Which Squat Variations Target the Inner Thighs Best?
It’s easy to get caught up in working the quads and hamstrings, the muscles in the front and back of the thighs, that you ignore the muscles that make up the inner thighs. Why should you show your inner thighs some love? Strengthening these muscles helps you avoid injury. If…
Are Nightshade Vegetables Unhealthy?
The mantra goes something like this. Eat your vegetables - they’re good for you! But is that universally true? You may have read on some online sites that nightshade vegetables are unhealthy and you should limit how many you consume or eliminate these veggies entirely from your diet. There’s no…
Do Forced Reps Make You Stronger?
You might already be familiar with the concept of eking out more repetitions than you’re comfortably able to do. That’s what weight training is all about, pushing your muscles harder than they’re accustomed to in a controlled, progressive manner. Forced reps capitalize on this idea of forcing your muscles to…
How Psychological Stress Impacts Your Workouts
We know that exercise helps us manage stress. You’ve had a tough day at work and you’re feeling a bit wound up and jittery. You don’t feel like working out, but you do it anyway. Lo and behold, about 20 minutes into your workout, the anxiety subsides, and you start…
4 Ways Lack of Sleep Increases the Risk of Weight Gain
Sleep – you know you need it, but are you getting enough of it? Many people aren’t, and the problem of too little sleep is on the rise. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of three individuals in the U.S. gets less than seven hours…
What Do The “No Antibiotic” Claims on Meat Mean?
Are there antibiotics in the meat you eat? If you’re buying factory farmed meat, there’s a good chance what you’re serving up contains varying levels of antibiotic residues. Factory farms often give antibiotics to the animals they raise to lower their risk of infection since they keep the animals in…
How Many Americans Strength Train? The News is Worse Than You Think!
It’s hard to open a health-related magazine these days without seeing an article about the importance of exercise. But, despite the established health benefits of exercise, most people still aren’t getting enough! According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 23% of Americans meet the federally-established guidelines…
What We Can Learn from the French About Longevity
The French are known for their health and longevity, despite having a high rate of smoking. In fact, the average life expectancy in France is just over 82 years compared to only 78 years for Americans. Projections are that by the year 2030, women in France will live an average…
How to Get More Vitamin C in Your Diet & Why You Should
It was a favorite of Linus Pauling, the Nobel prize-winning scientist who studied it. Vitamin C is an antioxidant vitamin that plays a key role in your body’s immune response. In fact, vitamin C helps to recycle another important antioxidant vitamin, vitamin E. It does this by donating its own…
Natural Fiber is Healthy, but What About Synthetic Fiber in Foods?
You enjoy fiber in abundance when you eat whole, plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and nuts. Unfortunately, most people don’t get their 5+ servings of plant-based foods daily. Instead, most get about half that amount – but why? These folks reach for processed and packaged foods. In…