Laura Doss/Fitness MagazineBy Julie Meyer, RD

Try these ab-flattening foods to boost your abs routine's effectiveness, control belly bloat, and maintain a healthy metabolism. Here, the top 10 foods for flat abs.

Related: Get Wow Abs Now: The 2-Week Makeover

Almonds
These delicious and versatile nuts contain filling protein and fiber, not to mention vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. They're also a good source of magnesium, a mineral your body must have in order to produce energy, build and maintain muscle tissue, and regulate blood sugar. "A stable blood-sugar level helps prevent cravings that can lead to overeating and weight gain," says David Katz, MD, a professor at the Yale University School of Medicine. But what makes almonds most interesting is their ability to block calories. Research indicates that the composition of their cell walls may help reduce the absorption of all of their fat, making them an extra-lean nut.

Try for: An ounce a day (about 23 almonds), with approximately 160 calories. An empty

By Dr. Frank Lipman, Refinery29

.Dr. Frank Lipman is an integrative and functional medicine physician and the founder of Eleven Eleven in NYC. In his monthly column for R29, he talks about the latest health and wellness news; his favorite stay-healthy tips and tricks; plus answers your questions on how to be your healthiest, best self, every day.

There's a myth that has been permeating our society for decades - that fat makes you fat. The concept is outdated and simply not true. It's the sugar, gluten, and chemicals in our food that are the real culprits. Don't assume that low-fat foods are going to help with weight loss - they are often higher in sugar and other chemicals that actually cause you to put on weight. Fats are not only essential for almost every aspect of health, but they can actually aid in weight loss.

RELATED: Why Are We Still Afraid Of The Word "Fat"?

Good fats are necessary for a strong immune system, absorbing vitamins and nutrients, and healthy cell function in

by Alanna Nuñez for SHAPE.com

Would you go under the knife to look good on social media?The constant presence of social media in our lives certainly has its upsides, but more downsides keep emerging, including lower personal growth, Pinterest stress, and, now, an increase of plastic surgery, according to a poll from the American Academy of Facial Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS).

The survey asked 753 AAFPRS board-certified facial plastic surgeons to describe trends they were seeing in reconstructive and cosmetic surgery. One finding stuck out: Surgeons are seeing a 31-percent increase in plastic surgery requests as a result of how people want to present themselves on social media accounts.

"We live in a very visual world, and have come to expect that we will be 'Googled' or 'Facebooked' even before actually meeting someone socially or professionally," Sam Rizk, M.D., an AAFPRS member and director of Manhattan Facial Plastic Surgery in New York, told Time. "I see a lot of men and women who are executives or high-profile so they

Getting in tune with your body is the best way to appreciate it.

Listen to your heart may sound like just another cliché catchphrase, but researchers have discovered that taking it literally may actually boost your self-image.

A 2013 study from the Department of Psychology at the University of London found that women who were closely in tune with the beating of their hearts had a healthier body image than women who weren't as accurate.

QUIZ: How Healthy Is Your Body Image?

Researchers had 50 volunteers try to listen to and count their heartbeats for a set period of time while a data unit recorded the actual number of beats. Then, the volunteers completed questionnaires designed to determine the extent to which they objectify themselves (that is, value their bodies based on attractiveness), a tendency that reflects poor self-image. The researchers found that women who rated highly for self-objectification were the ones who least accurately estimated their heartbeats.

While more research is needed to determine how much inner body

Mansoor Candy Cab/FacebookHailing a taxi in New York City is practically a competitive sport but one cabbie is making the grind a little bit sweeter.

More on Yahoo! Shine: Homemade Almond Joy Candy Bars

Mansoor Khalid, 37, an electrical engineer graduate from Pakistan who's driven a cab since 1996, has turned his taxi into a Willy Wonka factory on wheels by filling his car with boatloads of candy.

The sign in his cab reads, “No eating or drinking inside this car. Except candies.” And the back dashboard of his car is brimming with candy and chocolate. "Snickers, Milky Way, Starburst, Skittles, you name it, I have it," Khalid told Yahoo! Shine. To get the party started, passengers can plug their music devices into his $400 subwoofer and blast their tunes while enjoying the cab's elaborate lighting system which flashes blue, purple, and pink rays. To further sweeten the experience, Khalid strikes a deal with his passengers: If they can finish all the candy in the car by the time they arrive at their destination,

Photo: ThinkstockBy Corrie Pikul

The Cough That's Tough to Kick

Whooping cough (pertussis)
In the early 1900s, about 200,000 children in the United States got whooping cough each year, and about 9,000 died as a result, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). After a vaccine became widely available in the 1940s, reported cases dropped to about 900 annually. However, last year, more than 41,000 cases were reported to the CDC--the most since 1955.

Why it's still around: Throughout the 1990s, the U.S. switched from using a vaccine that contained the entire bacterium (which posed a higher risk of side effects) to a less potent "acellular" version. Experts now suspect the newer vaccine is wearing off faster.

What you can do: Talk to your doctor about a booster shot of Tdap (for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis), especially if you haven't had one in 10 years, you're in contact with infants or you're pregnant. The "whoop" occurs when the infected person tries to suck in air to

by Jessica Smith for SHAPE.com

Stop being a slave to the scale!Although you know a number is just a number, it's hard not to worry when you see the scale jump a pound or two overnight or-worse-during the same day. But take a deep breath: Most weight fluctuations are normal.

Since most of us can't eat enough in a day or two to actually gain 5 or 10 pounds, if you notice a dramatic increase on the scale, chances are it's due to water, says Anita Petruzzelli, M.D., doctor for BodyLogicMD.

"Eating, drinking, urinating, having a bowel movement, and exercise can all impact your body's water composition and therefore weight," she says. For example, high-carb and high-salt foods can cause water retention and a boost in poundage, while exercise can lead to temporary water and weight loss.

So don't get too excited-or freaked-if you weigh yourself after a meal or workout. "Weight gain due to water fluctuation should normalize in a day or two when you resume exercising and eating a healthy diet that's low in salt, refined

By Kevin Aeh, Refinery29

Swimsuit season is right around the corner, which means the countdown to get the bikini bod is on. Of course, the combo of a healthy diet and exercise is the best way to go, but that knowledge wasn't always common back in the day - which is why we have such a long and storied history of completely bonkers fad diets.

RELATED: Why Are We Still Afraid Of The Word "Fat"?

Looking back at these eating regimens through the ages, we were struck by one indelible fact: People have done some really crazy stuff in the name of weight loss. How crazy? Well, there was a diet consisting completely of cabbage soup (bet those participants smelled quite fragrant), and don't even get us started on the cigarette diet.

So, while we may know better now, let's take a walk down memory lane and sneak a peek at some of the most popular diet crazes from days of yore. We think it goes without saying that, barring a few notable exceptions, you probably shouldn't try these at home,