Blog Posts by From the editors of Runner's World

These munchies satisfy your cravings and offer surprising health benefitsIt's the middle of the afternoon, dinner is hours away, but your stomach is growling. Should you have a snack? Yes, as long as you choose wisely. When done right, snacking can be a key component of a everyone's daily diet, says sports nutritionist Deborah Shulman, Ph.D. "Eating every three or four hours can help control your appetite." It can also provide nutrients you need before and after a workout, says Pamela M. Nisevich Bede, M.S., R.D., a nutrition consultant for Swim, Bike, Run, Eat! But be judicious with your mini-meals. Constant grazing can lead to weight gain; have just one or two snacks a day (each between 150 and 250 calories). Avoid prepackaged junk foods, and stick to whole or minimally processed options, which will not only satisfy your hunger and cravings, but also provide surprising health benefits, too. Here, we provide healthier options for every craving. (If you're trying to shed weight, avoid falling for these Top Weight Loss Myths.)

YOU CRAVE SALT
EAT: POPCORN

If you want to lose weight, don't sabotage your diet with these six common mythsAfter weeks of holiday indulgences, many people are ready to start the New Year on a healthier foot, and often that means shedding pounds. But even the most health-savvy people can get caught up in diet myths that sabotage their goals. "Weight loss is so complex and confusing because there is so much conflicting information out there," says Leslie Bonci, M.P.H., R.D., director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. With our experts' help and the latest research, we've dispelled six myths so you can start slimming down for good.

MYTH: No sweets before noon
Most people who want to lose weight assume they have to forgo dessert. But not only can you have it, you can have it for breakfast, according to a study published in March 2012 in the journal Steroids: Researchers found that participants who ate a 600-calorie, carb- and protein-rich breakfast that included dessert, such as chocolate or ice cream, lost more weight over four months (and kept more

Fast workouts maintain fitness through the holidaysWhen schedules get packed with holiday obligations, running frequently gets pushed off your to-do list. That's a shame because investing just a little time in exercise can reap big rewards. In fact, even if you have just 10 minutes a day, three days a week, you can maintain some running fitness. Plus, these sessions will help offset stress and provide the consistency that makes it easier to resume your regular training when the craziness abates.

If you'd rather exercise indoors, check out these 4 Treadmill Workouts for Winter.

YOU HAVE 10 MINUTES
Warm up with one to two minutes of brisk walking, then alternate two minutes running with 30 seconds walking. If you feel good, gradually increase the speed of your run segments. Repeat three times. Jog easy for one minute to cool down. If you're stuck in the house, walk briskly from room to room and up and down stairs. Every minute, jog in place for 20 steps.

YOU HAVE 15 MINUTES
Walk gently up and down a flight of stairs two or three

Avoid mental meltdowns by tuning into your bodyAthletes are skilled at reading their body's cues and making the necessary on-the-spot adjustments--to pace, form, or attitude--to power through their workouts and races, says Dominic Micklewright, Ph.D., a sports psychologist at the University of Essex in the United Kingdom. Here's how you can raise your athletic IQ to reach your full performance potential. 



Tune Into Your Body

Many people try to ignore the various twinges and aches they experience during a workout. Rather than spending the workout dismissing these sensations, "pay attention and learn what they mean," says Micklewright. Your goal is to get to the point where you know your body so well that you can distinguish between the fatigue and muscle burning that's part of pushing through or what could be the start of an injury. "It's only by listening to your body's cues that you know what they're telling you," he says. 
To avoid major workout mishaps, follow these 10 Laws of Injury Prevention.

[IQ Booster] Leave Your

Boost performance by adding a twist to your workoutIf you've been doing the same strength-training exercises for months, your muscles may be in a holding pattern. "To add distance or increase speed, your cross-training efforts need to push your limits," says Michael Silverman, a physical therapist at the Sports Rehabilitation and Performance Center at New York City's Hospital for Special Surgery. These tweaks will help you develop new power for your workouts. 



Best New Workout Shoes

PLANKS
TWEAK: ADD LEG SWING
Holding a plank position (resting your weight on your forearms and toes, with abs pulled in), lift your right toes off the ground and swing your right leg to the side, toward your hips. Return to the start position and perform on the other side. Do 15 reps on each leg; rest and repeat twice. (For more moves to strengthen your core, try this Ultimate Abs Workout.)


..
LEG LIFT
TWEAK: ADD ARM SWING
Stand with arms out in front of you. Extend your right leg in front of

Are you steps away from injury? Ask your feet.The outside of Laurence Socha's foot had been hurting for months. But the avid fitness buff continued to workout. "The pain would come and go, so I just ignored it," says Socha, 27, a teacher who lives in Washington, D.C. While working out one night, his sore foot rolled, and he had to limp home. Turns out, Socha had been disregarding a hairline fracture, and he had broken his fifth metatarsal. He needed surgery and was on crutches for six weeks.

Bad idea to ignore what your feet are trying to tell you. Obvious pains like Socha's, or merely visible imperfections like black toenails or calluses, often indicate imbalances that can lead to injury. "I like to compare foot care to the foundation of a house," says Roy DeFrancis, D.P.M., president of the New York State Podiatric Medical Association. "A house without a strong foundation is likely to crumble." Here, we provide the top foot warning signs you should never ignore, and how to avoid further complications down the line.

Care for

Even as Hurricane Sandy expected to bring record-breaking flooding to New York City, Sunday's ING Marathon will still go on as scheduled, says race director Mary Wittenberg. With less than one week to go, how should you be preparing?

It's perfectly normal to experience a wide range of emotions the week before a race of any distance, whether it's 3.1 miles or 26.2. Excitement, anxiety, even dread can sweep over you in those final days.

Harboring all that nervous energy simply means you care about having a good day, whether your race goal is just to finish or to run a faster time. The best way to counter those jitters is to have a plan for each day that will prepare your body--and ease your mind. For more on how to prep on the big day, read the 10 Rules of Race Success.

Monday
Walk or cross-train for 30 to 60 minutes. Run or drive the course, or review a map of it online. Familiarizing yourself with the hills, turns, and final stretch helps you plan your strategy.

Tuesday
Run easy

Our guide to the tastiest energy snacksWe taste-tested dozens of recovery bars to find the best post-workout snacks for active women. What we learned: The era of choke-it-down energy bars is over. New options taste better than ever--while still providing the muscle-friendly nutrients your body craves. (Pair these options with the Best Pre-Workout Snacks for ultimate results.)

Best Chocolate
Honey Stinger Dark Chocolate Cherry Almond Protein Bar
Lots of bars feature bland, waxy chocolate, but Honey Stinger's version is rich and dark-like a Lindt bar, only healthier, with 10 grams of whey protein and a host of workout-fueling nutrients: Vitamins A, C, and E combat muscle-damaging free radicals, and calcium (24 percent of your Daily Value) helps stave off muscle cramps. honeystinger.com

The Healthiest Types of Chocolate

Best Baked Good Alternative
Hammer Oatmeal Apple Bar
"It's like eating apple pie," raved one tester, who issued props for this bar's moist texture and real-food flavor (thanks to actual organic apples). The