If the latest infomercials and magazine covers are any indication, it seems like weight loss is on everyone’s minds these days. And while a healthy weight is a good goal, when it comes to eating right and exercising, it shouldn’t be the sole focus. In fact, when you tally all the reasons to eat well and exercise, we’re not even sure it should make the top 10. Face it: The number on the scale is not a reliable indicator of overall health. Even worse, according to one study, people who diet or exercise just to lose weight quit a lot sooner than people who make healthy changes for other reasons. Oh, and they really don’t lose weight in the long term. The researchers found that the most successful motivation for sticking to a healthy lifestyle was “feeling better about themselves” for women and “better health” for men. And yes, those are both great rationales to exercise and eating right, but they’re just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all the good things you’ll bring into your life. Here are 45 science-backed reasons to start living a healthier life today that have zilch to do with your weight. To read more click here!
Michelle Spindler
24 Healthy Living Hacks From the People Who Know Best
Doing a mud run, binge-watching Gilmore Girls, dressing up for Halloween—some things are just better with a friend. Another thing that’s easier when you’re not going at it alone: trying to live a healthier life. So whether you want to eat better, feel less stressed, or work out more, we’re here to help! We’ve teamed up with content-discovery site StumbleUpon to collect top healthy living blog entries from around the Web and put them together in an all inclusive list just for you! (If you’re not familiar, StumbleUpon is basically a giant collection of awesome things on the Internet. As in, the perfect place for procrastinating.) We’ve handpicked 24 of our favorite tips here, but if you want more, you’re in luck: You can explore more than 300 other helpful tid-bits together like these on the #StumbleBloggers page. The best part: You don’t have to have an account to check out the list (but you may want to make one anyway). To read more click here!
35 Quick and Healthy Low Calorie Lunches
By the time noon rolls around, it may seem too easy to head to nearest pizza joint. But hold up: We have 35 healthy lunches that are 400 calories or less and can be made in no time! And for those who need a little more fuel to keep on going, each meal also includes an optional side snack to keep anyone’s belly full (up to 500 calories). So say sayonara to take-out or hours slaving at the kitchen—with these options, nobody will go hungry (or unhealthy) again. To read more click here!
60 Awesome Ways to Spice Up Boring Chicken Breasts
“Oh chicken breast, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways… ” Despite being packed with protein (which helps our bodies build and repair tissue and keeps us feeling full longer) and versatile in the kitchen, chicken breasts often get knocked for being boring, tasteless, or just plain not good. But we guarantee that these 60 delicious recipes from around the web will breathe new life into the not-so-hallowed bird.
“ These recipes will have you looking at (chicken!) breasts in a whole new way. ”
These chicken breasts recipes use common household ingredients and healthy cooking methods like baking and grilling to add new zest to chicken breasts. Forget what you thought about the meat. These recipes will have you looking at (chicken!) breasts in a whole new way. To read more click here!
12 Complete Proteins You Need to Know About!
There are plenty of reasons to eat more meat-free meals: They’re nearly always cheaper, lower in calories, and better for the environment. It’s easy to get enough protein without eating animals, but the doubters often have another concern: Are these meat-free protein sources complete? The term “complete protein” refers to amino acids, the building blocks of protein. There are 20 different amino acids that can form a protein, and nine that the body can’t produce on its own. These are called essential amino acids—we need to eat them because we can’t make them ourselves. In order to be considered “complete,” a protein must contain all nine of these essential amino acids in roughly equal amounts. Yes, meat and eggs are complete proteins, and beans and nuts aren’t. But humans don’t need every essential amino acid in every bite of food in every meal they eat; we only need a sufficient amount of each amino acid every day . Most dieticians believe that plant-based diets contain such a wide variety of amino acid profiles that vegans are virtually guaranteed to get all of their amino acids with very little effort . Still, some people want complete proteins in all of their meals. No problem—meat’s not the only contender. Eggs and dairy also fit the bill, which is an easy get for the vegetarians, but there are plenty of other ways to get complete proteins on your next meatless Monday. Here are some of the easiest: To read more click here!
5 Ways to Guarantee a Great Workout!
Every time you set foot in the gym, you have an opportunity to step closer to your fitness goals. Nearly everyone who hits the training floor thinks they’re on the road to progress, but many trainees just spin their wheels at the gym, and an unfortunate few actually move backward because of overtraining, poor form that results in injury, or diet and nutrition habits that are counterproductive to making big-time gains. Alas, intent doesn’t necessarily translate into results. “Leaving nothing to chance” means performing at your best day-in and day-out. And I’m not just talking about your performance during a workout. Motivation and preparation are paramount to winning daily battles, not just against the weights, but against temptation, cravings, and negative influences. Take a look at how five Cellucor-sponsored athletes prepare for their training. These actions and attributes are essential to exceptional results. To read more click here!
5 Ways to Spark New Muscle Growth
Feeling frustrated that your body seems to have hit the “pause” button on your muscle and strength gains? If you’ve been following the same training split for a few months, it’s possible that your body has adapted to your regimen and stopped changing. Basically, your body is lazy. It will do everything it can to adapt to a stimulus so it doesn’t have to work hard. After you pass the beginner phase, during which your body has no idea what you’re doing to it, it’ll begin to recognize your training and modify itself just enough to perform your workouts. If your body knows what’s coming, it’ll take the easy route to get through it. The key to overcoming plateaus like this is variation. Stress your muscles into growing and getting stronger by changing your workouts. Need more specific advice? These Cellucor athletes have a few tricks up their sleeves. Here are five ways they vary their training regimens to ensure consistent gains! To read more click here!
3 Fast Fat Loss Workouts!
Not everyone has the luxury of time. That means most of us have to get into the gym and back out again in an hour or so. In order to fit cardio and weights into that tiny timeframe, you either have to get creative with your workout or give something up. (Oh, no time for cardio? Dang…) Not having much time doesn’t have to be a bad thing, though. Limiting the amount of time you spend in the gym can actually make your workouts more intense. Instead of wasting time on those lengthy, steady-state treadmill jogs or boring lifting splits, you can increase the speed of your workout and try different set and rep techniques to burn more fat. Not sure how it’s done? These elite Cellucor athletes are here to help! Each of them has a favorite quick, fat-blasting workout that can aid you in your quest for a better body within an hour. All you need to bring is a good attitude and a willingness to go hard. Try one of them today! To read more click here!
Which Foods to Eat to Build Lean Muscle
Have you ever wondered which foods you should be eating in order to gain lean muscle? If you aren’t already eating these, you should consider adding them to your diet!
BEEF (FROM GRASS-FED CATTLE)
Beef is important for building lean muscle due to its protein content, cholesterol, zinc, B vitamins and iron content. Beef from grass-fed cattle have much higher levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than conventionally raised cattle, which gives you a boost in shedding bodyfat and building lean muscle.
BEETS
A good source of betaine, also known as trimethylglycine, this nutrient not only enhances liver and joint repair, but also has been shown in clinical research to increase muscle strength and power. Beets also provide an NO boost which can ehance energy and aid recovery.
BROWN RICE
A slow-digesting whole grain that provides you longer-lasting energy throughout the day, and during workouts. Brown rice also can help boost your growth hormone (GH) levels, which are critical for encouraging lean muscle growth, fat loss and strength gains. To read more click here!
7 False Beliefs That Prevent You From Reaching Your Health Goals
Why do some people succeed where so many others fail? Because successfully developing a healthy lifestyle is mostly about mindset and so many of us have one that’s holding us back. One of the biggest psychological hurdles you must overcome if you want to finally have a body and life you love is black-and-white thinking. Here are seven false beliefs that will destroy every health and fitness goal you have, along with suggestions on how to get your mind right. To read more click here!
7 Reasons to Stay Away From “Skiiny” Foods!
Despite my hope they would just be passing fads, I’ve learned “skinny” foods and drinks are hot again. Many food companies and restaurants proudly boast their “skinny” menu items each contain “only” a certain amount of calories, instilling the belief that starting your day with a “skinny” latte, enjoying a “skinny” flatbread sandwich for lunch and ordering a “skinny” margarita at night will keep you within a designated calorie quota. What many people fail to see, unfortunately, is that the sole focus on calorie count means “skinny” foods miss the boat on several issues that potentially wreak havoc on your waistline and health. To read more click here!
15 Reasons to Quit Sugar
There’s nothing sweet about what too much sugar does to your diet and your health. Sugar has been linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, acne, wrinkles and other signs of accelerated aging. But did you know that sugar is as addictive as cocaine, and it’s also damaging to your liver and your brain? What’s more, cancers use sugar to fuel their growth. National surveys show that sugar intake has drastically increased over the past few decades. The average American now consumes 100 pounds of sugar each year. Americans’ daily sugar intake is about 20 teaspoons each — more than 300 calories from added sugars alone. Read on for 15 important reasons why you should decrease the sugar in your diet starting today. To read more click here!