According to Dr. Jose Antonio , the most important 'meal' of the day is what you consume before, during, and after exercise! Dr. Antonio gave a seminar to a packed house at the National Strength and Conditioning Association Conference at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas this week. He showed proof that if you consume a combination of protein and carbohydrate during the pre-, during, and post-workout period, you'll put on lean body mass better and lose body fat. Breakfast doesn't do that my friend. Dr. Antonio calls this the science of nutrient timing. So when you re-take that quiz, make sure you answer Before, During, and After exercise! Then you get to go to the head of the class To learn more about Nutrient Timing click here .

When you really get down to it, one of the main objectives of life is to stay alive for as long as we can. On average, we occupy a place on this planet for about 75 years. Some of us hang around for a little longer, while others take an earlier ferry. Still, barring any unfortunate accident or contraction of a terminal illness at a younger age, 75 seems to be the norm. Keeping your stay on this wonderful world of ours from being cut short sometimes requires a good amount of work (regular exercise, adequate amounts of sleep, stressing less, etc.). However, there are also some easy ways to prevent early departure, many of which involve nothing more than a revised grocery shopping list. For the next eight days, we'll offer one death-defying food choice each day to help keep you healthy and happy for many more years to come. Death-Defying Food #2: Oranges Having higher levels of vitamin C in your bloodstream can greatly reduce your risk of stroke, according to an article recently publi...

As green as so many of us try to be, we still inadvertently make eco-unfriendly decisions with some products we purchase. For example, who knew that most yoga mats contain PVC? I sure as heck know that I didn't; that is, until I came across Greenzer.com. The site only offers green products from online retailers that sell eco-friendly items, such as Patagonia, Zappos, eBags, GAIAM, etc. There are more than 10,000 products currently on the site, and they run across all categories that people are shopping for, including health and fitness! For a product to be posted on the site, it must meet a minimum green requirement (such as an approved PVC/chlorine/latex-free yoga mat ), and select products list a "Greenzer score" number. This number determines a product's "greenness" and give select products a "greenness number" from zero to ten. Make your next retail purchase one that comes with an extended warranty -- for the environment. Go green at Greenzer b...

Too tired to exercise? Well, one of the best ways to muster up enough energy to start exercising is to start exercising. A bit of a Catch-22, I realize that, but it's not all too difficult to get around it, either. Self magazine , citing a journal article published in Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, reports that when persistently tired sedentary people casually biked for 30 minutes three times a week for six weeks, they experienced a marked increase (65 percent) in their energy levels. To overcome your initial exhaustion, do what the people involved in the study did: start off easy. Then, as your energy levels climb, increase the intensity gradually over time. Before long, you'll find that you have plenty of gas left in the tank at the end of each day for a solid workout. Read more .

There's looking young and then there's feeling young. Sometimes the two work in tandem, but if you were to ask Joan Rivers -- or almost any other cosmetically-enhanced older person -- I'm sure they'd tell you this isn't always the case. Creams, ointments, and surgery aside, there is a way to keep your body 12 years younger, say researchers from the University of Toronto. Biologically speaking, regular cardio exercise can increase oxygen intake by 25 percent, thereby keeping your body looking and feeling years younger than it actually is. For some easy-to-follow and effective exercise tips, visit our sister site AOL Health by clicking here .

One of the best ways to stay motivated in your workout is to know that you are getting results. In some cases, however, change is not always noticeable in the first month or so. The scale may show a slight improvement, and you may feel more vigor in your daily routine, but your body may unfortunately still looks the same. But looks can be deceiving, especially when it comes to body fat. That's where a simple, two dollar measuring tape can make all the difference. Measure the circumference of your waist at the belly button. If the number you're looking at is smaller than it was last month, that probably means that you've already changed pants size by lowering your amount of body fat. Check your arms, chest, legs, and back, and you'll likely find similar results. Because you lose fat from all over (rather than in individual areas of the body), it can sometimes be difficult to observe change with your eyes, but the tape doesn't miss an inch.

French fries aren't exactly on the That's Fit healthy menu, buuuuut sometimes a little reward is well worth the temporary departure from your diet. Nevertheless, calories and blood sugar spikes aside, we definitely don't want our fries to contain known carcinogens. So, if you're going to break from your diet for a few chips, don't risk cashing in everything in the process. To safeguard your health, be sure to soak your potatoes in water before frying them, says a new study in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. Doing so can stop the formation of acrylamide, a cancer-causing compound that is produced naturally when starchy foods are cooked at temperatures above 248 degrees Fahrenheit. Researchers discovered that the longer you allow your potatoes to soak in water, the less chance they have to form the carcinogen . For example, the study revealed that just washing raw French fries, soaking them for 30 minutes or soaking them for two hours reduced the f...

Breakfast is arguably the single-most important meal of the day. There exists voluminous research on the role breakfast plays on weight loss , maintaining healthy blood sugars , and even keeping cholesterol in check . But this very healthy meal can turn quite unhealthy if the wrong foods end up on your plate. Citing researchers from the World Cancer Research Fund, Men's Health reports that eating as few as one sausage or three pieces of bacon per day is enough to raise your risk of bowel cancer by as much as 20 percent. Evidently, the same risk also applies for ham, pastrami, or most other processed meats. On the flip side, there are foods you can add to your breakfast that can reduce your chances of this type of cancer. Mushrooms, soy meat, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and other dark leafy vegetables can cut the risk of bowel cancer by 40 percent.