Blog Posts by FITNESS Magazine

Courtesy of iStockPhotoBy Melissa Romero

When we get sick, we often blame it on our coworkers or that stranger on our commute who coughed and didn't cover his mouth. But the culprit may actually be found at home -- specifically in the toothbrush holder, on the kitchen countertop, or in that reusable bag you've been toting around. Find out the germiest spots in your home below so you can start feeling better today.

Related: The Dirtiest Spots at the Gym

1. Kitchen Sponges
The very tool that scrubs away the gunk and grime from our dishes is the dirtiest item in the household, according to a study conducted by NSF International, a public health and safety organization. Researchers found traces of coliform, bacteria that contain both salmonella and E. coli, in 75 percent of the sponges tested. Why so dirty? Germs thrive in moist and warm environments, and sponges in particular have plenty of nooks and crannies where bacteria can multiply.

Clean up: Microwave your sponges for two minutes every day and replace

Sarah Kehoe/Fitness MagazineBy Maura Kelly

Last week, scared silly about a speech I had to give, I rode my bike to the event, hoping it would calm my jitters. Luckily, it did that and a whole lot more: Cycling cleared my head so that I was able to remember the lecture word for word without notes. I gave the best talk of my life.

Turns out, that half-hour workout was the smartest pre-speech prep I could have done, according to a number of new studies showing that exercise strengthens the body and the mind. For instance, a recent finding from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign reveals that people perform significantly better on memory tests if they take them shortly after doing 30 minutes of aerobics. "Learning, remembering, reasoning, alertness, and mood improve with fitness," says Patrick Hogan, DO, a neurologist with Puget Sound Neurology in Tacoma, Washington. "A physical workout is better than any medicine. It's the single most powerful thing you can do for your brain."

Add healthy eating to

By Bethany GumperSara Forrest/Fitness Magazine

I have always wanted to be one of those women who jump out of bed and into a pair of running shoes at 7 a.m. What an amazing feeling: to stroll into work after a three-mile jog, a Spinning class, or a series of sun salutations. I wouldn't know.

"Um, really?" my husband asks on Monday night when I tell him I'm going to the gym the next morning at seven. Why the skepticism? He shoots me a knowing look.

Related: 5 Editor-Tested Sleep Gadgets

Tuesday
7:00 a.m. Alarm blares. Ugh, I should get up.
 SNOOZE 

7:15 a.m. My gym clothes are right there! I laid them out on my chair last night!
 SNOOZE

7:30 a.m. I should at least get up and do a workout DVD.
 SNOOZE

7:45 a.m. Too late to work out; might as well cozy up and sleep some more.
SNOOZE

8:00 a.m. Now I have to get up or else I'll be late.

Clearly my morning sluggishness is cramping my workout style. But can I change my night-owl ways? Because I've snoozed through the better part of three decades, I'm pretty sure

By Lauren Tumas Schumacher

Michael David Adams/Fitness MagazineIt may surprise you that one of the worst health crimes you're committing is as small as forgetting to take your contacts out at night. Here, tips to bounce back fast from long days in high heels, fast food, and more.

Related: 6 Ways to Rehab Your Bad Habits

Falling Asleep with Your Makeup On
What's the big deal? If you're lucky, sleeping in a face full of makeup will only leave behind a pimple or two. But make it an all-the-time thing and you're asking for clogged pores and a breeding ground for bacteria to run wild on. The worst culprit? Foundation, according to Elissa Lunder, MD, FITNESS advisory board member and owner of Dermatology Partners, Inc. in Massachusetts. In some cases, Dr. Lunder has even seen people develop milia -- small, hard bumps that form on the skin. And while she says sleeping in eye makeup won't cause your lashes to fall out or give you pinkeye (whew!), dozing in mascara can cause eye swelling. But don't stop the suds at your face!

Photo courtesy of ShutterstockBy Kenrya Rankin

$3,157. That's how much the average American paid out of pocket for health care in one recent year. (We can think of better uses for your green: say, new running sneakers or that awesome Garmin GPS watch.) Alarmingly, a Harvard Medical School study found that 62 percent of all bankruptcies are caused by medical bills or loss of income due to illness. Here are seven simple steps to cut your health care costs -- no messy calculations necessary.

Related: 5 Shocking Ways Your Cell Phone Is Hurting Your Health



Your Savings, Decoded
Use this key to see how much moola these strategies could net you. Ca-ching!
$ You save $$ You save $100 to $1,000
$$$ You save > $1,000

Double-check your insurance.
Never assume that your doctor is still in your insurance network. Physicians typically reevaluate their list of accepted plans at least annually, so ask each time you book an appointment. If your MD now works with your plan on an out-of-network basis, her services will often be

Claire Benoist/Fitness MagazineBy Paige Greenfield

Taking vitamins to stay healthy seems like a no-brainer. But new research has found that supplements aren't the magic bullet we've been led to believe. One recent review of 78 studies found that antioxidant supplements don't reduce the risk for death from disease; in fact, in some cases they actually raise it. And now calcium supplements, which so many of us have been dutifully popping for years, have been linked to an increased risk of heart attacks. Say what? But don't trash your stash just yet. Read on so you can make the best decisions for your body.

Related: QUIZ: Test Your Vitamin IQ?

5 Facts About Vitamins and Your Health
Fact: Vitamins don't cancel out bad health habits.
"There are so many different disease-causing culprits in our lives that one vitamin cannot protect against them all," says Mark Moyad, MD, a FITNESS advisory board member and the director of preventive and alternative medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center. "Vitamins can't

Justin Stephens/Fitness MagazineBy Kelly Mickle

Jillian Michaels barely has time to order an egg salad sandwich before the deli clerk begins telling her about his recent weight loss. "That's incredible -- good for you!" she says, as though rooting for one of her contestants on The Biggest Loser. Most of us wouldn't want our jobs to follow us wherever we go, but not Jillian. "This is what I was born to do," she says.

It's hard to disagree, considering how she's helped inspire and shape up millions of people. But life has changed for the tough-as-nails trainer. Returning to the show after a two-year hiatus, Jillian, 39, is now a mother of two, having adopted a 2-year-old daughter, Lukensia, from Haiti and welcomed a baby boy, Phoenix, with her partner, Heidi Rhoades, last spring. Suddenly her no-nonsense approach to fitness isn't quite so black-and-white.

"I used to say, 'If you're going to exercise, then you do it, and you do it 100 percent.' Now if I've got to answer e-mails while I work out on the StairMaster,

iStockPhoto/Fitness MagazineBy Danielle Paquette

Apples, almonds, broccoli. If you eat the same things every week, you may be missing out on an easy way to boost your health. "Many of us pass up foods that are nutritional powerhouses, because we don't know how to prepare them," says Angela Ginn, RD, a nutritionist in Baltimore. Bust out of your culinary rut with these five disease fighters.

Related: 10 Superfoods for Gorgeous Skin and Hair

Bamboo Shoots
Why? A great low-calorie, high-fiber veggie packed with antioxidants that help ward off cancer-causing free radicals.

How to Enjoy: Find bamboo shoots in the canned-food section of your supermarket. Add to salads, stir-fries, and soups.


Pumpkin Seeds
Why? Rich in protein and phytosterols, these little treats have been shown to reduce levels of harmful LDL cholesterol.

How to Enjoy: Eat them plain for an afternoon snack or sprinkle some on top of your salad for added crunch.

Related: Live to 100: 10 Diet Tips to Live Longer

Swiss Chard
Why? This leafy green