Blog Posts by FITNESS Magazine

By Jan Sheehan

Longevity is the new buzzword. You can't walk into a bookstore without tripping over a best seller about extending your life. With good reason: Centenarians are one of the country's fastest-growing demographic groups; in fact, the U.S. Census Bureau projects they'll increase almost sixfold by 2050. So what's the secret to living longer and healthier? "Good nutrition can extend your life by not just years but decades," says Richard Flanigan, MD, assistant clinical professor of cardiology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Aurora and author of Longevity Made Simple. We've uncovered 10 strategies to help you tap the culinary fountain of youth.


1. Snack on Watermelon
Tomatoes steal the spotlight for being antioxidant powerhouses, but watermelon actually packs more cancer- and heart-disease-fighting lycopene, says Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of Age-Proof Your Body. Eating the juicy fruit also helps increase amounts of arginine, an amino acid that helps

Read More »from 10 Diet Tips to Live to 100

By the editors of FitnessMagazine.com

Think water flushes toxins out of your body? Think it's crucial to stretch before a workout? Think again.

Here, the most popular fitness and diet myths you've bought into -- and why they (and you) are wrong. Related: Avoid a Fat Trap: 10 Diet Foods That Make You Fat


Myth #1: Drinking Water Can Help You Lose Weight

Fact: Many sources tout drinking copious amounts of water to be the all-curing panacea of the Gods. If you've heard that drinking lots of water improves your skin tone, or that it flushes toxins from your body, you know what we're talking about. But the fact of the matter is, the evidence for such catch-all health benefits is lacking.

Doctors at the University of Pennsylvania have found that both the aforementioned "benefits" simply aren't true. Another myth is that drinking lots of water will make you less hungry. Sorry to tell you this -- you may eat less because you're too busy trucking back and forth between the bathroom and

Read More »from The Top 10 Fitness Myths You're Probably Wrong About

By Jocelyn Voo

Insatiable sweet tooth? Avowed carnivore? Meet some foodies who have memorialized their love with food tattoos.

Related: Test Your Diet IQ

Pig Butcher's Guide

"For the pig piece, I have always been a big fan of a certain quote from the Simpsons:

Homer: Are you saying you're never going to eat any animal again? What about bacon?
Lisa: No.
Homer: Ham?
Lisa: No.
Homer: Pork chops?
Lisa: Dad, those all come from the same animal.
Homer: Heh heh heh. Ooh, yeah, right, Lisa. A wonderful, magical animal.

"With the tat I wanted to pay homage to the Homer quote, but also express that food itself is 'magical,' bringing people together like nothing else. Plus I wanted it to look cool!"

-- Marc C.
Durham, North Carolina

Photo:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marcwcarroll/2085554452/

Related: 5-Ingredient Suppers Everyone Will Love

Cookies and Milk

"What's the significance? Ha, nothing! It's adorable. It's part of a sleeveRead More »from The 8 Craziest Food Tattoos

By 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

Read More »from Moves and Meals to Strength Train Your Brain

By Caroline Hwang, Photograph by Laura Doss

These easy changes will help you get slim and feel a lot less stressed -- and they'll add years to your life.

Related: 31 More Ways to Instantly Boost Your Health

Every Morning


Think you can put off taking care of yourself? Start thinking differently. "Only one-third of our health is determined by genetics. The rest is due to lifestyle choices," says Gary Small, MD, director of the Center on Aging at UCLA and author of The Longevity Bible. "It's easier to protect well-being than it is to repair damage," he says. To make a U-turn now and head down the road to good health, try these very doable strategies.


Related: How You Can Become a Morning Person

Weigh Yourself

Yes, your weight can fluctuate from day to day, but daily check-ins have been shown to help protect against added pounds.

Our best advice: Step on the scale at the same time every day. "If you're up three to five pounds in a span of a few days, watch your portions and work out

Read More »from Simple Ways to Turn Your Health Around

By the editors of FITNESS magazine

Keep these spices handy in your spice rack to not only improve the taste of your meals but to keep you healthy, too. These spices have health benefits like lowering cholesterol and preventing cancer.

Related: 6 Ways You Can Prevent Cancer Right Now

Dried Red Pepper

The compound capsaicin puts the heat in chilies. It may lower the risk of skin and colon cancers; studies show it also helps people eat fewer calories. Try hot pepper on pizza or in pasta.

Related:The 8 Healthiest Drinks to Sip On




Nutmeg

Nutmeg contains antibacterial compounds that may help fight listeria, E. coli, and salmonella, according to research. Try nutmeg in soups or chicken dishes or on sweet potatoes.

Related: VIDEO: How to Shop Healthier at the Store





Cumin

Cumin is a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that may help stop tumor growth. Try cumin in tacos, or use it as a rub on meats.

Related: Stay-Trim Tricks: What Diet and Fitness Experts Eat







Tumeric

Turmeric

Read More »from 9 Spices That Keep You Healthy

By the editors of FITNESS magazine

New to yoga? Try these basic yoga poses to get stronger and more flexible.

Related: Beat Stress, Weight Less: Calorie-Burning Yoga Workout



Mountain Pose

• Stand tall with feet together, shoulders relaxed, weight evenly distributed through your soles, arms at sides.

• Take a deep breath and raise your hands overhead, palms facing each other with arms straight. Reach up toward the sky with your fingertips.

Related: More Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Yoga Poses




Downward Dog

• Start on all fours with hands directly under shoulders, knees under hips.

• Walk hands a few inches forward and spread fingers wide, pressing palms into mat.

• Curl toes under and slowly press hips toward ceiling, bringing your body into an inverted V, pressing shoulders away from ears. Feet should be hip-width apart, knees slightly bent.

• Hold for 3 full breaths.

Related: QUIZ: Which Yoga Pose Are You?




Warrior

• Stand with legs 3 to 4 feet apart, turning right foot out

Read More »from Yoga 101: 7 Poses for Beginners

By: Caroline Hwang

When you stick to a routine, it's easy to become, well, stuck. If you're not trimming down, toning up, or feeling any fitter, it's likely due to one of the following exercise errors. Read on for how to reboot -- and get the body you want, pronto!


Related: You Can Do It! Get Your Best Body Ever


Mistake #1: You Rely on Cardio to Peel Off Pounds

For most women, sweaty aerobic exercise alone isn't enough. "Research shows that weight loss is minimal if it isn't accompanied by dieting," says Amy Luke, PhD, a nutritional epidemiologist at the Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University Chicago. "We may compensate for the extra energy we're burning during physical activity by doing less the rest of the day, or more commonly, we feel famished after working out, so we eat more."

The Solution: Keep your diet in check. To drop a pound, which is 3,500 calories, in one week, aim to eat 300 fewer calories every day (300 x 7 = 2,100) while burning 300 calories from exercise

Read More »from 5 Workout Mistakes to Avoid for Better Results