For Women

• Getting Bikini-Season Ready Part 1: Your Diet

  With summer just around the corner, you may be wondering what last-minute steps you can take to get your body bikini-ready. While we want to strive for a strong, healthy body year-round, the thought of...[more]

• Feeling Full on Fewer Calories

  One of the biggest obstacles you'll encounter while cutting back on calories is feeling full throughout the day. Hunger will sneak up on you when you least expect it, and it's best to be...[more]

• Lack of Sleep: A Weighty Issue

  Not getting enough sleep can do more than just make you feel sluggish the next day--it can actually sabotage your weight-loss goals. When you feel tired or low on energy, you typically reach for starchy...[more]

• The 10 Easy Steps to Weight Loss

  Over the last 20 years, food portions have increased dramatically. As the size of our plates have grown, so has the expectation that the larger amount of food we receive, the better the value. However,...[more]

• 5 Best-Kept Secrets to Include in Your Diet

  You always hear about foods that you need to avoid or eliminate from your diet. What about foods that you should be eating, but may not be aware of? Here are a few that may...[more]

• Smart Substitutions: 5 'Staples' to Trade Out of Your Pantry

  Any stop to the grocery store is made quicker and easier when you just have a few 'staples' to pick up. There are many things we like to keep on hand for snacks, quick dinners,...[more]

• 9 Tricks to Staying Healthy When Eating Out

  Eating out can be a gamble especially for people who are watching their weight or managing certain health conditions. Many of the foods prepared outside of the home are high in calories, fat, sodium, and...[more]

• 5 Eating Habits You Should Break

  Some of your daily habits may be hindering your health or weight loss goals. Little things you do throughout the day can either propel you forward or take you back a step, and either way,...[more]

• The 411 on Sushi

  What exactly is sushi? What about sashimi? Sushi is often touted as being healthy, but not all options at your favorite fish establishment are created equal, and some pack significantly more calories than you think....[more]

• Smart Substitutions: Eating Out

  Many foods offered at restaurants are not prepared in the same healthful way that you would make them at home. Heavy use of sugar, oil, butter, refined grains, and salt is all too common. But...[more]

• Healthy Living 101: The Ins and Outs of Fiber

  Fiber comes from plants and can be found in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Fiber is the portion of plant foods that the body is not able to digest or absorb. What...[more]

• 5 Common Foods That Are Ruining Your Waistline

  When I speak to clients, I frequently hear the words: "I thought that was good for you!" There are many foods that seem to be "healthy" but may actually be helping you gain weight. Here...[more]

• Smart Substitutions: Sweet Cravings

  Eating healthy does not mean that you must eliminate all sweets from your diet. You just have to be smart about how you satisfy your sweet tooth. It's normal to gravitate towards sweetness; the problem...[more]

• Celebrate Valentine's Day in a Healthy Way

  Valentine's Day brings not only feelings of love and joy, it also brings high-calorie chocolates, candies, cookies, and other treats. Since February is American Heart Month, which aims to encourage adopting permanent lifestyle changes to...[more]

• Healthy Living 101: Understanding Whole Grains

  Whole grains are made up of the entire or "whole" grain, including the bran, germ, and innermost part of the kernel, the endosperm. Each portion of the grain or seed plays an important role in...[more]

• Being a Couch Potato Is More Harmful Than You Think

  The idea of "couch potatoes" tends to conjure up images of overweight, lazy unkempt slacker-types. We've heard about the research that has shown that the more hours of television watched per day, the higher the...[more]

• Healthy Living 101: Classifying Foods

  Foods can be classified by the way they affect the body and/or by their food group. It is important to understand both in order to balance your meals and achieve optimal health. Macronutrients The Merriam-Webster...[more]

• The Truth About Brown Fat

  You may have heard of the term "brown fat" before, so what does that mean exactly? It's not a type of fat you cook with, but rather a type of fat in your body....[more]

• Proteins, Fats, and Carbs: How to Balance Your Diet

  Dieting can be confusing. High-protein diets claim to help you lose weight quickly, but can lead to high cholesterol and increase your risk for heart disease. High-carbohydrate diets may be low in fat, but can...[more]

• Excess Weight Ages Us More Quickly

  We all know that being overweight or obese can pose threats to our health, especially at a young age. But what effects does overweight or obesity have on the actual aging process? Obese Children Become...[more]

• Healthy Living 101: How to Read a Nutrition Label

  Too often, purchasing food can be confusing, especially with all of the persuasive marketing tactics used by food companies. Learning how to read, understand, and compare food labels can help you maintain, manage, control, and/or...[more]

• Eat This, Not That: Calorie Cutters

  If you eat more calories than your body needs, your body will inevitable store them as excess weight. The trick is to reduce your calorie intake without feeling like you are depriving yourself - and...[more]

• Ideal Body Composition: What You Should Know

  We live in a culture that has become increasingly more obsessed with body image and weight. Dangerously thin bodies are celebrated and coveted, perpetuating the unrealistic goal of obtaining an ideal body--one devoid of any...[more]

• Eat This, Not That: Breakfast Edition

  You've heard that breakfast is the most important meal. It boosts your metabolism, staves off hunger, and provides you energy to start and get through your day. But what if you are making bad breakfast...[more]

• Real FitDay Users Share: What Was Your "A-Ha" Moment?

  What sparked you to embark on your fitness journey? For many of us, it was one moment or incident - the "a-ha" moment - that got our butts in gear and changed our lives forever....[more]

• Meal Planning Made Simple

  The key to long-term weight management and healthy eating is consuming a balanced diet. Restrictive eating and fad diets may provide temporary weight loss, but they may also provide fatigue, hunger, food fantasizing, malnutrition, binging,...[more]

• 10 Tools to Help Keep You on Track

  1. Good Pair of Shoes Make sure you have a pair of shoes that fit you well and are made for the type of activity you plan to do. For example, don't plan to jog...[more]

• 4 New Year's Resolutions You Can Keep!

  The new year is here! While many, many people plan to use this landmark time to get healthier or lose weight, the problem with these goals is that they are difficult to maintain. Most...[more]

• Healthy Kitchen Staples to Start 2012

  If you want to make over your health, refrigerator, and pantry, then make a note of these 12 staples that will get you eating right in the New Year. 1. Assorted Whole Grains Cereals, pasta,...[more]

• The Healthy Food Halo

  Have you ever noticed that certain foods are deemed "healthy" and we seem to think we can eat these foods in unlimited amounts because of their purported health benefits? This has been referred to as...[more]

• Pizza a 'Vegetable'? How to Handle School Lunches

  Recently, Congress passed a bill that classifies the small amount of tomato paste in pizza as the equivalent of a serving of vegetables. The problem is that this legislation can affect the public school...[more]

• 10 Tips to Help You Achieve Your New Year's Health Goals

  With the new year comes the opportunity for a fresh start. For many people, this means leading a healthier lifestyle and losing weight. If this is your goal, follow these tips to stay on track....[more]

• The FitDay Guide to Healthier Holiday Baking

  The holiday season always seems to throw us all into a baking frenzy. We whip up dozens of cookies, cupcakes, pies, candies, and other treats that we then decorate with beautiful holiday colors. While all...[more]

• 5 Ways to Eat Mindfully at Holiday Parties

  The holidays can cause an internal struggle between the desire to splurge on festive treats at numerous feasts and the will to avoid the inevitable weight gain that ensues after overindulging. However, there are ways...[more]

• What You Should Know: The Risks and Rewards of Bariatric Surgery

  The National Center for Health Statistics report that 30% of adults (over 60 million) and 17% of children and adolescents (12.5 million) are obese - i.e. having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 and...[more]

• Using Thanksgiving Day Leftovers in a Healthy Way

  Turkey Day has come and gone, leaving us all feeling a little softer around the middle. So what are you supposed to do with all of those leftovers if you're trying to avoid overeating several...[more]

• How to Cut Extra Fat, Sugar, and Calories from Fall Vegetable Dishes

  Sweet potatoes, yams, pumpkins, and other colorful squash are available in abundance during the fall season. Upcoming holidays like Thanksgiving also bring these vegetables to the forefront, showing up in numerous recipes. Orange-colored vegetables are...[more]

• Spilling the Beans on Bean Benefits

  We all know that fiber is an important part of a healthy diet. We also know that fiber is likely our closest ally when it comes to feeling full in between meals and snacks, which...[more]

• Omega-3 and Omega-6: The Essential Fatty Acids to Include in Your Diet

  Essential fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats that we must get from food. They are necessary for optimal brain function, metabolism regulation, hair growth, bone health, and many other vital physiological reactions. Omega-3 and omega-6 fats...[more]

• 4 Ways to Eat Healthy During the Holiday Season

  The holidays are a time for us to gather with family and friends to celebrate. For better or worse, with celebration comes food. If you have been working very hard at eating healthy, losing weight,...[more]

• Stress Eating: What You Can Do to Keep It at Bay

  Stress, boredom, or any array of emotions can lead to cravings for food. If these cravings take control too often, you might find yourself eating large portions of high calorie, sweet, and/or fatty foods. However,...[more]

• Can Eating More Frequently Lead to Weight Loss?

  Have you ever wondered how some people can eat quite frequently but never seem to gain weight? It's often said that eating smaller, more frequent meals fuels your metabolism and helps keep you satisfied throughout...[more]

• Have a Compassionate Holiday: Save a Turkey

  Do a turkey a favor and have a vegetarian or vegan holiday celebration. For ethical and health reasons, vegetarians don't eat animals, including beef, poultry, pork, lamb, and fish). In addition to meat, vegans don't...[more]

• 5 Food Safety Tips for the Holidays

  Tis the season! The holidays are a wonderful time of goodwill, giving thanks, and gathering around warm fires with loved ones. The holiday season also includes festive celebrations centered around delicious food. Holiday parties are...[more]

• Healthy Holiday Eating: A Comparison of Two Meal Plans

  During holiday gatherings, you may be confronted with array of food and drink options that you rarely see during the rest of the year. Though overindulging could derail your health plans, do not despair! Study...[more]

• 4 Things to Know About Flu Season

  The Truth About the Flu Shot Each year, experts from the US Food and Drug Administration, World Health Organization, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study virus samples collected from 136 national...[more]

• A Guide to Healthy Holiday Eating

  The holidays are upon us with 6 weeks of temptations from the end of November to the beginning of January, with well-wishers who leave plates of cookies at the office or drop by with gooey...[more]

• 5 Ways to Prevent Weight Gain When You Can't Make Your Own Food

  Staying healthy can be difficult when you have limited resources. College students, for example, typically live in dorm rooms with only small refrigerators and no access to stoves or other kitchen appliances. Frequent business travelers...[more]

• Understanding Metabolism: How It Influences Weight Control

  It may be tempting to blame your failed weight loss attempts or weight gain on a slow metabolism. However, it is rare that excessive weight gain from a medical problem slows metabolism, as in cases...[more]

• 8 Ways to Eat Healthy on a Budget

  It's often been said that eating healthy is too expensive. This is simply not true. With a few strategies, you can save money while also avoiding extra pounds. Frozen fruits & veggiesPurchasing frozen produce is...[more]

• Understanding Metabolism: What Determines Your BMR?

  Metabolism refers to the processes that the body needs to function. Basal Metabolic Rate is the amount of energy expressed in calories that a person needs to keep the body functioning at rest. Some of...[more]

• Can a Nutritious Diet Help Prevent Cancer?

  Following a nutritious diet has proven benefits: lowering your cholesterol, preventing heart disease and diabetes, and minimizing excess weight gain. However, it has not yet been proven whether a nutritious diet can prevent diseases like...[more]

• 7 Ways to Get Your Kids to Eat More Vegetables

  It's one of the greatest frustrations in a health conscious person's life - Getting stubborn children to eat vegetables. You know it's good for them. But then they sneer at spinach, laugh at the lettuce,...[more]

• Not All Calories Are Created Equal

  For decades, we've been taught that weight loss comes down to the simple idea of "calories in versus calories out." This equation is simple and can not be escaped. To lose weight, you must take...[more]

• What Are Carbs? How They Work (and How to Get Them to Work for You)

  Most people view carbohydrates as "evil" foods. Found in breads, pastas, cereals, and almost everything sweet, carbohydrates receive a bad reputation for causing weight gain. In reality, carbohydrates provide energy your body needs to help...[more]

• Understanding Metabolism: How to Boost Yours with Exercise

  The secret to permanent weight loss is training your body to be a more efficient calorie-burning engine by maximizing your metabolism. Metabolism is the rate at which a person burns energy, and this is measured...[more]

• "Off-Limits"? Think Again! How Cheating Can Help You Succeed

  We've all heard the old adage "cheaters never prosper." But when it comes to following a healthy diet to lose weight or maintain your current weight, do cheaters prosper? Some diets allow for certain "cheat"...[more]

• Measuring Fat and Weight Loss: More Than Stepping on the Scale

  In light of the constant stream of fad diets and the increasing concern for obesity, researchers are constantly looking for the best measure of weight loss. Most people judge their weight loss by checking the...[more]

• Protein and Dairy: A Dieter's Best Friends?

  New research has found that increased consumption of protein, particularly protein from dairy foods, helps people who are dieting lose more fat and preserve lean body mass (muscle) during exercise- and diet-induced weight loss. The...[more]

• Think All Herbal Products Are Safe? Think Again

  You've likely seen the vast array of herbal remedies that line the shelves of pharmacies and health food stores. Most people believe that herbal remedies or other products that are labeled as "natural" are completely...[more]

• The Skinny on Milk: Which Type Is Right for You?

  Decades ago, the only consideration when choosing what type of milk to purchase at the grocery store was whether you opted for whole, 2% or skim milk. Back then, milk always came from cows. Times...[more]

• Carbs and Dairy: Is It Really Safe to Skip Them?

  As a child, I was taught that my meals needed to come from 4 simple food groups: grains, seafood/meats (including beans), dairy (milk, yogurt, cheese), and fruits/vegetables. Since then, the USDA has issued numerous versions...[more]

• Pre-Diabetes and How You Can Stop It

  Many people will develop diabetes in their lives. The causes of Type II diabetes are most often related to weight gains from taking in too many calories and not getting enough exercise. A lack of...[more]

• Getting Enough Fiber Is Easier Than You Think!

  The average American is not consuming enough fiber. Most health experts recommend approximately 25-35 grams of fiber every day. A few of the numerous benefits of fiber include its ability to stabilize blood sugar, reduce...[more]

• How Do Nutrition Needs Change with Age?

  As a dietitian who primarily works with children, I receive a lot of questions about whether or not nutrition needs change or increase as a child gets older. The simple answer is yes; the more...[more]

• 3 Steps to Healthy Weight Gain

  While the majority of the clients I see are struggling with the challenges of weight loss, I occasionally encounter somebody who has the opposite predicament. Difficulty gaining weight can be frustrating, and the solution is...[more]

• Quick, Healthy Snacks and Lunches-to-Go

  When life gets busy, eating right can be hard to do. Our increasingly chaotic lifestyles are jam-packed with so many long hours working, taking care of families, trying to maintain healthy relationships, and many other...[more]

• US News Ranks the "Best Diets"

  US News and World Report recently released with a ranking of twenty diets. Their findings were based on seven criteria: short term weight loss, long term weight loss, ease of following, nutrition, safety, effectiveness for...[more]

• 16 Surprising Sources of Protein

  Protein does more than just build strong muscles. It also strengthens bones, increases satiety, protects against heart disease, and helps support a healthy immune system. We also know that consuming plenty of protein is an...[more]

• How Do You Stay Motivated? 4 Tips from a Dietitian

  Motivation and consistency are the key components to being successful with almost anything one sets out to accomplish. Whether you are working toward weight loss, quitting smoking or winning a race, motivation and consistency will...[more]

• Eat This, Not That: A Comparison of Two Meal Plans

  Every day, we are constantly faced with choices about what to eat. For most of us, it's got to be quick and easy, and it's got to taste good. Unfortunately, the healthy benefits of a...[more]

• Low, Less, and Lite: How to Decipher 'Healthy' Food Labels

  Ever walk down a grocery store aisle and try to decipher labels? Or have you had a hard time deciding whether a product labeled as "low fat" is better than "low sugar?" You are not...[more]

• Great Flavor with Healthy Additives

  Can you really add flavor without adding calories or risking adverse health effects? We have all heard that we should cut down on the salt we add to our foods to prevent hypertension, and that...[more]

• 3 Steps to Smart Snacking

  If you ask anyone in the health profession how often you should eat, you will most likely be told to eat 5 to 6 small meals spread out over the course of each day. The...[more]

• A Dietitian's Take on the New MyPlate

  The USDA's familiar MyPyramid has just been replaced with MyPlate. The consensus seems to be that this new model is simpler and easier to understand than the previous version, and I completely agree. Consisting of...[more]

• 5 Healthy Living Tips for Twenty-Something Women

  Your twenties are a time that are essential to your long-term health--you can either live hard, or engage in moderate, healthy living. For best results, be sure to start an exercise program, eat right,...[more]

• 7 Essential Vitamins for Women

  There are several essential vitamins for women, which help maintain a healthy mind and a fit body. The required amount of intake of these vitamins varies according to your stage of life. For instance,...[more]

• The Best Way to Keep off Weight You've Lost While Menstruating

  If you have recently lost a few pounds, chances are that you're willing to do just about anything to keep off weight. This can be very difficult while you're menstruating. However, you can do...[more]

• The Importance of Maintaining a Healthy Body Image

  Having a healthy body image means that you feel good about your body--the way it looks and the way it functions. A healthy body image is crucial to self-confidence, self-acceptance and self-worth. If you...[more]

• Heart Health for Women: An Overview

  In the past, heart disease was widely regarded as a “man’s disease”, but recently, medical research has revealed that poor heart health is the one of most common causes of death among women. Compared...[more]

• Bone Health for Women

  With changes in modern medicine have come changes in the average life span of adults--and because of this, more and more people are becoming concerned about bone health. This article gives a brief description...[more]

• Understanding Iron Nutrition for Women

  It's important to understand why iron nutrition is important for women, in order to ensure proper amounts of iron intake in the diet. Iron is a mineral that's required to help the red blood...[more]

• 4 Exercise Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy

  If you're pregnant, you should regularly engage in aerobic exercise and  physical activities, such as walking, swimming, dancing and cycling, to keep the body fit and ensure a healthy pregnancy. Always maintain a good habit...[more]

• What's the Best Type of Protein for Women?

  Most women don’t realize how much protein they need for optimal health, or how to include the best protein for women in their diet. The amount of protein women need is less than the...[more]

• Weight Loss Pills for Women: What's Different?

  In general, the biggest difference between weight loss pills intended for both genders and weight loss pills for women is the marketing. Women are most likely to try new weight loss supplements, and will...[more]

• What's a Normal Body Mass Index for a Female?

  If you are woman who is conscious about your weight and want to make sure your weight is at a healthy level, you should be informed about the body mass index for a female....[more]

• 11 Causes for Weight Gain in Women

  Most adult women at one time or another have struggled with their weight, and recent research suggests that weight gain in women differs from that of men. There are many reasons why women put on the pounds and...[more]

• Healthy Breastfeeding Diet Tips: What to Avoid / Love

  A proper breastfeeding diet is essential to production of nutritious mother’s milk for the newborn child. With a few simple tips, any mother can create a breastfeeding diet plan that will keep her healthy,...[more]

• A Breast Cancer Diet Guide While In Treatment

  When you're in treatment for breast cancer, it's important to maintain a healthy breast cancer diet. While you're being treated for cancer, your body is working hard, not only to fight the illness, but...[more]

• Controlling Gestational Diabetes For A Healthy Pregnancy

  Pregnant women should eat a healthy diet in order to have a healthy pregnancy, but women with gestational diabetes must follow an even more stringent plan to maintain good health throughout their pregnancy. Diet...[more]

• Combatting Body Fat In Women

  Body fat in women usually accumulates on certain problem areas, namely the abdomen and thighs. Losing fat from these problem areas can be difficult, because your body is more likely to store fat in...[more]

• Good Nutrition: 10 Signs You Have It

  A good way to know you are getting good nutrition from your eating plan is to ask yourself how you honestly look and feel.  A healthy eating plan will include lean proteins, grains, nuts,...[more]

• Naturally Combating Hyperthyroidism And Involuntary Weight Loss

  Hyperthyroidism, which is also referred to as thyrotoxicosis, is a condition in which an overactive thyroid gland produces an excessive amount of thyroid hormones that circulate in your blood. The thyroid hormones circulating in...[more]

• What's A Calorie? How Many Do I Need?

  There are very scientific terms that define a calorie, but the precise definition is better replaced by a simpler standard for our discussion. A calorie is a unit of measure for energy, that our...[more]

• Need More Calcium? 10 Foods That'll Help

  If you are concerned about osteoporosis, then you need to know about these high calcium foods. By including foods from this list in your diet, you will reduce your chances of having painful bone...[more]

• Tea Antioxidant Myths And Facts

  A tea antioxidant is widely known to be an excellent source for antioxidant nutrition. There is a debate regarding the effects of antioxidants in the human body and what teas provide the most nutrition....[more]

• Calcium For Women

  Calcium for women is essential through every phase of life. It is needed to help build strong bones and teeth, and it also helps to regulate heart beat, clot blood and conduct nerve impulses. As...[more]