Having a strong core is essential to all movement. A strong core helps stabilize your lumbar spine and pelvis, allows you to perform movements like twisting and bending, and can even improve your athletic performance. There are a plethora of ab exercises you can do to strengthen your core, and planking is one of the most popular. But while planks appear in countless workouts, it can be easy to do them with improper form. One of the most common errors people make when starting a plank i...

The body is amazing. Millions of chemical signals are sent throughout the body each day to keep you functioning normally. The body also does a great job providing you, the host, messages about your health as well. Specifically, it tells you when you might be missing something essential from your diet. As a nutritionist, I help people create diets to optimize their health. It's easy to overlook certain vitamins or nutrients, but if your body is in need of something it may let you know. Keep read...

Now that we’re more than a year into the pandemic, certain eating challenges have emerged from the disruption of our daily routines, limited opportunities to dine out and the anxieties that come along with job and financial insecurities. Here are some common pandemic eating problems and how to handle them. You’re grazing all day or snacking through lunch A handful of nuts here, a few chips there, a taste of chocolate, a bite of leftovers — if this scenario rings a b...

Post-workout nutrition is a yummy part of exercise recovery, but what to eat after a workout—and when you should start refueling—isn’t as clear-cut as you may assume. That’s because there are a lot of misconceptions out there, due to both outdated info and the belief some people have that their exercise should be used as a punishment to “pay” for certain eating habits, Audra Wilson, R.D., C.S.C.S., a registered dietitian and certified strength and conditioning specialist with Northwestern ...

For most of us, it’s been quite a while since we last boarded a plane, navigated a new city, or explored anywhere beyond our sanitized bubbles. But now, decision-makers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are saying fully vaccinated people have the go-ahead to book domestic travel. So, with a big post-pandemic trip on the horizon, it’s time to start thinking about ways to fortify your immune system after more than a year of laying low. It’s not a secret that travelin...

A couple years ago, everyone from your neighbor to your mom was talking about the ketogenic diet. These days, everyone seems to be going plant-based, and it's an eating style that's proving to be more than a passing trend. If you're a parent, the next natural question after going plant-based yourself is if this eating style works for the whole fam. Toddlers, school-age kids, and high schoolers all have different dietary needs from each other as well as from adults. Stanford professor and pedi...

Spring is a time for shedding layers, sporting the latest bright fashions — and, of course, spring cleaning. That can apply not only to reorganizing your closet, but to tossing some unhealthy winter habits you may have fallen into, such as not exercising due to Arctic temperatures. Don’t be too hard on yourself — we've been living through a pandemic! The key to getting in shape for spring (and staying that way) that is to keep it simple. It may be difficult to set a clear goal at a...

At any given time, 31 million Americans experience low back pain, according to the American Chiropractic Association. This isn’t especially surprising considering that everyday activities — like driving, sitting at a desk and even sleeping — can place strain on the muscles in the back. We’ve all dealt with pain in the lower back at some point, whether it be dull aches or sharper pains, and it can sideline us not only from exercise, but from our day-to-day today act...

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a uniquely vulnerable time for many people struggling with eating difficulties. Add to that the regular seasonal toxic messaging—the post-holiday diet talk, or the pressure to “get in shape” for spring and summer—and you have a perfect storm for disordered thoughts and eating behaviors. Facing a gamut of triggers and unable to rely on their usual support mechanisms, many individuals may find themselves grappling with a sense of feeling out of control aro...

Regardless of whether or not you're trying to lose weight, tea deserves a spot in your diet. Why? It's completely free of calories, sugar, and fat yet super flavorful—making it a viable replacement for less healthy beverages. Unfortunately, there are no real magic shortcuts when it comes to achieving a toned mid-section—it takes a combination of smart food choices, portion control, as well as consistent exercise. However, there are a number of ways to make tea for a flat...