Nutritional planning involves balancing macronutrients, understanding calorie formulas, and identifying the functional properties of whole foods to manage weight and chronic conditions effectively.
It's no secret that Americans are fighting the battle of the bulge, but you can even carry too much body fat if you're skinny. This phenomenon, sometimes called "skinny fat" or normal weight obesity, usually occurs in thin people who aren't physically active.
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If your "trouble spots" are your lower stomach and inner thighs, you're in good company; most women store excess fat in their lower body, so flat lower abs and trim thighs are often a challenge. Unfortunately, you can't lose fat from only specific areas of your body.
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Although it's sometimes called vitamin H, biotin is actually part of the B-complex family of nutrients, which also include thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, and vitamins B-5, B-6 and B-12. These vitamins work together to benefit health.
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Following a healthful diet provides essential nutrients for long-term health, but even the healthiest diet has room for a treat now and then. Eating your favorite foods in moderation can prevent you from feeling deprived and keep you on track with your healthful lifestyle.
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Learn how your digestive and circulatory systems process nutrients from food, converting them into usable energy for your cells. Understand the importance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in energy production and how they're transported throughout your body.
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Aspirin, also called acetylsalicylic acid, has a number of potential therapeutic effects. The drug can manage inflammation, help to control pain, and also has implications in managing some types of cardiovascular disease.
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While nothing can beat a healthy diet to provide a source of essential nutrients, dietary supplements can boost your nutrient intake and help minimize your chance of developing a nutritional deficiency.
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Diet and fitness products are a multibillion-dollar industry and, while much of the focus is on weight loss, there are hundreds of products designed to help you gain weight. Putting on a few pounds can benefit your health if you're underweight, or it can help fill out your frame if you feel you're too skinny.
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Dieting isn't just about eating healthy -- it's about finding foods that fit into your busy lifestyle. Shakes and smoothies offer a convenient option, and because you can make virtually limitless varieties, you won't get bored. The best low-carb, high-protein shake is one you make at home.
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Flaxseed has long been used in European and Asian cuisines, and you can now find flaxseed products at many grocery and health food stores throughout the United States.
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While it would be nice to change your body type at will, many of the factors affecting your shape are outside your control. Your skeletal structure, where you store fat and how easily you gain muscle are all genetic factors that help determine your overall shape.
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If you're carrying a little excess weight in your midsection, you're far from alone; 54 percent of Americans suffer from abdominal obesity, according to a 2014 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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No one likes painful broken nails and hangnails, and strong healthy nails not only lower your chance of these painful conditions, but they look good, too. Nails grow at a set rate, and food can't make them grow more quickly.
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Most people with weight concerns are trying to shed pounds. But if you're naturally skinny with a fast metabolism, it can be just as much of a struggle to keep weight on your frame. If you're looking to bulk up your legs, you'll need to pair a weight-gain diet with an exercise program that promotes leg muscle growth.
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Flaxseed oil is perhaps best known as an excellent source of vegetarian-friendly omega-3 fatty acids -- the healthy fats linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. But it might have weight loss benefits, too.
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Whether you've admired their perfectly flat abs or toned quads on billboards or in videos, one thing's for sure -- fitness models have some admirable physiques. And while some of a model's appearance comes from good genetics, a regimented diet and vigorous exercise program are responsible for the rest.
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Going low-carb has some benefits -- namely, it can help you lose weight, and if you have diabetes, a doctor-recommended low-carb diet might help with blood sugar control.
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Excess fat on your chest and abs not only obscures your six-pack, but it may pose a serious health risk. An ample abdomen is a symptom of excess visceral fat pushing outward against the layer of squishy subcutaneous fat just under the skin.
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Flavorful and easy to prepare, pasta is a classic food when you're "carb craving." And while you shouldn't help yourself to unlimited pasta on your diet, pasta dishes can fit into your weight loss plan.
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Stomach fat comes in two varieties. There's the under-the-skin "pinchable" fat, which affects how you look without posing a major health risk, and the deep-abdominal visceral fat, which pushes your abdominal wall out and releases chemicals that cause disease.
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