A dried mango addiction is no laughing matter to your wallet. A small container can run you almost $10! That's just insane when a fresh mango costs about $2. Aside from costing too much at the health-food store, some dried mango is made with added sugar or preservatives. Save triply on money, calories, and chemicals by making your own homemade chewy treat.
In order to lose a pound in seven days, you need to cut out or burn 3,500 calories in a week. That's 500 fewer calories per day. If you just can't squeeze in a workout, then here's how you can cut those calories out of your diet — a little bit at a time.
Please note that this is not a full day's meal plan, but rather examples of where you can cut calories in your daily diet.
Breakfast
Breakfast calories saved: 77
Continue reading to find out how to cut the rest of your calories from lunch, dinner, and dessert.
Hitting the open road has many benefits over running on a treadmill — fresh air and sunshine, gorgeous scenery to prevent boredom, and you can also run with your four-legged fitness buddy. You also have more freedom of movement to incorporate muscle-toning moves into your runs, and here's how.
Keep reading to learn three more ways to build muscle on outdoor runs.
If you need more fiber in your diet, then it's time to turn to the smooth and satisfying avocado. Just half an avocado contains seven grams of fiber. Although high in fat, avocados contain the good-for-you monounsaturated fats (MUFA) your body needs to help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and maintain the HDL (good) ones. Here are nine delectable ways to snack on the melt-in-your-mouth creaminess of an avocado.
You're trying on a new swimsuit, and when you turn around to see your cute tush, you notice something not so cute — cellulite. When fat cells push up against our skin and the fibrous tissue that connects our skin to our muscle pulls down, we're left with dimply, orange-peel-looking flesh. Although you can't get rid of cellulite completely — and just about all women have it — here are five things you can do to reduce its appearance.
If your insanely huge sweet tooth takes over your willpower, it can be hard to say no to dessert. Now you don't have to. Keep these calorie-saving tips in mind when it comes to indulging in sweets, and you can have your cake without looking like you do.
Who doesn't want strong, sculpted, shapely arms? If you're not seeing the results you're after from basic strength-training exercises, you've got to try yoga. These seven challenging poses require holding your own body weight in unique positions, so you end up working the muscles in your upper body more effectively. The burn you'll feel in your arms and upper back lets you know that you'll soon be loving your sexy, strong arms, just in time for strapless-dress season.
An apple a day may not keep the doctor away, but it sure is a great way to snack on fibre. Getting enough roughage each day will not only keep you regular and prevent a bloated belly, but it's also a great way to reduce your risk of certain cancers such as ovarian and breast. Fibre intake has also been linked to lowering the LDL (aka bad) levels of cholesterol in your body, which can reduce your risk of heart disease. Women should be getting at least 30 grams of fibre every day. I'm sure you've heard that there are two different kinds — insoluble and soluble fibre. Are you getting enough? Check out the chart below to find out the benefits of each one and to learn which are the best sources.
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An apple a day may not keep the doctor away, but it sure is a great way to snack on fiber. Getting enough roughage each day will not only keep you regular and prevent a bloated belly, but it's also a great way to reduce your risk of certain cancers such as ovarian and breast. Fiber intake has also been linked to lowering the LDL (aka bad) levels of cholesterol in your body, which can reduce your risk of heart disease.
Women should be getting at least 30 grams of fiber every day. I'm sure you've heard that there are two different kinds — insoluble and soluble fiber. Are you getting enough? Check out the chart below to find out the benefits of each one and to learn which are the best sources.
| Insoluble | Soluble | |
|---|---|---|
| Benefits For the Body |
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| Food Sources |
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Don't worry about which foods are on what list, since your body needs both. Do focus on getting a total of 30 gram a day by eating plenty of whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies, nuts, and beans. Not sure you're getting your fill? Find out how to eat 25 grams of fiber in a day.
You've been eating right and exercising for months, and although you've reached your goal weight and feel happy with you thinner frame, your belly is still a little pudgy. How can you get rid of the extra flab surrounding your abs?
Ab exercises, right? Unfortunately, all the crunches in the world won't slim down your middle. They will strengthen the muscles underneath the layer of fat, but until you eliminate that extra layer, your toned ab muscles will remain hidden. You can't spot-reduce fat from certain areas of your body; you have to reduce body fat as a whole.
The best way to do that is with cardio. If the exercise plan you're following isn't doing the trick, then it's times time to kick it up a notch. Make sure you're doing high-intensity cardio workouts such as running, swimming, jumping rope, hiking, or high-impact cardio classes (try this 10-minute belly-busting workout). These burn mega calories and help to reduce your overall body fat. Also include speed intervals in your workouts since these are proven to target fat around the mid-section. Keep reading!
You've been exercising regularly for months but you've barely lost any weight and your clothes don't fit any better. Exercise is supposed to help you burn calories and lose inches, so what's the deal? Before frustration causes you to give up and drown your sorrows in a brownie sundae, here are four reasons your exercise plan isn't working.
Eating every few hours is a must when you're trying to drop pounds. It keeps hunger pangs at bay so you're not famished when you head into a meal, preventing you from inhaling way more calories than you normally would. Snacking also keeps blood sugar levels stable, so that low-energy, shaky feeling doesn't cause you to reach for a high-calorie pick-me-up. Eating often also keeps your metabolism going so you burn more calories all day long.
If you're trying to lose weight, it's important to stick to a snack that's 150 calories or less. Choose something that has both fiber and protein to fill you up, and avoid sugary, nutritionless foods. 150 calories might not seem like a lot, so in order for your brain to register that you're fueling up, eat your snack slowly. Make your snack last at least 15 minutes, and really savor each bite. Slowing down when eating your snack will help you feel satiated by the time you finish, which will prevent you from wanting to reach for more.
Skipping out on the first meal of the day to save calories and lose weight? Not exactly the best plan, since saying no to breakfast can slow down your metabolism and cause your body to hold on to fat. But it's not only important to eat in the morning — make sure you avoid these four breakfast mistakes as well.
Keep reading for three more breakfast mistakes that can cause weight gain.
Going for a 30-minute run at a moderate pace of 10 minutes per mile (six mph) burns about 270 calories. What if you only have 20 minutes and you still want to burn the same amount? Below are some ways to do it.
All calculations are based on a 130-pound woman.
Skipping out on the first meal of the day to save calories and lose weight? Not exactly the best plan, since saying no to breakfast can slow down your metabolism and cause your body to hold on to fat. But it's not only important to eat in the morning — make sure you avoid these four breakfast mistakes as well.
Keep reading for three more breakfast mistakes that can cause weight gain.
You hit the local salad bar for lunch and are feeling pretty good about your healthy choice. The only problem is, those do-it-yourself meals don't allow you to know how many calories you're consuming. Lettuce (ha!) build a salad together to find out.
With work, family responsibilities, and feeling drained in the evening from a long, busy day, often the only time you can squeeze in your workout is to set your alarm for 4, 5, or 6 in morning to sweat it out then. Early-morning workouts are a great way to get your blood pumping and relieve any pre-work stress. Plus, getting it done first thing in the morning means you don't have to worry about fitting it in during the rest of your crazy day. With that said, there are some things you need to consider if you choose to exercise in the a.m.
Since you're getting up pretty early, make sure you're not compromising on getting enough shut-eye. Most people need about seven to eight hours every night, so be sure to hit the hay early enough to get your sleep quota. While getting in regular exercise can help you lose or maintain your weight, not getting enough sleep can actually slow down your metabolism and cause your body to store fat, undoing the good you're doing by making time to work out. Also, because you've been without food for at least eight hours, the question comes up — to eat or not to eat? Read on to find out.
Loading up on a hefty dose of the white stuff isn't exactly the best way to start your morning. Baked goods like scones and quick breads tend to be high in sugar and fat, so if you're craving a homemade treat from the oven, then bake up a batch of these oat breakfast bites. They're sweetened with banana and a touch of maple syrup, but each chewy bite has only 2.6 grams of sugar and 0.3 grams of saturated fat.
With work, family responsibilities, and feeling drained in the evening from a long, busy day, often the only time you can squeeze in your workout is to set your alarm for 4, 5, or 6 in morning to sweat it out then. Early-morning workouts are a great way to get your blood pumping and relieve any prework stress. Plus, getting it done first thing in the morning means you don't have to worry about fitting it in during the rest of your crazy day. With that said, there are some things you need to consider if you choose to exercise in the a.m.
Since you're getting up pretty early, make sure you're not compromising on getting enough shut-eye. Most people need about seven to eight hours every night, so be sure to hit the hay early enough to get your sleep quota. While getting in regular exercise can help you lose or maintain your weight, not getting enough sleep can actually slow down your metabolism and cause your body to store fat, undoing the good you're doing by making time to work out.
Also, because you've been without food for at least eight hours, the question comes up — to eat or not to eat? A small study (28 people) published in the Journal of Physiology found that exercising on an empty stomach, which is easiest to do in the early morning, helped the muscles burn more fat for fuel during the workout. Still, another study published in Strength and Conditioning Journal concluded that your body burned about the same amount of fat whether you ate or not and that exercising on an empty causes your body to hold on to fat and target your lean muscles for fuel instead, breaking down the muscles you're working so hard to build. Your lean muscles also help to boost your metabolism, so you definitely don't want to lose them. Since eating in the morning gives your body enough fuel to work out, improves your endurance, and can also jump-start your metabolism, we recommend eating a little something that includes easily digestible carbs and protein, such as half a banana and a few almonds. Not a fan? Here are tips on how to choose the right pre-workout snack.
Before hitting your cardio workout at full speed, make sure you warm up for at least five minutes first. It'll make your body and mind more alert, which will help prevent clumsiness that can lead to injury. Stretch and hydrate after your workout, and refuel with a healthy post-workout snack or light breakfast that includes protein and carbs.
