Blog Posts by FITNESS Magazine

Peter Tak/Fitness MagazineBy Alexa Joy Sherman

Food journal? Check. Regular workouts? Yes, indeed. Enough fiber to keep an entire army regular? You got it. I know how to lose weight. I've been writing about the topic for more than a decade. That's why it was so frustrating when the pounds clung to me like a codependent boyfriend, no matter how hard I tried. A lot of women have this problem, the experts tell me. "Body weight can fluctuate by up to five pounds on any given day, so the amount you shed can easily get lost," says Pamela Wartian Smith, MD, the author of Why You Can't Lose Weight. I combed through research and grilled diet gurus to pinpoint little-known reasons that your efforts -- and mine -- haven't been showing up on the scale. Who knew?

Related: 10 Strategies to Lose Fat and Keep It Off

You Don't Drink Enough Water
We've all heard how important H2O is when it comes to shedding pounds. It helps to suppress appetite, so you're less likely to overeat. But that's not all: When you're dehydrated,

Jay Sullivan/Fitness MagazineBy Jeannette Moninger

Take a shortcut to a better you with habits that provide a double dose of wellness. We know you do a zillion things at once, so we ID'd eight moves that provide a good-for-you one-two punch. That means in the time that it takes to do one thing -- like hit your favorite yoga class or grill up an omega-3-rich salmon fillet for dinner -- you'll reap twice the benefits. Give yourself a pat on the back for those you already practice and incorporate the others into your routine. Come on, we know you can't resist a two-for-one deal!

Related: The 7 Worst Health Habits Ever


Healthy habit: Regular dentist visits
Hidden perk: A fitter ticker
It's no secret that taking care of your pearly whites is good for your heart. Bacteria from gum disease may enter your bloodstream and trigger an immune response that causes arteries to swell, constrict, and collect plaque, all of which increase your chance of having heart problems. But it's not only your habits at home that count. A study

Ian Keltie/Fitness MagazineBy Lindsey Emery

We asked top celeb trainers to reveal their favorite techniques for sculpting Hollywood hotties, so you can look like one too.

Related: Isla Fisher's Tone Up, Calm Down Yoga Routine

Hollywood Fitness Secrets of 20-Year-Olds
Find Balance

In addition to regular strength training, Hunger Games: Catching Fire star Jennifer Lawrence, 22, practiced yoga daily, says trainer Mandy Ingber, the author of Yogalosophy: 28 Days to the Ultimate Mind-Body Makeover. Capture your inner Katniss with the Standing Bow: Balance on left leg while lifting right knee forward to hip height. Then raise right leg behind you, bringing right heel to butt. Reach right arm back to grip top of right foot, palm facing out; then reach left arm forward, hinging from hips and pressing right foot into palm. Hold 20 seconds, switch sides.

Build Your Bod from the Ground Up

Get down with your workout, like Hilary Duff, 25. Trainer Harley Pasternak, the author of The Body Reset Diet and a FITNESS

Sam Kaplan/Fitness MagazineBy Sharon Liao

Maybe it was a Top Chef marathon or the realization that you could probably buy a new wardrobe with the money you were shelling out on kung pao chicken. Whatever the reason, you traded your takeout menus for cookbooks. But even though you're spending more time in the kitchen (whipping up healthy meals, no less), your pants aren't getting any looser. What gives? Chances are, you're making a few all-too-common mistakes. Before you throw in the dish towel, read on for the supersimple fixes that can help you look Padma-esque in time for summer.

Related: Top Secrets from Weight-Loss Spas

Fat trap 1: Overcooking pasta
Take that pot off the stove a little early and your bucatini will have a satisfying bite and keep you full for hours. "Hot water breaks down the bonds between starch molecules," says Johanna Burani, RD, the author of Good Carbs, Bad Carbs. The longer you boil your pasta, the quicker your body converts those carbs into fuel. This sets off a rapid

Dan Saelinger/Fitness MagazineBy Alexa Joy Sherman

I recently had one of those rock-bottom, bummed-with-my-body moments. Oh sure, I'd had a few of them through the years, but this time was different. I was 30 pounds overweight and in the worst shape of my life. So I committed to a complete diet-and-lifestyle overhaul, beginning with a one-week fat-blasting jump start involving calorie-torching cardio, plenty of protein, and a scarcity of starch. It wasn't the worst week of my life, but it sure felt like it -- to me and my family. If I saw my husband enjoying a slice of pizza, or my 5-year-old son innocently offered me a gummy bear, I snapped at them. I swore at them (OK, just at my husband). I cried into my crudités.

I'm not the only one who gets "hangry" (so hungry that you're angry). According to a recent study published in the Journal of Consumer Research, people who ate an apple instead of chocolate for dietary reasons were more likely to choose violent movies over milder ones and were more irritated by a

Karen Pearson/Fitness MagazineBy K. Aleisha Fetters

Triathlons used to be for elite athletes. Not anymore. More than 1 million everyday athletes -- more than 38 percent of them women -- took the starting line in 2011, according to USA Triathlon. That's up more than 40 percent from 2000.

"Women are getting ballsy," says Alison Kreideweis, cofounder of the Empire Triathlon Club in New York City. "They love its challenge, atmosphere, and enormous fitness gains."

Fitness gains, indeed. A triathlon's swim-bike-run power combo practically guarantees a better body. Plus, the sprint distance (half-mile swim, 12-mile bike, and 3.1-mile run) eliminates some of the intimidation and is popular with tri beginners. It's the best way to ease into your first race, ensure a great experience, and become a lifelong triathlete, Kreideweis says.

Here, 10 tips to get the most out of your first sprint triathlon.

Related: Tri-Umphant! 10 Weeks to Your First Sprint Tri

Shop Smart
You don't need to liquidate your savings account to

Laura Doss/Fitness MagazineBy Colleen Moody

Running may not be a contact sport, but runners can certainly rack up a slew of injuries. Here, the most common running injuries and how to feel better fast.

Related: The FITNESS Half-Marathon Training Guide

#1: Runner's Knee and ITBFS
Runner's knee is often called ITB friction syndrome (ITBFS), but the two are actually different things. "Runner's knee happens when cartilage in the kneecap is irritated, while ITB friction syndrome occurs when the tendon from your hip to the outer knee gets tight and inflamed, irritating the outer bone of the knee," says Leon Popovitz, MD, founder of the New York Bone & Joint Specialists in New York. Combined, these two make up a majority of the knee problems runners experience.

So how do you tell the difference? With ITBFS the pain is usually isolated outside of the knee, says Dr. Popovitz. The tendon will feel very tight (almost like a cord) and pain will often radiate up into the hip. Both runner's knee and ITBFS will flare up

Brian Klutch/Fitness MagazineBy Samantha Shelton

If your morning meal can be best described as "Pour, eat, repeat," it's time to shake up your wake-up. But venturing into the cereal aisle, where every box seems to be plastered with confusing claims that make even the biggest nutritional dud seem like a winner, is enough to make you want to skip breakfast. To the rescue: eight cereals that really belong in your bowl. Our nutritionists verified that each one contains at least 3 grams of fiber, no more than 13 grams of sugar (some of which comes from dried fruit), and less than 230 calories per serving, while our testers ensured that they tasted great.

Related: Healthy Food Awards: The Best Greek Yogurts

What Makes a Winner

Companies submitted nearly 40 new cereals to FITNESS. Our experts -- Anar Allidina, RD, a dietitian in private practice in Toronto; Keri Gans, RD. the author of The Small Change Diet; and Stephanie Middleberg, RD, the founder of Middleberg Nutrition in New York City -- helped us determine which