Published in In Fitness And In Health·6 days ago9 Signs You Are Gaining Muscle — Even if You Can’t See it YetYou may be making more progress than you think — Experts say that you can gain up to 1–2 lbs of muscle per month, but I wouldn’t have believed it when I first started lifting weights. It was so tough to tell if I was making any progress or not, and I wasn’t sure if the tiny changes I did…Health7 min read
Published in In Fitness And In Health·Jun 197 Simple But Effective Weight Loss Habits That Don’t Involve Exercise or DietsEvery little bit helps — The recipe for weight loss is nearly as old as time: Cut out the junk food, hit the gym five times a week, and those pounds will start melting off in no time, right? Not quite. While diet and exercise are undeniably critical factors in weight loss, our bodies are…Health10 min read
Published in In Fitness And In Health·May 30This is What Happened When I Swapped Coffee for a Mushroom Brew that Promised Calm Energy and FocusIngredients like Lion’s Mane may sound impressive — but does it work? — I love coffee. I love the way it smells, the way it tastes, and the way it gives me a much-needed jolt of focus during those first crucial hours in the morning when I’m at work. But coffee does not love me. At least, that is what I must assume…Health6 min read
Published in In Fitness And In Health·May 23I Can’t Exercise. Here’s What I Eat in a Day to Stay Healthy and Stave Off Weight GainIt’s not so much about counting calories as making every calorie count — I’ve been struggling with chronic migraines for the last several months. My migraines have many triggers, but exercise is one of the worst. I was in denial about it for a long time. …Health6 min read
Published in In Fitness And In Health·May 16How to Burn an Extra 500+ Calories Per Day While Working at Your DeskYou can stay fit even if you’re shackled to your desk — I’ve been working from home for nearly three years now, and I have to say it’s not always a picnic. While I am grateful that my daily commute is a three-second walk down the hallway, my current work schedule is extremely busy. Once I sit down, the proverbial shackles are…Health7 min read
Published in In Fitness And In Health·May 7Taking Non-Life-Saving Medications Doesn’t Mean You’re Failing to Live a Healthy LifestyleThe problem with pharmacophobia and natural treatments — Every morning, I sat on the edge of my bed and glared at the bottle of propranolol that sat untouched on my nightstand. I stared them down as though they were a challenge, as though if I could get out of bed without taking one, I’d “win” for another day. …Health6 min read
Published in In Fitness And In Health·Apr 20The Ugly Side of Caffeine Dependence and WithdrawalFrom someone who’s going through it right now — for the second time — I’m a coffee addict. I don’t mean that in a cute way like, “Oh, I’m addicted to coffee because I need my morning Starbucks!” I mean, I’m an actual addict who can’t seem to cut herself off at a healthy amount. I’ve lied to myself about how much coffee I…Coffee6 min read
Published in In Fitness And In Health·Apr 5Are Birth Control Pills Hindering Your Muscle Gains?As if the Pill didn’t have enough side effects already — For centuries, humans have been trying to control their reproductive destiny, with one of the earliest known forms of birth control being crocodile dung, used by Egyptian women in 1850 B.C. …Health3 min read
Published in In Fitness And In Health·Mar 216 Signs You’re Metabolically Fit That Have Nothing to Do With Your WeightThe number on the scale isn’t a great metric for determining overall health and longevity — A study by the University of North Carolina found that a staggering 88% of Americans aren’t metabolically healthy. But what does that mean, exactly? How can you tell if you’re one of the 12%? And if you aren’t, what can you do about it? The first step is understanding what…Health6 min read
Published in In Fitness And In Health·Mar 7The Worst Part About a Colonoscopy Isn’t the Prep or the Procedure — It’s Your Anxiety About ItDon’t let all the “what-ifs” stop you from getting screened — Honestly? I wasn’t going to write about this. I’m a health writer who likes to share stories about tasty, healthy foods and fun, effective workouts. I’m not the kind of health writer who enjoys discussing procedures that involve self-induced diarrhea and a camera up the behind. However, this month is…Health9 min read