Blog Posts by SHAPE magazine

by Jessica Girdwain for SHAPE.com

These diet mistakes could be messing with your metabolismThere you are working so hard to drop pounds: busting your butt at the gym, cutting back calories, eating more vegetables, maybe even trying a cleanse. And although you can find experts to recommend all of these efforts, your plan may actually be foiling your weight-loss goals.

As contradictory and exasperating as it seems, some common diet mistakes can hamper your metabolism, your internal furnace that incinerates calories 24/7, whether you're sprinting in spin class or sitting on your derriere in front of the TV. That doesn't mean you should quit your gym membership and go buy a pint of chocolate chocolate chip. Keep up the work and keep losing with these easy fixes.

1. Eating a high-carb breakfast: You've been told over and over that people who eat a morning meal tend to have smaller waistlines, but some find that noshing in the a.m. actually makes them hungrier. If you can relate, it may be that the "healthy breakfast" you're eating-such as cereal

by Joe Donatelli for SHAPE.com

Everyone tells you to avoid stress, but they may be doing you a disservice!Books, daytime talk shows, Jack Johnson-everywhere we turn someone is telling us to avoid stress. But those authors, experts, and mellow crooners might be doing everyone a disservice. Stress can be good.

Alia Crum of Columbia University and her colleagues will publish research in the April 2013 edition of The Journal of Social and Psychological Sciences that shows training people to view stress as a positive thing can significantly improve job performance and health.

Crum defines stress as the experience or anticipation of a threat or challenge in one's goal-related efforts. "We don't get stressed about things that don't matter to us," Crum says. "I think that's critical because we're spending all of our time and money and energy trying to get rid of our stressors. What we're really doing is throwing out the baby with the bathwater. Somewhere underneath there is something you really care about."

RELATED: 7 Stress-Relieving Workouts that Aren't

by Jené Luciani

Bad beauty habits to break, stat!1. Wrapping wet hair up in a towel: The strengthening shampoo and conditioner you use aren't going to help much if you gather your wet locks in a turban on top of your head post-shower. "When wet, hair shafts are like loosened springs that stretch and break more easily," says New York-based dermatologist Jessica Krant, M.D. So rubbing your tresses with a towel, pulling them into a too-tight wrap, or brushing or combing them too vigorously can all break the hair shafts and lead to damaged, frizzy strands, Dr. Krant says.

Break it: Treat your locks with love by moving down your mane in sections, gently squeezing and blotting out excess water with a towel, says Maryland-based dermatologist Arleen Lamba, M.D. If only a wrap will do, use a white cotton t-shirt instead of a towel, as the fabric is gentler on hair. For tangles, first apply a de-tangling or conditioning spray, and use a wide-tooth comb, which won't rough up the cuticle as much as a brush does.

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by Tiffany Tse for SHAPE.com

Fun and healthy new ways to eat eggplantIf the soft, tender flesh and glossy purple skin of eggplants don't appeal to you, then the veggie's rich health benefits will! Thanks to nasunin, an antioxidant in eggplant peels that helps protect brain cells, and a host of other vitamins and minerals, this wholesome veggie is an ideal brain food. And since it's also low in calories and carbs, eggplant makes the perfect base for a variety of delicious entrees, side dishes, and snacks.

We asked healthy food bloggers for their most mouthwatering eggplant recipes, so you can start working this nutrient-dense vegetable into your diet right now!

1. Summer chicken and eggplant pasta:
494 calories, 10.75 grams sugar, 15.6 grams fat, 66.6 grams carbohydrates, 29.45 grams protein
It may not be summer just yet, but this flavorful pasta is perfect all year long, especially when you want to indulge your carb cravings. Though the mouthwatering dish is on the heavier side, it includes plenty of fresh veggies

by K. Aleisha Fetters for SHAPE.com

Healthy, flavorful ways to season your popcorn without salt.The next time you pop in a movie, rethink your snack habit: Even if you split the bag of microwave popcorn, you'll down 20 percent of your daily allotment of sodium-plus oftentimes trans fat and scary preservatives or colorings. And OD'ing on sodium has been linked to higher blood pressure, heart disease, stomach cancer, and weak bones, in addition to water retention and bloating.

That doesn't mean you have to swap your treat for plain air-popped corn. Virtuous as it is-three cups provides as much fiber as a cup of cooked brown rice and more antioxidants than a serving of fruit or vegetables for less than 100 calories-it's also pretty bland. Luckily that blank canvas means it's perfect for crafting a snack to satisfy your craving, whether that's savory, spicy, or sweet.

These mouthwatering ideas from top nutritionists, food bloggers, and healthy chefs are so good, you'll start having movie night more often. Simply pour 3 cups freshly popped corn

5 times you're better off just ordering the fast food!by Elizabeth Goodman Artis

Salad. The word itself just sounds healthy: light, quick, easy to digest. But it's also taken on the so-called "health halo." Affix "salad" to anything and suddenly it becomes a good-for-you option, even if it's anything but. We asked Nicolette Pace, a registered dietitian at Nutrisource, Inc., a medical nutrition and weight loss center in Great Neck, NY, to describe five salads commonly found at fast food and restaurant chains, as well as diners and delis, that are actually worse, health-wise, than a Big Mac.

NOTE: For comparison's sake, a Big Mac has about 550 calories, 10g saturated fat, and 1000mg sodium.

1. Crispy Chicken Caeser Salad: Where You'll Find it: Au Bon Pain, Ruby Tuesdays, McDonalds, KFC, Chick-fil-A
Why it's Worse: Even before you add the salad dressing, which can clock in at 200 calories, this type of salad can easily reach 900-1000 calories due to the "crispy" (read: fried) chicken pieces. Add the creamy, cheese-packed dressing and the

by Charlotte Andersen

Celebs get real about fitness, diet, and more.Celebs share the real dirt on how they eat, exercise (or don't), and more!

1. Jennifer Lawrence: Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence speaks candidly in an interview with Glamour magazine confessing, "I hate saying, 'I like exercising.' I want to punch people who say that in the face. But it's nice being in shape for a movie, because they basically do it all for you. It's like, 'Here's your trainer. This is what you can eat.'" Although she adds, "I do exercise! But I don't diet. You can't work when you're hungry, you know?"

2. Molly sims: SHAPE covergirl Molly Sims revealed in her refreshingly honest interview how she gets her million-dollar bod."This does not come naturally! I have to work out 60 to 90 minutes at least five days a week and stick to a high- fiber, low-calorie eating plan."

RELATED: 10 Skinny Guilt-Free Margaritas

3. Adriana Lima: Victoria's Secret angel Adriana Lima shocked people everywhere with her honesty about her "really intense" training

by Kate Zimmerman for SHAPE.com

Thinking of getting a dog? We have 10 healthy reasons why you should!In case you're debating, we've found 10 research-backed reasons why you should get a dog!

1. Dogs get you moving: A March 2011 study published in the Journal of Physical Activity & Health found that dog owners are more likely to reach their fitness goals than those without canine companions. Researchers at Michigan State University found that dog owners are 34 percent more likely to fit in 150 minutes of walking per week than non-dog owners.

2. …And keep you going: The same study from Michigan State found that owning a pet dog promotes health and fitness even after you take your pup for a stroll, increasing leisure-time physical activity by 69 percent.

3. Dogs push you to the next level: A University of Missouri study found that walking with a puppy dog leads to a 28 percent increase in walking speed, compared to a 4 percent increase found with a human walking buddy.

RELATED: Pinspiration! 22 Images to Get You Moving

4. Dogs don't accept excuses: People