Healthy

The word "protein" on food packages attracts people like live bait rings the dinner bell to largemouth bass. We hunt down protein because we know it builds muscle at the same time it helps us lose weight. Protein is a key macronutrient for all sorts of important processes in our bodies. For example, protein… preserves our muscle mass as we age, keeps us from losing muscle at the same time we're losing weight, satisfies hunger longer than the other macronutrients, is more difficult for the body to turn into fat, requires the…

If you've been trying to make your heart health more of a priority, you likely already know the tough truth: Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it accounts for about 1 in 4 deaths in America. Clearly, it's important to make sure that every food you eat throughout the day is helping your heart, not harming it. There are some obvious suspects you know to avoid (hello, deep-fried restaurant meals!), but some heart-harming foods aren't as…

When it comes to loses weight, food should not be considered the enemy. In fact, you can actually eat yourself to weight loss if you supplement your diet with the right types of fruits, vegetables, proteins, fats and starches. However, navigating the aisles of grocery stores in search of the healthiest foods can be challenging - especially because many of the foods labeled as "diet" or "weight loss" can be misleading. Lauren Minchen, MPH, RDN, CDN, nutrition…

It was not until I became a personal trainer and became pregnant that I began to learn nutrition. I studied my entire pregnancy to eat well for my baby and when I had my son I set a goal for myself: to lose my entire baby weight in four months. I had read about all these celebrities and how quickly they lost their pregnancy weight and sometimes lost it in 3 to 4 months. I had to have an emergency C-section with my son, so that put me behind eight ball with my…

Cucumbers may be one of the most underrated fruits—yes, you read that correctly. Because cucumbers grow from flowers and contain seeds, cucumbers are technically—and botanically—a fruit, not a vegetable. Cucumbers are often touted as a beauty superfood because of their high water volume (they are 95% water!) and superior ability to hydrate. Plus, along with eating cucumbers, this fruit contains vitamin K and anti-inflammatory plant compounds that can help de-puff eyes and treat dark circles when sliced and applied topically.…

This may be music to your sleep-deprived ears: new research convincingly shows that, for most people, enjoying coffee on a regular basis may actually be good for your heart. This is one of the reasons why the Dietary Guidelines for Americans say that three to five 8-ounce cups a day of plain, black coffee can be part of a healthy diet. (Related: 8 Awesome Benefits of Drinking Coffee, According to Dietitians.) What we crave in our morning cup of joe is the caffeine it provides. Caffeine is the most commonly consumed natural…

The truth is, there are over a dozen reasons why you should eat more kale. If you don't like the taste, it can be really hard to get down. This is especially the case for supertasters, aka those who taste certain flavors and foods more strongly than others. Supertasters have more taste buds and receptors and therefore, have increased sensitivity to bitter flavors such as kale, coffee, and dark chocolate. However, if you chop up kale and put it in a smoothie with frozen dark cherries, blueberries, slices of banana, a scoop or…

To say that Intuitive Eating is a way to lose weight is a bit of an oxymoron. This eating practice originally comes from the book Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program that Works by Elyse Resch and Evelyn Tribole, and it encourages each person to focus less on dieting and focus more on their body's hunger and fullness signals. It requires complete honesty of your body's needs around when you're actually hungry to eat and when you are not. The program was written to be a solution in helping chronic dieters free themselves…

While your summer might not be filled with vacations far and wide just yet, you can still take advantage of all the delicious foods summer has to offer. Whether you're firing up the grill in your backyard or grabbing takeout from your favorite local restaurant, you can take advantage of all of the burgers, hot dogs, and fresh produce that accompany the summer season. From New York's famous hot dogs to California's creamy avocados, here's the best summer food in every state. Find out if you'll be doing your state proud this…

What make 10 kilos of fat looks like? It varies depending on your starting weight, what type of diet changes you make and how fast you lose weight. But the benefits of losing 10 pounds are more universal. Of some markers, "overweight" means being 10% above the body's ideal weight, and "overweight" is 20 percent and higher. So for a person of 150 pounds, the loss of 10 pounds can place them in a brand new medical console. Losing 10 pounds may sound like a bit…