Hey Angels and Alphas,

In the world of nutrition, leftovers are an unsung hero. Truly. Maybe you don’t really have a healthy relationship with them because you’ve had to eat dried-out lean chicken and mashed, mushy veggies. But with a few proven strategies and tricks, you can make leftovers feel and taste amazing – and get all the nutrition out of them. 

If you want to save yourself from an unhealthy takeout choice, it’s good to have a meal ready to go at the end of the busy day in case you don’t want to cook that night.

And with the holidays right around the corner and delicious and nutritious leftovers being thrown out with no second thought, here’s how you can make leftovers exciting and delicious again. 

Let’s get into it.

#1 LOOK WAY PAST THE MICROWAVE

The microwave may very well be a leftover’s best friend, but it’s not really the best when it comes to preserving the actual texture of your food. Especially roasted veggies. 

And when we’re talking about veggies, if you’re the type of person who loves meal prepping or cooking in batches, you’re probably going to be roasting your veggies by the trayful, anyway. 

Experts recommend popping veggies into your air fryer to make them crisp up. And if you don’t have one, just throw them into an oven at lower temperatures. 

#2 ADDING NEW ELEMENTS 

Let’s say, for example, you make lasagna. And you make a lot of it. With combination dishes such as lasagna, you want to find a new way to serve it. You can try sauteing some greens such as kale or spinach, and then just adding a slice of reheated lasagna on top. 

If you’ve made a big batch of your favorite enchiladas, you might decide to add a new element such as a side salad. Or maybe you even bake salmon to serve atop a leftover warm salad such as a farro salad. One fresh thing can make your dish feel entirely new again.

#3 TRY TO MAKE YOURSELF A BOWL

If you’ve got some leftovers of your favorite roasted chicken and broccoli, you can very simply turn this into a power bowl and add various different layers, textures, and food groups inside it. You can even use some of the same foods but re-create a meal that isn’t the same one again and again. You can reheat some quinoa you have stashed deep in the freezer and you can layer it with your favorite lean protein, veggies, and a delicious sauce on top. 

#4 ADD SOME SAUCE

Speaking of sauces, you can instantly transform any ho-hum leftovers into something fun by adding a sauce as a topping. Sauces can change the entire palate of your dish, and you can travel through many different tastes, flavors, and combinations using different condiments and sauces. You can either buy pre-made sauces (just watch out for the sugar and salt contents) or make your own sauces such as hummus, tzatziki, and tahini at home. They’re very easy to whip up in a bowl or with a food processor at your home.

#5 KEEP YOUR PANTRY STOCKED

Canned fish and canned beans are some of the best pantry superstars you can get out there. They can go a long way toward adding extra protein to a leftover meal when there’s no protein leftover. Think about tossing canned chickpeas with some leftover broccolini and whole-grain pasta and you have a delicious vegetarian-friendly dish. 

THE BOTTOM LINE IS…

Leftovers are, a lot of the time, some of the healthiest pieces of food on the plate. Instead of discarding them, by learning to save them and reuse them with our next meals, we can make leftovers feel exciting again. 

Those healthy leftovers you get every meal can be made fresh – it just takes a bit of creativity and a few extra steps. 

By combining them alongside different ingredients, using them as ingredients for quick meals, and upgrading these meals with various textures and flavors, you can make the most out of your leftovers and savor their highly nutritious content.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

With the holiday season right around the corner, weight loss enthusiasts and health conscious people everywhere are bracing themselves for a solid month of holidays, feasts, parties, and festivities.

It can be sort of overwhelming.

Even though one of the healthiest philosophies you can have is that you shouldn’t restrict yourself from the things you enjoy, it can be very helpful to enter the holidays with a plan that will keep your healthy lifestyle more or less on track.

These are the 4 crucial steps you have to go through to make sure you don’t begin the New Year trying to make amends for the holidays.

#1 CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES

In the pursuit of cultivating a growth mindset, you should always be realistic about what you can and cannot tackle. While saying “I’m not going to eat any dessert for the entire holidays” might be unrealistic for some, “I’m not going to eat any dessert on most days” is entirely doable. 

You should take a good look at your upcoming calendar and evaluate which of the upcoming events are a bit of a food splurge. You can use pretty much whatever criteria you want from this, from the quality of the food to its seasonal or nutritional value.

Three special occasions in a month is a reasonable target. You can even dial this up slightly depending on your goals and how important the holidays are for you, but if you’re celebrating multiple times a week, things might get problematic.

Once you have defined your truly special occasions, don’t worry about them anymore. Just look forward to enjoying them free of guilt and while being present in the moment. 

#2 NEXT, PLAN YOUR ATTACK

Now that you’ve decided on what’s worth indulging in, you may also have decided what isn’t. 

But there will be times at holiday events where you cannot gracefully opt-out of dessert, so you have to have a plan ready to go. Always remember to focus on activities and people and keep the food down to a minimum. That being said, when planning for food, there are always a few factors to keep in mind:

For shorter gatherings such as cocktail hour, your priority should be to eat beforehand or make concrete dinner plans afterward. 

For longer events and dinners where food is a must, optimize your food choices for health and make peace with the fact that you don’t have to be so strict with your diet during the holidays.

In most cases, your number one priority should be to eat more veggies. If you fill up on as many veggies as you can, your evening isn’t going to be a net loss health-wise. And if you can insert some healthy lean protein or meat, you’ll be satisfied to avoid the massive variety of desserts that will inevitably appear.

#3 ANTICIPATE THE OBSTACLES

Executing your perfect plan might be easier said than done. For example, if you’re at a place and they have a buffet-style meal, this can be particularly challenging for a lot of people as there are no clear boundaries stopping you from indulging. 

If holiday events are notoriously difficult for you, you might want to check in with yourself and make sure you’re not falling into some of the more common traps.

Do you tend to skip a bit on dinner than lose it all at the dessert table? Do you get hungry late during the night and need something sweet? Do you eat a few hors d’oeuvres before you even get to the real meal? Anticipate these obstacles – and preferably set up an alternative course of action.

In the buffer example, when it’s time to serve yourself, examine the entire table of options before making your decisions and choose the tastiest items you can find that are as healthy as possible. When you’ve made that selection, eat them mindfully and slowly. 

#4 ADAPT AND ADJUST

As you are building your holiday hacking abilities, you are bound to experience many successes and many setbacks. And even though that’s difficult, it’s called learning, and it’s the only way to create consistent long-term progress.

Every year, your circumstances will be slightly different. You will have various obligations, changes in location, occupation, marital status, responsibilities, and more. Life will keep going and your strategies will need to adapt to the changing times. 

That being said, the underlying lessons you learn will stay with you each year. Take the long-term view and mindset so you can get the most joy and the most health out of every holiday season while still learning the lessons you need to build a better relationship with food as a whole.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

We’re all looking for ways to maximize our daily activities and our caloric output, especially those of us dealing with weight loss. That being said, there’s only so much exercise someone can realistically fit into a healthy day. But what most of us don’t realize is that there are ways in which we can keep our metabolism going that doesn’t include exercise – non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT.)

THE COMPONENTS OF YOUR METABOLISM

NEAT is a component of your daily metabolism that is often overlooked in the fitness world, and it refers to the energy expanded by doing regular activities unrelated to planned exercise or metabolic functions. Other well-known components of your metabolism include physical activity, the thermic effect of food, as well as basal metabolic rate, which includes the energy you use for completing basic functions of life such as sleeping and breathing.

DEFINING NEAT

Therefore, NEAT basically encompasses the energy expended doing everything other than digesting food, completing basic functions, and partaking in planned exercise. This includes a wide range of activities from maintaining your posture, walking, gardening, loading groceries, cleaning, clicking a pen, typing on your computer, everything.

There are countless activities that fall into this category, resulting in NEAT being the most controllable and variable aspect of your daily metabolism. While activities such as random fidgeting can seem small and meaningless, manipulating your total daily NEAT can have a massive impact on your calorie expenditure and weight control. In fact, low-level NEAT is usually associated with obesity.

Adults that engage in athletic training are often instructed to rest, get extra sleep, reduce time on their feet, and generally reduce their overall activity outside of purposeful exercise. This is thought to preserve their energy stores for performance goals as well as reduce the risk of fatigue and injury. 

That being said, research shows that even moderate to intense physical activity will not compensate for sedentary behaviors even if you’re an elite athlete. These people oriented around fitness can actually help improve lean muscle tissue and weight management through increasing their NEAT.

HOW TO RAISE YOUR NEAT

Let’s explore a few ways you can improve your daily NEAT and keep the metabolic activity of your body high every day:

#1 CHANGE YOUR ENVIRONMENT

Look around you and assess your daily environment. Find the places where you spend large chunks of time and map out your general movements. From here, you can begin to target big problem areas and work out a plan of attack. 

For example, if you’re someone who typically drives from store to store in a strip mall, you can park at one end and walk to the store. Another example would be to track your steps each day and try to reach a specific daily step goal by taking the stairs, walking around the office, getting short breaks to fill your water bottle, getting more fresh air, and more.

#2 PRIORITIZE YOUR CHORES

Chores aren’t really the most fun of activities, but they do add a decent amount of calorie burn throughout your day. Start your week by making a quick checklist of the household things that you need to accomplish – cleaning, laundry, dusting, taking out the trash, grocery shopping, gardening, and more. Break that down into a daily to-do list. 

This will help you get a little extra movement in your day, boosting your NEAT. These tasks can also boost the overall muscle strength and tone while preventing injury as they basically utilize small muscle movements that many exercises tend to neglect. If you are able to acknowledge the health benefits of these otherwise dull and repetitive tasks, you will be more motivated to keep up with your to-do list.

#3 EMBRACE YOUR RESTLESSNESS

Standing still and sitting are overrated. The less time you spend without moving, the less NEAT you get. Click your pen when you’re at your desk, tap your foot while you read e-mails, and get up from your seat to pace the room while on the phone. Try to incorporate your daily movements throughout your day and make them meaningful. 

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic discovered that these tiny movements often attributed to restlessness throughout an 8-hour workday can pretty much add up to the calorie burn you would get out of a normal gym session. If the next time you wait for your coffee to get ready or you’re reheating something in the microwave, you just do a few stretches, lunges, jumping jacks, or other meaningful small movements, you’ll be doing your body a service.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

In the nutrition world, fruit juices have long been a beloved staple in refrigerators, served in restaurants in all corners of the world. For example, orange juice was pushed as a part of a balanced breakfast, depicted in an endless number of commercials alongside other morning staples. But as the nutrition priorities of people have evolved, placing greater emphasis on sugar intake and calories, people around the world now view orange juice as a high-sugar, high-calorie drink that is better consumed in moderation. 

Many of your popular fruit juice choices actually contain the same number of calories as soda – if not more. Even Harvard research has concluded that our bodies metabolize the natural sugar in juice the same way the added sugar in soda. 

Considering that added sugar is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, weight gain, and more, this is a sobering fact. It’s even worth noting that the difference between 100 percent juice and sugar-sweetened beverages is significant – the former has other health benefits such as essential vitamins while the latter doesn’t. 

SHOULD YOU DRINK JUICE?

Study researchers have concluded that fruit juices are basically very concentrated sources of sugar. They noted that three apples yield just one cup of juice. While it’s difficult to eat three apples in one sitting, it is effortlessly to drink a cup of juice at a time. This excessive intake of sugar can and will lead to potential problems.

Another potential issue is that juiced veggies and fruits are basically stripped of fiber. Fiber aids the digestion process, helps keep us full, and allows our gut health to be healthy and strong. When you replace the fruits and veggies in their whole form with simple juices, you are missing out on all of the fiber you would usually get. And without enough fiber, your blood sugar spikes quickly and then crashes, leading you to crave even more sugar.

If you are going to be drinking juice, researchers suggest you fill your glass with fresh-pressed juice rather than one you find in the store. Many of these packaged juices you will find at the local grocery store have tons of added sugars in addition to their already high sugar content. When you’re making homemade juice, go for an option that is primarily made up of veggies, cutting back on the total sugar content.

WHAT ARE THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES?

Sometimes, you might find yourself craving the fresh, sweet taste of fruit. In those situations, you might want to eat that fruit whole. Fruit is abundant in vital nutrients including fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. 

Smoothies are also another amazing option. Since they are made by blending whole fruits and veggies, the fiber will also stay intact so the entire process at which the body metabolizes is different. 

Fiber allows you to curb the blood sugar response of sugar, preventing spikes in insulin that would lead to more cravings and fat retention. And of course, it’s always a good idea to add more water into your diet since you won’t feel the need to replace it with juice or other sugary drinks. 

THE BOTTOM LINE IS…

Juices can be a part of a balanced diet, but should generally be consumed in moderation, and when consumed, you should opt for homemade pressed options instead of store-bought varieties. 

The Harvard study we referenced above has concluded that individuals who want to take control of their diet should definitely start moderating juice first. If you do love drink a daily cup of juice, try to focus on getting more vegetables in there instead of fruit. 

And even better, you can just drink smoothies for a treat that’s similarly delicious since smoothies retain the natural fiber of the fruit. Or just eat fruits whole! Both options will fill you up with fiber, quench your thirst for fruit, and reduce your overall sugar consumption by allowing you to skip on juice altogether. 

The health benefits of the Mediterranean diet have been studied on a global scale and are praised for being one of the golden standards in preventative medicine. With this diet being largely known for its association with increased heart health, brain health, longevity, and more, the benefits simply do not stop there. It also helps bone health, weight loss, diabetes, even some cancers.

While the Mediterranean diet is indeed called a diet, despite its name, it’s more of a lifestyle choice rather than a strict set of rules. The main tenets include consuming mostly plant-based food, having strong social networks, eating with your family, alleviating stress, and all while staying physically active.

While the Mediterranean diet is heavily focused on plants, which are loaded with fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients, it is also naturally abundant in heart-healthy fats such as omega-3, which are shown to improve the body’s inflammatory response and benefit the health of the brain.

Not only that, but the Mediterranean diet also focuses a lot on how you eat, even more so than what you eat. It carries this strong emphasis on bringing the joy back into preparing, cooking, and eating food mindfully, with a lifestyle that encourages meals to be eaten slowly and mindfully. This aspect of this diet is one of the biggest contributors to its association with living a longer life.

Given the list of benefits to this diet is as long as it gets, the Mediterranean diet is definitely one worth considering as a long-term, sustainable option for improving your health and well-being.

SO WHAT FOODS ARE INCLUDED?

The Mediterranean diet is often associated with cultural diets common in Italy, Spain and Greece. It basically emphasizes eating lots of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, fish, and whole grains. It also includes the free and liberal use of olive oil, as well as a moderate amount of dairy. But very little red meat.

Today, we’ve compiled a list you can use to experiment – there are also countless recipes online you can play around with, or discover your own combination of ingredients.

If you’re looking for specific ideas, some include whipping up a pot of minestrone for lunch or dinner, or trying out sautéing mushrooms, onion, and spinach in olive oil, folded into scrambled eggs with herbs! That’s like a Mediterranean take on a frittata. You also have red lentils with hummus with chopped veggies, another staple.

VEGETABLES

Including cabbage, celery, carrots, cucumber, collard greens, broccoli, beets and beet greens, bell peppers, arugula, artichoke, asparagus, spinach, scallions, onions, radishes, olivers, mustart greens, mushrooms, leeks, lemon, kale, garlic, eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini and squash.

FRUITS

Peaches, pomegranates, figs, grapes, dates, berries, apples, apricots, citrus fruits, and avocado.

FRESH HERBS

Such as cilantro, mint, rosemary, parsley, dill, basil, oregano, and thyme.

SEEDS AND NUTS

Healthy options include walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, pistachios, pine nuts, almonds, Flaxseed, and more.

BEANS

Lima beans, lentils, kidney beans, cannellini beans, garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas), black-eyed peas.

SEAFOOD/FISH

Wild-caught salmon, shrimp, mackerel, mussels, fresh clams, fresh tuna, as well as different canned fish varieties such as anchovies, clams, sardines, salmon, and tuna.)

DAIRY

When it comes to cheese, we have Ricotta cheese, Pecorino Romano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Manchego cheese, Mozzarella cheese, and Feta cheese, as well as plain Greek yogurt for another healthy dairy variety.

GRAINS

Quinoa, polenta, farro, barley, bulgur, whole-grain couscous, whole-grain pasta. 

THE BOTTOM LINE IS…

The Mediterranean diet is more of a lifestyle than it is a diet, a lifestyle of mindfulness in eating and dietary options that are revolved around plants, lean proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains. 

And with this aim toward whole grains, fruits and veggies, legumes, and other healthy options, it has been associated with a wide list of benefits to overall health and well-being. It also recommends being active, enjoying your meals out together with your friends and family, and it’s a major contributor to the improvement of total longevity. 

Needless the say, you should stock up on the foods listed in this grocery list and try to use them in creative and delicious recipes. Your diet and your health will thank you for it.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

We all know meal tracking can be a useful weight-loss tool.

It will definitely help to see where the gaps are in your diet in terms of your calories and macros – protein, and minerals, quality carbohydrates, healthy fats, and protein. But with the Holidays coming up, a lot of us might get the urge to halt their meal tracking efforts and just enjoy the festiveness of the winter season.

Like with anything else, there is a balance to strike between wanting to track your meals (if you enjoy it) and allowing yourself to make food choices based on your cravings, your environment, and your taste regardless of any numbers. 

And the Holidays are no exception! Here are a few tips we’ve compiled that will help you strike the right balance.

#1 FIND WHAT’S MISSING IN YOUR DIET

Like we talked about above, one of the most beneficial reasons why you would want to track your meals is to identify what might be missing in your diet that is affecting how you feel. 

Since schedules can be just thrown off for after the holidays, tracking meals can allow you to make sure you’re giving your body exactly what it needs while you’re in the midst of juggling parties, traveling, and cooking delicious meals at home. 

You may find that you’re feeling really hungry mid-day, and because you will have data to back this up, you might realize it’s because you’re just skimping on carbs or protein in the morning, or you were rushed to grab something quick at lunch. 

If this sounds familiar, then you should know tracking your meals during the holidays could be a great way to make sure you’ll still be taking care of yourself amidst the stress and overwhelm you might be experiencing.

#2 EXAMINE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD

The holiday season is a great time to check in with your relationship with food, and learn more about how meal tracking is affecting it (or not!). 

If you find yourself banning certain foods from your diet because you don’t want to put them in your daily tracker for that fear of not meeting your goals, or you find yourself thinking about your next meal all the time, or you think it’s okay to “work off the calories”, you might even need to take a step back from the meal tracker. 

Healthy habits can become unhealthy if other behaviors affect your quality of life or you become too obsessed with training and meal-prepping. 

Check in with yourself to learn more about how your relationship with food is affecting your life and find out how you feel about the lack (or the excess) of management and effort that goes into your diet.   

LEAVE THE “ALL-OR-NOTHING” MINDSET BEHIND

These questions of “Should I track my calories during the holiday?” “Should I just skip it?” are pure examples of the “all-or-nothing” mindset heavily influenced by diet culture. 

Eating and food choices shouldn’t really be a good/bad thing, you’re not being “good” if you can track meals and “bad” when you don’t. Putting all fields in a neutral playing field will definitely help you take the press off of feeling like you have to be either to one extreme or the other – that’s food neutrality! Knowing you can have Holiday snacks and still persevere and actually leave the holidays in better shape than you entered them, is key.

FOCUS ON LONG-TERM THINKING

A few days won’t make or break your entire journey. But if you’ve been diligent in your tracking before the holidays, it can be easy to see where a couple of holiday brunches or dinners can send your usual daily numbers skyrocketing. 

Instead of being stressed, or feeling like you did something wrong, or that you need to restrict your diet in the coming days, just realize it’s going to be fine. One or two indulgent meals won’t make or break your journey if you’re truly in it for the long run.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS

You have all the permission you’ll ever need to track or not track your meals during the upcoming holidays. It can be very helpful to see where you’re having these nutritional gaps in your diet and try to fill them, so you avoid cravings and crashes. 

If you’re having trouble establishing a healthy relationship with food, either add more tracking to your diet or start tracking it less if you feel like you’re obsessing over it. Ask yourself why you’re participating in specific behaviors, and whether or not they are actually serving your journey, even during the holidays.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

The rowing machine, the ergometer, or just “the rower”, is a powerful weight loss and strength building tool that often sits largely neglected in a corner of the gym. But what many people don’t realize is that it’s one of the best fitness tools out there, helping you work your entire body and get your heart rate up relatively quickly. 

But why is the rowing machine so underrated? 

Many people simply don’t know how to use it properly or how truly versatile it can be. Plus, people can get bored quickly if they don’t notice the benefits, leading a lot of people to falsely assume it’s not worth their time.

But a small shift in your mindset and a few tweaks that allow you to perfect your form, and you’ll discover that the rowing machine is one of the many machines that deserve a staple spot in your workout routine. 

Here’s everything you need to know about it.

THE MANY BENEFITS OF THE ROWING MACHINE

First and foremost, rowing is a very intense yet very low-impact exercise. Depending on how exactly you choose to utilize it, the rower can increase your cardiovascular fitness while also building up your strength and explosive power.

Here are some of the most well-touted benefits of the ergometer:  

#1 IT’S A FULL-BODY WORKOUT

Stroke for stroke, rowing will recruit over 85 percent of all the muscles in your body. If you’re someone who struggles with squeezing in high-quality workouts, it can be a time-effective solution that will boost your flexibility and allow you to hit multiple muscle groups including your arms, abs, legs, upper back, pecs, obliques, and more.

#2 IT WILL GIVE YOUR JOINTS A BREAK

Rowing is pretty much impact-free, making it the perfect option for people who need cross-training exercises that are easy on their joints. For example, if you’re a runner and your knees are achy from the constant treadmill or road running, rowing can actively support your recovery while helping you build strength in those areas.

#3 IT BOOSTS YOUR ENDURANCE

If you’ve hit a plateau in your usual cardio, rowing could potentially boost your VO2 max (which is one of the most important markers that tells you how well your body uses oxygen.) If you start to work rowing into your routine, you will likely improve your swimming and running fitness, as well.

#4 IT BURNS A TON OF CALORIES

Rowing is a high-demand exercise, allowing you to burn hundreds of calories in a single session. Case in point: according to U.S. Rowing, young athletes may burn an estimated 600 calories in just an hour of rowing. (Though this is just an average and your exact calorie burn will depend on factors such as workout intensity and body weight.)

SO HOW DO WE PERFECT OUR ROWING FORM AND REAP ALL THE WEIGHT LOSS & STRENGTH GAIN BENEFITS?

If you’re ready to give the row a go, it’s definitely worth taking the time to get the fundamentals of the stroke down so you can ensure you get a safe and effective workout every time you get on that machine.

Here’s the step-by-step process for perfecting your rowing technique: 

1. SECURE BOTH OF YOUR FEET IN THE FOOTHOLDS

Many beginners tend to think not having their feet securely strapped in isn’t that big of a deal. However, as you learn to use your legs to start pushing yourself off, you’ll understand the importance of the straps. Put them on and make sure they hold your feet tight.

2. GRAB THE HANDLE WITH AN OVERHAND GRIP AND SIT UP STRAIGHT

Make sure your back isn’t rounded. That’s a must. Your body should never be curved at any point. Instead, position your back slightly slanted forward at a 45-degree angle.

3. START IN THE CATCH POSITION

To get into the catch position, simply slide your seat forward while your knees are bent, your glutes are near your heels, your arms are straight, and your body is leaning slightly forward.

4. FOR THE DRIVE OF THE MOVEMENT, PUSH YOUR HEELS INTO THE FOOTHOLDS AND JUST STRAIGHTEN YOUR LEGS

The biggest problem people have with the rowing stroke is that they fail to realize it’s primarily a push with the legs, not a pull with the arms.

Simply push with your legs first, swing your body open, and pull your arms into your chest before you repeat the process in reverse. 

Hey Angels and Alphas,

Remember how bread-making became a nutrition craze back in 2020? Well, for the most part, that craze has run its course. While not many of us actually have the luxury of time (not to mention, patience) to make our own homemade breads, we do have convenient and nutrient-dense options housed at our local grocery store that require no baking or proofing.

If the countless shelves that include dozens of varieties feel kind of overwhelming, don’t worry.

Here is our breakdown of the different types of breads and wraps you’ll find at your local grocery store, and how you can choose a bread that’s going to be healthy, filling, and nourishing at the same time.

FIRST OFF… WHAT SHOULD YOU EVEN LOOK FOR?

Two of the most important nutrients you should be keeping in mind when you look for bread are protein and fiber. Both of them slow digestion and keep you satisfied for longer after meals while stabilizing your blood sugar levels.

Always try to choose bread that has at least 2-3 grams of fiber per slice and about 3-4 grams of protein per slice. Another thing you should look for is bread that has either “100% whole wheat” or “100% sprouted bread” on the label, as this will be a good indicator that it’s going to be more nutrient-dense. 

The simpler the ingredient list, the better, but don’t stress about it too much, as long as you’re avoiding bread that’s packed with added sugar such as high-fructose corn syrup. They’re not filling and they contain processed additives.

Here are a couple of suggestions you’ll likely find in your local grocery store:

“POWERSEED” BREAD

The name says it all – “powerseed” bread is usually packed with great nutrition and filling ingredients. 

On average, each slice contains about 5 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, and a whopping 100 calories. Ingredients include whole-wheat flour, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, grains, and a small amount of fruit juice. 

These types of breads are great sources of complex carbs, providing the body with long-lasting energy. This makes them perfect choices for post-training meals or snacks when combined with nut butter or lean protein.

“CORN/FLOUR” TORTILLAS

The combination of flour and corn give these wraps a great flavor, and they’re also less likely to break or dry out like most tortillas. Nutrition numbers are fairly good – each tortilla contains an average 4 grams of protein, 1 gram of fiber, and 130 calories with no added sugars. 

They’re a bit lower in fiber than other options, but this will give you the opportunity to pack them with some high-fiber ingredients such as beans and veggies. They’re great for tacos, especially alongside eggs, avocado, cheese, and some salsa.

“SPROUTED GRAIN” BREAD

Sprouted grain breads are usually made from grains that have started to sprout, leading to better overall nutrient content. Sprouted-grain bead typically has more fiber than other alternatives, as well as protein and B vitamins when compared to whole-wheat bread. 

It also has this hearty, nutty flavor that is achieved due to the variety of sprouted legumes and grains in the bread. Each slice contains about 3 grams of fiber, 5 grams of protein, 0 added sugars, and 80 calories. 

They’re perfect for sandwiches and morning toast since usually richer in fiber than other breads, helping you stay full throughout the day and warding off sugar cravings.

“WHOLE WHEAT SOURDOUGH” BREAD 

This type of bread is one of the all-time greats because of its unique sourdough “tang” that comes from the sourdough fermentation and the reaction between lactic acid bacteria and wild yeast that is naturally present in flour. What’s more, because there are bacteria created during the fermentation, this lowers the pH of the bread and helps degrade a compound called phytic acid. 

This typically binds vitamins and minerals and blocks their absorption. This means micronutrients such as potassium and zinc will be better absorbed and more available for the body to use. 

The fermentation process may also degrade the gluten and make the bread easier to digest for people with gluten sensitivities. Each slice contains on average 4 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, no added sugars, and 90 calories. It’s also made with no preservatives so make sure to consume it while it’s fresh.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

Throughout the male and female fitness world, you know there are hundreds, if not thousands, of different exercises and moves you can do to boost your fitness before you pursue more funky variations that include resistance bands, weights, kettlebells, or other equipment. 

But before you head over into that world, your number one necessity should always be to get the basics down first.

Today, we’re here to break down two of the most fundamental exercises for your lower body – squats and lunges – and how you can perform them perfectly even if you have a bad back, achy knees, or have never done them before.

LET’S START WITH SQUATS

The perfect squat involves standing with your feet slightly wider than the width of your hips and your toes pointed a little outward. The wider your stance is, the more you’ll be able to rotate your feet out and establish a strong base of support. 

Look straight ahead at all times and try to keep a neutral spine. Reach your arms out in front and make them parallel to the ground. Focus on keeping the weight of your body in your feet as you drop down and only lean forward only slightly, keeping your chest up, until you reach the point in which you feel like your form will suffer if you go even slightly lower. Especially as you rise back up, make sure to contract your glutes.

Theoretically, people squat all the time, so they should be good at it… correct? 

But squatting down so you can pick something up isn’t the same motion as the standard squat. This is because people tend to lean forward when they’re reaching for an item. In the gym, that form can continue.

How to achieve perfect squat form if you have a bad back:

Many people usually don’t keep their back flat, which is also called a “neutral position.” Instead, their back is either rounded at the top or at the point of the lower back they’re either hyperextending or arching. 

Both of these can cause injury, especially if you’re doing multiple reps and sets. 

This rounding may occur because someone doesn’t really trust the strength of their legs and it can be resolved through just gaining confidence or lowering the weight. The other, however, isn’t so easy — that arching low backer is often caused by hips that don’t have enough flexibility. 

How to achieve perfect squat form if you have knee issues:

One of the most common issues with squats is in the knees and the fact that they turn in on the descend. This usually happens because the inner thighs are weaker than the outer thighs which is a problem that develops if you sit for extended periods of time.

If you’re a beginner, you should start with doing stand-ups and sit-downs because this will reinforce the basic movement you have to do every day. When you cannot get down to a 90-degree bend in your knees, you can take away the sitting part of it and switch to having them just slightly tap the surface before you come back up. After they master that, you can pretty much take away the seat altogether.

LET’S TALK ABOUT LUNGES

In a perfect lunge, one foot comes forward while the other comes back, and all of this happens while the front leg is bent at a 90-degree angle. 

Your feet should be in line with your hips, but this doesn’t mean it should feel like you’re on a tightrope, but instead, more like you’re standing on two planks of wood while the heel of the back foot is slightly lifted. 

How to perform the perfect lunge if you have back issues:

Much like the squat, lots of people tend to start involving their back to create stability in their lunge instead of engaging the muscles of their core. 

If you want to avoid this, you can try anchored resistance bands or anchored weights so you can help activate your core and keep your posture upright without engaging your back. From this point, you will easily be able to focus on the glutes and legs. If you can hold a weight in each hand, this could be a great way to keep yourself from tipping forward in your lunges.

How to perform the perfect lunge if you have knee issues:

Another great alignment tip is to keep your knees from bending too far over your ankles. This can put pressure on the ankle and knee joints and should be avoided. Some other common mistakes are to have a stance that’s not wide enough, as well as not focusing on your stability (which causes the front knee to collapse inward.)

Hey Angels and Alphas,

Have you ever woken up with that leftover workout soreness from the day before and wondered if it’s still okay to go to the gym that day?

Training your sore muscle groups could be one of the best ways to decrease post-workout muscle soreness, so long as you try and stick to bodyweight training and light resistance exercises.

EXPLAINING SORENESS

When you perform pretty much any kind of exercise that challenges your muscle groups in a new way (one example would be trying different exercise variations or increasing your workout intensity), you basically create micro-tears in the tissues of your muscles.

Muscle soreness is the result of inflammation setting in. The best way to basically decrease this inflammation is by causing the action of muscle pumping. This is the action that gets your blood flowing and boosts circulation, helping you basically flush out the metabolic waste and bring in fresh oxygen and nutrients for your recovery. 

To speed up this recovery, experts recommend performing various complex movements that incorporate many muscle groups, such as lunges, squats, thrusters, pushups, and pullups. When you do these exercises in a circuit, this is a fun and very efficient way to train with soreness. If you keep adding weight, you keep it light. If you tend to prefer cardio, you can spend some time on an assault bike or an elliptical. 

You could also easily take muscle soreness as an excuse to try out low-intensity activities such as walking, yoga, and restorative exercises.

7 RESTORATIVE EXERCISES TO TRY WHEN YOU’RE SORE

#1 THE BASIC HANG

Simply hang from a pullup bar while your arms are fully extended, your shoulders are down and away from your ears and your feet are off the floor. Then just hold on for as long as you’re able – or at least long enough to feel a stretch.

#2 BODYWEIGHT MARCH

Start by standing tall with your feet hip-width apart with your arms placed at your sides. Then brace your core and pull one of your heels up to bring your knees toward your midline while you are simultaneously driving the opposite arm up so both of them are bent 90 degrees. Just make sure not to over-arch your back. Return one of your feet down to the floor and your arms to your side and then repeat that movement with the opposite arm and leg. Then complete as many controlled reps as you can.

#3 THE COW-CAT

Begin by kneeling on the floor on your hands and knees so your shoulders are placed directly over your hands and your hips are placed straight over your knees. Then proceed to lift your head gently so the curves of your lower back and hold for one count. Then just drop your head gently down in between your shoulders so you can raise your upper back until it’s more rounded.

#4 THE LEOPARD CRAWL

Start by kneeling on the floor and place your hands and knees so your shoulders are directly over your hands and your hips are over your knees. Then lift your knees off the ground a few inches and step your opposite hand and your opposite foot forward. Continue changing from side to side, making sure you keep your back flat and your glutes down. 

#5 THE QUADRUPED HIP ROCK

Kneel on the floor with your hands and knees so your shoulders are straight over your hands and your hips are straight over your knees. Then while keeping your back flat, rock your hips back and forth toward your ankles. 

#6 THE BABY CRAWL

Begin on the floor on your hands and knees. Use your left hand and right knee to step forward, followed by your right knee and left hand. Continue changing sides and place your opposite knee and hand forward until you reach that turnaround point. The entire time, your back should be flat, and you should be looking straight ahead.

#7 THE DOWNWARD DOG

Start off on the floor with your hands and knees so your shoulders are directly over your hands and your hips are over your knees. Then spread your fingers wide, and while pressing firmly through your palms, lift your knees off the floor. Then shift your hips and back toward the ceiling and begin to straighten your legs (remember to not lock in your knees.) Gently press your heels forward on the floor and you’ll feel a stretch in your calves. 

Hey Angels and Alphas,

How much lean muscle tissue can you really gain, whether you’re male or female? Fitness is all about positive transformations, and if you’ve ever asked yourself that question, you’ve no doubt seen plenty of 30-day transformation stories. If you see enough of them, you may start thinking going from lean to muscular is a quick and easy process. But, in real life, muscle growth is a much slower process.

So, how much lean muscle can you really expect to put on in a single month?

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF FACTORS THAT AFFECT MUSCLE GAIN

Whether you fall on the low or high end of this overall muscle gain spectrum depends largely on a variety of factors. Unfortunately, many of these different variables are largely outside your control, such as your gender, age, muscle fiber type, as well as how long you’ve been training. Let’s talk about each.

#1 YOUR GENDER

Men naturally have higher levels of testosterone than women, which makes increasing muscle mass an easier and faster task for men. When women grow muscle, they rely on insulin-like human growth factor to do the majority of the job, so they definitely don’t have the same muscle bulk for that reason.

That said, testosterone levels can vary within the sexes as well. Some women will have higher levels of testosterone than other women and, as a result, may gain muscle easier. Similarly, some men may have lower natural levels of testosterone than other men so their potential for gaining muscle will be limited.

#2 YOUR AGE

According to a variety of experts, the ideal age range for gaining muscle is 18–25 years old. After the age of 25, testosterone levels begin to drop off a bit — more specifically in men. This makes muscle gain just a tad more difficult, though by no means impossible. It’s just not as easy to gain as much, which is not to say you’re not still gaining plenty of muscle, but the rate at which you can gain it is usually the highest in the ranges of 18-25 years old. 

Then, you experience a sharper drop in natural hormones around the age of 40. This is a time when gaining muscle becomes an even greater challenge. But as long as you keep up with your training and keep your nutrition locked in, you can still gain a decent amount of muscle after that 40-year mark.

#3 YOUR MUSCLE FIBER TYPE

Things get a little bit more interesting when you start looking at the muscle fibers themselves.

You have probably heard about terms such as “fast-twitch” and “slow-twitch” muscle fibers. And simply put, fast-twitch muscle fibers (also known as type II) are perfect for performing tasks that require explosive strength, speed and power (e.g., sprinting, jumping, and Olympic lifts), while your slow-twitch muscle fibers (also known as type I) are great for activities that require a lot of endurance (e.g., distance running). Every person has a mix of different muscle fiber types, however some of us lean more heavily toward one or the other.

But what does this mean for gaining muscle? It means that fast-twitch fibers have greater potential for mass growth. If you have a greater percentage of fast-twitch muscle fibers, you may be able to build more muscle in general, as well as build muscle more quickly than those with more slow-twitch muscle fibers.

If you have more type I muscle fibers, you are less likely to have an easier time growing muscle. The difference will largely be in the quality of the size and shape.

#4 HOW LONG YOU’VE BEEN IN TRAINING

In general, if you are newer to exercise, you will see increases in lean muscle mass more quickly than seasoned advertisers. When you start exercising, it won’t take much for your body to create new adaptations for physical and performance-based changes to appear. However, as you gain more experience, it will take more and more time to see improvements.

The only exception to this rule is a former athlete or even advanced lifter who returns to training after a long period of deconditioning. When you’ve gained muscle in the past and you lose it, it will be much easier to gain it back.

The reason? You’ve already built the neuromuscular connections necessary (or pathways between the nervous system and the muscles themselves) so you’ll enable your body to recognize when it’s being asked to create more muscle mass. Rather than working from the beginning and learning those pathways, your body will already recognize so you can naturally progress with more ease.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

If you’ve been doing weight loss walks or running on the same surface for a while, it could definitely be beneficial for you to switch it up. Have you been using the treadmill for months? You can take your workout outside. Stuck on the same old neighborhood road? Head to the nearest gym and hit the treadmill!

But ultimately, what’s the difference between exercising on a treadmill, trail, or pavement, and which makes the most sense for your specific workout plan? Let’s talk about it. 

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN USING A TREADMILL, ROAD OR TRAIL FOR WEIGHT LOSS?

The treadmill is technically the easiest to walk and run on, the road is basically the middle ground and trails are the hardest. That’s because the treadmill belt is designed to help your feet along and, when you’re indoors, you’re in a more controlled environment.

On the road and the trails, on the other hand, you might actually burn more calories due to factors such as shifts in terrain, hills, and the win. But if you’re used to running on the road and suddenly switch to a treadmill, this could actually lead to the treadmill feeling harder because of the perceived exertion (meaning how hard an exercise feels regardless of how your body tends to respond.)

Ultimately, all of these surfaces can be used to get in a high-quality workout. The key here is to maintain the same level of effort. Here’s what you need to know when it comes to the pros and cons of each, as well as the best time to use them.

TREADMILL WORKOUTS

Naturally, the treadmill is an athlete’s smartest option if they’re short on time or live somewhere with less-than-ideal weather conditions. It’s also a smart pick if you’re new to walking or running for weight loss or you’re prone to injuries such as shin splints. The treadmill surface is usually softer and has a certain “give” to it, unlike the ground that reacts similarly to running on asphalt or concrete.

But the treadmill dread can definitely be a thing. If you use a high-energy playlist, all the better.

PROS:

• Control your climate
• Adjustable settings including incline
• Softer surface, easier on the joints

CONS: 

• Potentially might get repetitive
• Lacks terrain variation
• Requires a gym membership 

BEST FOR: 

• Controlled workouts
• Full-body workouts
• HIIT 

ROAD WORKOUTS

The road is a great option because it allows you to explore and get plenty of fresh air. Plus, you can step out your door and hit the pavement right away. Many running and walking clubs even meet up on the road, and the act of joining one could help keep you accountable and boost your pace.

The main downside? You will be at the mercy of mother nature when it comes to weather. But there is a silver lining when it comes to rainy-day workouts… Training in various conditions can actually enhance your sense of mental toughness.

PROS:

• No need for a gym membership 
• Can plan runs according to interesting views and distance markers 
• Working out in nature boosts your mood

CONS:

• Potentially greater risk of injury due to harder surfaces 
• Poor weather conditions could disrupt your schedule

BEST FOR: 

• Daily weight loss walks
• Socializing with other people who train
• Longer endurance runs

TRAIL WORKOUTS

Trail running is similar to road workouts but it’s even more challenging because your foot placement is key to not falling or tripping. However, the surface is often softer, and you’re not getting the return energy you would get from springing on the road or the treadmill. 

That being said, nature runs can also boost your mental well-being and work more of your muscles since you’re navigating an ever-changing terrain. Often, first-time trail runners will be sore in places that they never were before.

PROS: 

• Build more muscle and strengthen your core
• Improve your body awareness and balance
• Working out in nature boosts your mood

CONS: 

• Potentially greater risk of injury 
• Potentially poor weather conditions 

BEST FOR: 

• “Boot camp” style workouts with more bodyweight exercises 
• Longer walks or runs increase the challenge to different muscle groups
• Meditative nature walks or adventurous trail runs

Hey Angels and Alphas,

Whether we like it or not, prolonged periods of sitting are a part of life, and with that, they’re a part of male and female fitness. Countless people around the world sit during work, sit while they’re eating, sit while they’re watching TV and relaxing… and you might even be sitting as you’re reading this right now. 

But as research has proven, prolonged sitting is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, obesity, and high blood pressure. That’s why we sometimes hear scary stories about how “sitting is the new smoking.”

Luckily, all we need to do to combat the negative effects of prolonged sitting… is to get up and move. Or try a standing desk. But constantly standing wouldn’t be the answer either.

Fortunately, new studies published in the Endocrinology and Metabolism journal, have looked at how interrupting sitting with movement will impact your fasting glucose and glycemic variability. 

In short, moving just 3-5 minutes every hour or so might be enough to minimize the harm done by sitting too much.

According to the study, fasting glucose is the amount of sugar in a person’s blood. A normal blood glucose level should range between 70 and 100mg/dL, while any higher value could indicate a condition such as diabetes. Glycemic variability will simply refer to changes in blood glucose levels over an extended period of time. 

In this study, researchers enlisted 16 office workers (about middle-aged) who had obesity and sedentary jobs. Over a period of 3 weeks, half of the participants maintained their normal routines while the other half wore a monitor that alerted them to move for 3 minutes every 30 minutes.

After the test period, the control group experienced the same problems as before: high cholesterol and high blood sugar. 

On the other hand, the group that moved during the day (climbed stairs, walked, did a few squats by their desk) exhibited lower blood sugar variability and lower blood sugar levels. Not to mention, they also showed higher levels of HDL, also known as good cholesterol. The more the person moved during the day, the better their score was.

Even though these metabolic changes were modest, the study was done over the course of only 3 weeks. Researchers who led the study noted that adding more regular activity throughout a usually sedentary day will have even better effects when performed over the long term.

6 5-MINUTE WORKOUTS YOU CAN DO ANYWHERE

Below, we’ve listed 6 ways you can build a 5-minute training routine and add it effortlessly throughout your day. When you mix and match between light cardio and bodyweight strength training, you’ll be able to keep the downsides of sitting down to a minimum. The best part? These exercises can also be performed at home or in the office with pretty much no equipment.

#1 JUMPING JACKS

Jumping jacks require nothing but a little space to move, and they’re one of the best ways you can build some cardio in a short amount of time. You can perform them right next to your desk, bed, or anywhere else, and fit as many as you can in a 5-minute range. 

#2 RUNNING THE STAIRS

If you have stairs in your home or office, just spend 5 minutes jogging up and then slowly walking down. No stairs? That’s okay. Just march in place with your knees high to your chest and you’ll achieve a similar effect.

#3 SHORT WALK AROUND THE OFFICE (OR HOME)

A quick walk around the house or the office will get your blood moving before you go back to your comfy chair. Maybe you’ll even come back rehydrated or with a fresh cup of coffee.

#4 HOLD A PLANK

If you want to strengthen your core and add a little stability to your body, drop down onto your hands and toes like you’re about to do a pushup and hold that position for a minute or two. 

#5 CHECK YOUR MAIL

Stand up and simply head outside and check your mailbox. It’s an easy task, but it will be more than enough to get your body moving. And plus, fresh air is always an invigorating bonus.

#6 SQUAT IN PLACE

Air squats work your legs as well as your heart. Do as many as you can in 2-3 minutes, the pause, then do one more 1-2-minute session. You don’t need to add any weight, just the pure function of your body will get blood rushing through it and reinvigorate you.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

We all know there’s never a one-size-fits-all way to achieve weight loss, and there are many strategies out there that are all backed by science and will ultimately help you achieve your fitness goals.

But all angels and alphas know that the most important thing in your fitness routine should be sustainability, or in other words, adopting healthy habits such as eating right and moving move, that can easily be incorporated into our day-to-day lives.

And when it comes to exercise, both HIIT and walking bring positive results. 

For people who are just eating into regular cardio practices, walking is an amazing entry point. Research has shown numerous times that it improves your mood, heart health, and your weight loss results. Not to mention, it helps you live longer. 

One study that surveyed over 50,000 regular walkers found a 20 percent decrease in all-cause mortality among the people who walked on a regular basis.

And once you’ve, pardon the pun, made your first steps in your walking habit, it’s a good idea to start challenging yourself and achieving more calorie burn.

Both HIIT and incline walking fit that bill. So let’s take a look at the individual benefits and help you make a decision between the two.

FIRST, THE BENEFITS OF HIIT

High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, can sound quite intimidating. To be more specific, the part where it says “high-intensity.” That being said, this faster-paced workout technique incorporates intense bursts of activity followed by comfortable rest periods, and it’s, believe it or not, ranked as one of the most beginner-friendly forms of exercise. 

Plus, studies have proven that it improves your athletic performance, revs up your metabolism, and enhances cardiovascular health. Score!

HIIT has long been proven to be an effective form of exercise for those wishing to put on some muscle, burn calories, and skyrocket their metabolic rate so they burn more fat. 

When it comes to HIIT-style walking, basically this is a choose your own adventure type of scenario. It’s easy to adjust your work effort inside intervals that suit you – maybe you’ll speed up for 30 seconds then rest for a minute or vice-versa. You can change the terrain to add more resistance, incorporating terrains such as hills, sand, flat surfaces, and more.

BUT INCLINE WALKING HAS ITS OWN BENEFITS, AS WELL

Incline walking is precisely what it sounds like… heading for the hills. Or the incline treadmill at your gym. This particular type of workout will target the posterior chain of your body, including your glutes and hamstrings, utilizing those large muscle groups to spike your heart rate up and burn extra calories.

You can easily tackle hills outdoors and get the added benefit of the calming effect of nature and fresh air, or just hop on your gym treadmill and put the incline on full blast. Just be aware that if you’re on a treadmill, you should not hold on to the sides. This lessens your effort and leads to poor biomechanics that provide inaccurate information on the treadmill screen.

Similarly, you have to remember that what goes up must come down (unless you’re on a treadmill.) If you’re walking at your local hills, you likely have to walk downhill, as well. This will put more load on your thigh muscles and your knee joints, and you have to make sure your legs are strong enough unless you want to get a little knee pain. This doesn’t mean you have to avoid hill walking, just keep that in mind so you can prepare better.

For the perfect incline walking form, just imagine pulling yourself up the hill you’re walking on by using the back of your legs (hamstrings) rather than leaning forward so you’re pushing the hill with your quads. Makes sense?

SO WHICH IS BETTER FOR MY SPECIFIC GOAL?

HIIT walking will offer massive calorie burn for a short amount of time, making it the favorite for those who want fast weight loss results. And depending on the format you follow, it can lead to more calorie burn when compared to incline walking. 

However, incline walking is also an excellent fat-burning workout, but it can be a little bit stressful on your joints. If you don’t have pre-existing knee injuries, go for it, but even if you do, make sure your knees can handle the downhill portions involved.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS…

It’s ultimately going to come down to personal preference. What you should know, however, is that both are viable options for those of you looking to get rid of pesky fat stores. 

That being said, incorporating both types of training will help you mix your routine up, and ultimately, what matters is choosing the type of exercise you’ll do consistently. For some, it’s HIIT, for others, it’s incline walking, and for the rest, it might be a varied combination of both.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

As we know, whether you do it for weight loss or not, walking is perhaps one of the most basic human movements. After all, it’s one of the most primary motor skills we learn, and we all know that walking more or at least getting our daily 10,000 steps is vital for optimal health. 

But walking is much more than putting one foot in front of the other. Even with such a basic movement pattern like walking, there are ways you can improve so you can make your walking routine more efficient, and ultimately, better for your fitness goals.

Today, we’re going to look at what you should know about your stride – meaning every single footfall on the ground – and how you can make it much smoother on your walk while, at the same time, boosting your health and fitness.

START WITH A FOCUS ON SMOOTH, QUIET STEPS

Researchers have found that, with every single step you take, the impact of your foot on the ground will send pressure waves up and through your arteries, basically increasing the supply of blood to your brain. And that’s healthy for your entire body. But you don’t have to be stomping around to get these touted brain benefits.

In fact, experts agree that the most important aspect of finding your best stride is to focus on quiet and smooth steps. Not stomping, not bouncing. Repeat that mantra of “quiet and smooth” in your head as you’re walking, even if you’re someone who has been told you have to have a loud footfall. 

Walking like this is way more efficient, and it will decrease your risk of injury. It will also help make you quicker on your feet at a usual walking pace.

LEARN WHEN (AND HOW) TO SPEED UP YOUR STRIDE

On the note of fast walking, you may find that a smoother stride comes when you speed up your stride (without making it too fast.) A good goal to aim in a brisk walking routine is about 100 strides every minute. You may need to work your way up to achieve this, especially if you’re new to walking for fitness or you’ve just recently recovered from an injury.

Even at a moderate pace, studies have found that walking more briskly will actually decrease your risk of “all-cause mortality” by up to 20 percent when compared to a slow shuffle. Brisk walking paces are surprisingly way more beneficial than all-out intense runs when it comes to your risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol. This is what a study of more than 45,000 runners and walkers around the world found in 2013.

LEARN THE HEEL-TO-TOE STEP

Aside from great apes and bears, humans are pretty much the only animal who uses the heel-to-toe foot striking when they walk. It turns out it’s actually much more efficient than trying to talk on your toes or on the balls of your feet… specifically around 80 percent more efficient. 

However, if you’re wearing heels for the majority of the day, you will be less likely to feel the “heel-toe” way of stepping. That being said, walking around your house barefoot (or in socks) instead of slippers can help your foot muscles “wake up” and adjust to heel-to-toe stepping.

MIXING IT UP

Various movement and biomechanics experts around the world have long talked about the nuances of adjusting your stride. For example, as people get older or they become more sedentary, they will naturally lose the ability to take longer strides and they will end up with this small-step gait. 

But your goal, especially if you have a walking routine targeted toward weight loss or another health goal, should be to vary your steps by elongating your stride slightly, picking up the pace, or moving from side to side easily as you navigate the obstacles in your way.

In general, if you’re doing full-body mobility work, this will naturally translate to varying your stride and the small movements and mobility exercises you do will go a long way toward improving your performance during your walking routine. As you begin to mobilize more and more parts of your body, it will be much easier for you to reach and adjust for various strides, improving your body’s ability to walk over all sorts of terrain.

And remember – your stride isn’t just about your feet and legs. It’s also about your torso, your arms, your head, and your entire body – they all play in role in how well you walk. Take the first few minutes of your walking workout so you can stretch and then head on over to do your walk. Make simple dynamic moves including lunges (on all sides) and squats. Consider varying your pace, find ups and downs along your path, or simply step off the curb and walk on grass on a median instead of always sticking to the sidewalk.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

Snapping, cracking, popping… sometimes, for some of you, whether you’re male or female, fitness will make you feel like you have breakfast cereal in your joints. And while most of the popping and cracking is completely normal, there are a few factors that would make it worthwhile to learn more about the possible causes of this issue. 

Let’s talk a little bit more in-depth about this issue and what the potential causes are…

HERE’S WHY JOINTS CRACKLE

According to leading orthopedic surgeons, joint cracking can be loud and include countless noises from grinding to snapping, all of which may get more pronounced as we get older because of the wear and tear on our cartilages. That’s all normal.

Not to mention, it can also occur when you have tight muscles that are rubbing or creating friction around the bone. Experts add that the “noisiest” joint usually tends to be that of the shoulder simply because it has the most moving parts. 

Because your muscles and tendons tend to loosen up as you move around, you may start to notice your joints get louder when you start a workout, but usually get quieter as you keep exercising, especially if you’ve actually taken the time to do gentle warmup stretches as a warmup… which happens to be one of the best practices out there for improving joint health.

WHEN YOU MIGHT WANT TO GET CHECKED UP

Although hearing strange sounds in your joints is completely normal, especially as you get older, two things that aren’t part of this process are pain and swelling.

There should never be a sharp pain, aching, throbbing, or swelling, since that can indicate something such as inflammation, strains or sprains in the tendons, or even something like a hairline fracture.

Even if that pain is just low-level, nagging pain that easily subsides after working out, experts suggest you check it out to rule out options such as arthritis.

Typically, pain in a joint is due to an overuse injury, so it’s completely possible that your physician will just recommend a different approach to how you’re exercising. There are also countless therapies when it comes to managing pain, from icing and acupuncture all the way to anti-inflammatory diets. But the first step here is to see pain as the biggest red flag that should be investigated.

HOW TO MINIMIZE “NOISY” JOINTS

If you are facing symptoms that aren’t concerning, but you’re not thrilled to sound like a tin man who needs to get his oil changed, there are a couple of things you can do to ease the noise. 

1. FOCUS ON LOSING WEIGHT

One of the best long-term strategies is to lose weight if you’re carrying extra. Being overweight can and usually will put more pressure on your joints, particularly the joints in your ankles, knees and hips.

2. EXERCISE CONSISTENTLY

Make sure you’re instantly stressing joints, though, particularly if you are facing any arthritis. That means you should focus on strengthening the muscles that surround the joints so they can support them more easily.

Experts also suggest activities such as weight training and swimming, even though running can be helpful if you tend to focus on increasing your distance gradually over time. Not only will this help with your knee issues, but it will also help prevent knee and hip arthritis. 

3. FOCUS ON HYDRATION

Another tactic to minimize noisy joints is to increase your water intake.

He notes that your joints usually have thick, gel-like liquids inside them that supplies cushioning and lubrication. In order for the process to work properly, the joints must be getting the adequate hydration they need. Many people tend to drink liquids that are actually taking a lot of hydration out of the body and the joints. These include alcohol, coffee, and most soft drinks.

If you’re somewhat dehydrated, that natural joint cushioning will become less lubricated, which will lead to more cracking and popping. Experts suggest not only increasing your water intake but also spacing your intake gradually throughout the day, just like you would water a plant whose soil has dried up. Simply trying to flood your body with a bunch of water all at once will not be as effective as sipping on small amounts throughout the course of the day.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

While we all know running can be quite intense physically, whether you’re doing it for weight loss or not, there are also mental demands this activity has that can be just as challenging. Most long-time runners have a massive bank of knowledge to draw from as they are facing different challenges, but to newer runners, things are more likely to lead to feeling overwhelmed and making common mindset mistakes when dealing with their first running-related roadblocks.

By handling the three most common psychological mistakes as soon as possible in your running journey, you’re not only going to speed up your process and success, but you’ll also be much more likely to stick with this habit over the long haul.

MISTAKE #1: EXPECTING INSTANT RESULTS

No matter at what point in your life you decide take up running, it’s normal to want to see results quickly. That’s our nature. If you tend to stick with running consistently through the first couple of months, you will be more likely to see rapid improvements in some parts of your performance. You will be able to cover more miles more quickly. You will also be able to run longer and therefore walk less.

As you improve, it can sometimes be tempting to rush into covering unexplored, longer distances. That being said, the progress you achieve in running is rarely linear. You’ll improve, then you’ll plateau. You’ll improve again, then you’ll plateau again. And during those phases where you feel like your wheels might be spinning, it will be hard to recognize that the work you’re putting in is accomplishing anything. But you best believe it is.

The solution here is to set time-based goals…

If you want to see significant improvement in your running, this will take patience and consistency. Rushing through your goals will lead to failure, burnout, and possibly even injury. When you set your goals, you have to think both short-term and long-term. The short-term, accessible goals will act as stepping stones toward bigger progress.

MISTAKE #2: RELYING ON “MOTIVATION” TO GET YOU TO RUN

As a new, enthusiastic runner, you may feel as though you initially have endless motivation. This may be even more true if you start running in the spring or fall when the weather is inviting for a daily run. Eventually, the cold rain or the hot, humid day will come, or maybe you’ll just feel tired and overwhelmed by all the work and family commitments. At some point, you might find that your motivation vanishes.

The solution here is simple… rely on discipline and habit over willpower.

It’s always easy to find a plethora of “hacks” for accomplishing pretty much anything these days, but your progress will come with continuous effort, not by taking a few shortcuts. There are definitely things you can do that will get out the door, but ultimately, your goals and rewards have to come from the inside.

Building a new habit takes time. It can take up to a month or even more to turn running into a permanent lifestyle change, so you should commit to sticking with it no matter how hard it gets.

MISTAKE #3: CONSTANT COMPARISONS TO THE RESULTS OF OTHERS

If you’re someone who runs in a group, uses social media all the time, or wants to attend races and marathons, it’s not that hard to start comparing yourself to others. 

There will always be someone out there faster than you. Just like there will always be someone slower than you. Running is not about comparing your metrics to the metrics of others — it’s all about you vs. you.

While any new or seasoned runner can fall into the trap of constant comparison, any new runner is more susceptible to it because they have less experience and mileage. 

The solution? Compete with yourself and yourself only.

Focus on your goals and your goals only. Remember that every runner has their own experience and progresses differently than others. Look at how you are improving not just in terms of pacing and distance, but also in how you feel when you are out there. 

As a new runner, your main priorities should be to establish a sustainable habit and stay healthy, both mentally and physically. While a solid training plan is a definite must, having the right mindset will help you through the ups and downs. Focus on the strategies that allow you to follow your own path to success — no one else’s — and you are going to be well on your way toward a productive, healthy relationship with running.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

Countless of today’s weight loss and diet trends, particularly keto, have led us all to be skeptical about carbs — and people have been cutting back on everything from bread to bananas. 

But is swapping your morning oatmeal and your afternoon apple for some eggs and avocado really a productive way to support your overall health and maintain a healthy weight?

The amount of carbs your body needs to thrive will largely depend on your individual needs, your lifestyle, and your fitness goals. But that said, it’s a great idea to learn about the signs your body might be giving you that it needs more carbs… and you better know how to recognize them and address them.

Let’s dive into this topic right now.

FIRST OF ALL, CARBS ARE NOT INNATELY GOOD OR BAD 

Your body needs them. Carbs are the primary fuel source of the body and they provide you with the energy you need to carry out daily activities. They’re also the brain’s primary fuel source, and without enough carbohydrates, it can’t function optimally.

When you consume carbs, your body breaks them down into sugar, which can then be converted into energy straight from your bloodstream or even stored as glycogen in your muscles and liver so it can be converted into energy later.

To keep your body fueled adequately, the general guidelines recommend that you should get between 45–65% of your daily calories from various sources of carbohydrates. 

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS YOUR BODY NEEDS MORE CARBS?

If you fall short on the body’s go-to fuel source, you’re pretty much guaranteed to feel the effects in a number of ways — from completely unexpected ways to pretty obvious ones.

#1 BRAIN FOG AND FATIGUE

The first (and perhaps most obvious) sign that your body isn’t getting the carbs it requires to function its best is the feeling of being physically and mentally drained.

In addition to feeling sluggish, and maybe even sleepy throughout the day, many people tend to experience headaches and have trouble focusing when they don’t consume the carbs they need.

#2 BEING MOODY

Right next to having trouble focusing, you will also experience changes in your mood — especially irritability — when you start falling short of your body’s carbohydrate needs.

In addition to being the primary fuel source for the brain, carbohydrates also enhance the body’s production of serotonin, the hormone that helps us balance our mood. You can only imagine what happens when you’re not consuming ample carbs.

#3 UNPRODUCTIVE WORKOUTS

If eating too few carbs happens to leave you struggling to get through your average workday, imagine the impact it has on how you feel during training. 

While insufficient carbs probably won’t be so problematic for lower-intensity workouts (such as yoga), it can pretty much destroy your performance in higher-intensity training such as HIIT. Why? Higher-intensity exercise largely depends on glucose from the carbs in our bloodstream or those stored in our body for fuel since it simply cannot produce enough energy quickly enough through just oxygen and fat.

#4 DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS

One of the biggest downsides to missing out on the carbs your body needs for fuel…  you also miss out on the healthy fiber that comes with them.

Cutting back on foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains means you eliminate a lot of the fiber from your diet. Without adequate fiber, which adds bulk to our stool, we will end up with constipation.

And considering most Americans fall short on fiber already, reducing carbs practically guarantees trouble.

HOW DO WE INCREASE OUR CARB INTAKE IN A HEALTHY WAY?

If any of these problems sound familiar, we recommend focusing on eating ample carbohydrates and then monitoring the improvements in how you feel.

In order to do so, either track your meals for the next few days and make sure 45–65% of your calories are coming from carbs. That, or, just make sure a quarter of your plate at each meal consists of healthy sources of carbohydrates.

What qualifies as “healthy” carbs? 

Any whole-food source, such as whole grains (Think: brown rice or oats); legumes (beans or lentils); fruits and starchy vegetables (such as potatoes or squash).

If you’re concerned about how boosting your carb intake might affect your waistline, just know this: The fiber that comes inside these all-natural whole grains will help keep you fuller for longer periods of time and you will be more satiated between meals, ultimately supporting your weight loss goals in the long-run.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

Walking definitely tops the list for the most popular weight loss activities as more than 150 million adults (and counting) lace up their sneakers every single day. It’s an easy way to get your heart rate up, burn fat, and so much so that most people don’t even consider it a “workout” in the traditional sense. But it is.

When it comes to exercise, walking doesn’t seem to get the respect it deserves — and it’s about time we change that. Before you buy into the idea walking isn’t a legitimate workout, let’s learn the truth behind the six most common walking myths.

MYTH #1 – WALKING ISN’T A REAL WEIGHT LOSS WORKOUT

Sure, a slow stroll around the neighborhood isn’t going to move the needle on your scale, but it definitely burns more calories than binge-watching Netflix all day. If you want to lose weight with a walking workout, all you have to do is keep the intensity low – your body will not be required to tap into your carb stores, meaning the majority of the calories you’ll be burning will come from fat.

If you want to pick up the pace — without basically breaking into a run — at regular intervals during your usual walking routine will have a major impact on your efforts to lose weight. 

In a relatively small study done by the University of Virginia, researchers found that overweight women who did three high-intensity walks for about 30 minutes and then two walks at a moderate pace for about 12 weeks, lost as much as six times more belly fat than women who went on slow strolls five times a week.

MYTH #2 – YOU NEED 10,000 STEPS A DAY TO SEE RESULTS

There is a certain feeling of accomplishment that comes when your fitness tracker buzzes to signal that you just hit 10,000 steps. But let’s face it – this is a completely arbitrary target.

Yes, there are studies out there that show walking 10,000 steps per day is directly linked to lower blood pressure and improved tolerance to glucose, but the idea of walking about five miles per day could feel overwhelming to someone who is just starting out.

As we noted in an earlier article, the benefits of walking start before you even step out the front door. There are benefits to even small amounts of walking and these benefits increase the more steps you walk each day.

If you still want to count your steps, you should consider this: Walking an additional 2,000 steps per day, even if your step count is currently in the triple digits, helps you lower your body mass index and boost your insulin sensitivity, according to this study published in BMJ.

MYTH #3 – POWER WALKING IS THE ONLY WALKING THAT BRINGS RESULTS

The truth is, brisk walks are a great way to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as build bone strength and lower your risk of diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. 

Picking up the pace can also help you burn more calories. If you walk 10,000 steps at a pace of 4 miles per hour, you will burn about 153 calories more than walking the same distance at about 2 miles per hour. That being said, speed is not essential for a solid walking workout.

Walking up hills is a wonderful substitution for brisk walks. Studies have proven that every 1% increase in the incline grade will equal to about 1 mile per hour of energy burned. Furthermore, walking longer distances will also be more beneficial than brisk walking. 

MYTH #4 – WALKING IS FOR PEOPLE WHO DON’T RUN

In reality, walking can be a “gateway exercise” that helps new exercisers boost their cardiovascular fitness, as well as their stamina, allowing them to transition into running.

That being said, not all walkers want to run – and that’s okay!

The Journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology published a study that found that the rates of high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension were much lower for regular walkers than they were for runners.

And sure, while a walk around the neighborhood is a great start, maximizing the benefits of your walking workout will require you to log a certain amount of time on your sneakers. But the earlier you create your walking routine, the earlier you’ll start to see its result on your body and mind.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

It’s often said in the nutrition community that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But in reality, even though your total food intake matters, eating breakfast can definitely set you up for success. 

Eating a balanced breakfast consisting of the three major nutrient groups has been shown to help regulate blood sugar, promote better concentration. But between the rush to head out the door in the morning — or the simple desire to get an extra few minutes of sleep — it’s one meal that we often tend to skip. 

And skipping breakfast can sabotage your efforts to give your body the nutrition it needs. 

WHY ARE MORNING MEALS SO IMPORTANT?

There are certainly more benefits to having breakfast than there are to skipping it. It’s an opportunity to start the day off with a balanced meal that can stabilize blood sugar levels, keep you satiated, give you energy, and regulate your appetite for the rest of the day.

Recent studies show that skipping breakfast is directly linked to nutrient gaps and poor diet quality among adults in the United States. This is because breakfast foods tend to be nutrient-dense options which contain the essential vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber that your body requires.

Even if you don’t really feel hungry or you don’t have any desire to eat when you wake up, it’s absolutely vital to tune into your body and understand exactly how eating breakfast will fuel your body and help you feel your best. For some people out there, this might mean waiting a couple of hours after they woke up before eating or just waking up slightly earlier than usual so they ensure they have enough time to eat.

Not only that, but many people feel tempted to skip breakfast so they can make up for a heavy meal they ate night before (or worse, to save calories for later.) This approach can, and will, contribute to an unhealthy relationship with food. 

5 FAST & EASY BREAKFAST OPTIONS YOU CAN TRY 

In the list below, I’ve compiled a few quick breakfast options you can try. They’re relatively easy to make and packed with all the three essential macronutrient groups – protein, fat, and carbs, in order to maximize your nutrition and satiety.  

#1 BAKED OATMEAL

Combine oats and milk, add some chopped fruit, and then use egg to bind everything together. Bake the mixture in a few muffin tins for a great make-ahead breakfast option that can be easily reheated or just grabbed on the way before you head out the door. Baked oatmeal also pairs well with nut butter and certain yogurts, so if you want to add something extra to your morning meal, you always have the option.

#2 WHOLE-GRAIN FROZEN WAFFLES

Whole-grain frozen waffles can be popped in the toaster anytime to create a waffle sandwich. Add some nut butter or bananas on top, and you’ve got yourself the perfect mix of protein, carbs, and fat.

#3 OVERNIGHT OATS

Bring together milk, yogurt, and oats, and store them in the refrigerator overnight. As soon as you wake up, just throw in some of your favorite fruits, nuts, or seed in the mixture and enjoy your meal to-go.

#4 HARD-BOILED EGGS

Hard-boiled eggs are one of those foods you can make a big batch of. They can be easily grabbed from the fridge, and if you pair them with nuts, avocado, or toast, they can become one of the most satiating meals that will give you energy throughout the whole day. They can also be sliced up and then added to your usual breakfast sandwiches (or a wrap for easy one-handed meals.)

#5 CUPS OF CHIA PUDDING

Bring together chia seeds and milk. Add some fresh and frozen fruits on top and store them overnight in the fridge. In the morning, you can just top it off with nuts or any topping that you prefer. Chia seeds are so versatile it’s crazy.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS…

Not everyone is a fan of breakfast. And that’s okay. As long as you’re making an effort to meet your body’s nutritional needs, it’s perfectly OK to (sometimes) skip a morning meal. But there are countless benefits to eating breakfast, and you have a higher chance to meet your nutritional goals if you take a few minutes of your busy morning to eat a balanced meal.

Breakfast doesn’t have to be a complicated affair. Keep it to fast and easy mixes of protein, carbs, and fat, and you can quickly fuel up before starting your day.

And keep in mind, you don’t have to eat traditional breakfasts in the morning. You can eat leftovers from the night before or just use the ingredients you’d typically find in a lunch or dinner so you can incorporate more variety (and save time during your busy mornings.)