You don't have to spend thousands of dollars to build your home gym. But a short-term investment in a few basic pieces of exercise equipment will pay dividends in the long run. The top 9 things you need are simple and relatively inexpensive, but they'll get the job done right. 1. Dumbbell SetIf you are serious about burning fat and gaining muscle then you must have a quality dumbbell set. The more muscle mass you have the more calories you burn at rest. Dumbbell sets are extremely versatile and one of the best investments you can make. 2. Barbell...

In addition to being darn tasty, butter comes naturally packaged with many nutrients that can help protect you from chronic disease. And, the whipped butter varieties taste just as yummy but are lower in calories, fat and cholesterol than regular butter.But this week, we turn the spotlight on butter substitutes.Sadly, looking for the best picks here was no easy feat. Most of the brands we investigated turned out to be merely "healthy food imposters." Sure, they all tout ZERO TRANS FATS, LESS SATURATED FATS and ZERO CHOLESTEROL - and promises of "tastes just like the real thing" - but upon...

Are you one of those people who spend so much time at the gym that you might as well have your mail forwarded there? If not, I'm pretty sure you know someone that looks like they spend more time at the gym than the managers.Now besides the gym mice that run the treadmill for two hours (unnecessarily), there are some people that hog all the dumbbells and set up their little home gym in some part of the facility. In this regard, I'm going to show you some exercises that'll save you precious time in the gym while stimulating the...

Does it seem like you've been dieting your entire life yet never enjoying the weight loss you crave? If you're tired of starving yourself, giving up all of your favorite foods, feeling deprived, and exhausting yourself with exercise and still not finding the answer to permanent weight loss, then it's time you checked out The Insulin Resistance Diet (McGraw-Hill).Your weight issue probably more to do with body chemistry than it has to do with your willpower and late-night snacking. Get your body's ability to handle insulin under control and you will, in effect, be switching off your fat-making machine!"If you...

According to fitness and diet expert Bob Greene, giving in to the cravings triggered by tough times may provide a short-term fix, but it may also lead to guilty feelings and added pounds."When people get depressed, sad or frustrated, they tend to crave foods they think will provide emotional comfort," said Greene. "To feel better in the long run, mentally and physically, they should adopt a healthier lifestyle and incorporate a variety of nutritious foods and exercise."Rather than binge on bad foods, chew on some of Greene's great advice and enjoy a yummy recipe for Margherita Pizza on Sourdough Crispbread....

If you spend your summer vacation soaking up rays, you may want to stock up on salmon for dinner.Skin expert Adèle Green says healthy omega-3 fatty acids in salmon and other oily fish can boost your skin's defenses against the sun's UV damage.According to EatingWell.com, "Scientists think the omega-3s act as a shield, protecting cell walls from free-radical damage. So next time you head to the beach remember your sunscreen and hat, and make reservations at a restaurant that serves great seafood."For the complete story, go here: http://health.msn.com/health-topics/skin-and-hair/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100240557&gt1=31036...

As swimsuit season heats up, consumers need to beware financial schemes, bogus effectiveness claims and sometimes dangerous ingredients when buying weight loss remedies.Amazing acai berry... all-natural hoodia... weight loss "as seen on Oprah!"How many of these claims have you fallen for?In recent months, the Food and Drug Administration has issued warnings about more than 70 "natural" weight loss supplements after sporadic testing by the agency found they were secretly spiked with a variety of pharmaceuticals. They ranged from the active ingredient in the prescription drug Meridia, to an experimental obesity drug currently undergoing clinical trials and lacking safety and effectiveness...

Is eating between meals a way to sabotage your weight loss or keep the metabolism fires burning so you lose weight more effectively?That's the question posed by US News & World Report writer Katherine Hobson.She notes, "It used to be that someone who wanted to lose weight was advised to stick to three square meals a day. For adults, at least, snacking was considered an unnecessary source of extra calories, and if you were hungry between meals, well, tough; you'd just have to wait for the next one. Nowadays, it's a rare diet plan that doesn't include planned snacks." It...

According to a New York Times article, most people training for a race or sport focus on adding more miles, workouts or weight training to improve their fitness. But new research suggests that simply getting more sleep can improve athletic performance.The small study included five members of the Stanford women's tennis team.The findings were presented last week at the Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies. The study was small, and some of the improvement may have been the result of additional practice time. However, the size of the change suggests the athletes received a direct benefit from more...

As the Gazette Healthy Challenge winds its way toward the finish line, we thought it would be inspirational for you to see what the contestants have been blogging about on their way to a slimmer shape. Get ready to be motivated.Blue Team Blog: http://hc2009blueteam.blogspot.com/Red Team Blog: http://gardnerbrowning.com/blog/About the ChallengeDiet-to-Go is a key sponsor of the 5th Annual Healthy Challenge Program coordinated by The Gazette Newspapers of Montgomery County, Maryland. Since 2005 when it launched the national award-winning contest, the Gazette newspaper group has selected 10-12 men and women from its Montgomery County coverage area to get healthy, lose weight and...

Recent studies seem to show people who eat more dairy products have lower weights and seem to lose weight more easily.So wouldn't it stand to reason that taking calcium supplements could have a similar result? Not so fast.A new study shows calcium supplements have no effect on weight."Even though there may be other important reasons, such as fracture prevention ... calcium supplementation is unlikely to have clinically significant efficacy as a preventive measure against weight gain in persons who are already overweight or obese," the study authors note.Read the entire LA Times feature here: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2009/06/calcium-supplements-not-for-weight-loss.html...

Having trouble dozing off at night? Rather than let it eat at you, we've found a way you can eat away at your problem... and drift off to sleep sooner and easier!If it takes you more than 15 minutes to fall asleep at night, quicken your trip to dreamland by changing what you eat in the evening.It can make the difference between staring at the ceiling and sleeping like a baby.The best nighty-night noshes? Think light but high-carbohydrate snacks. Carbs boost levels of the brain's sleep chemical serotonin without overloading your digestive system. From Real Age, here's the rest of...

Kelly Allison, PhD., co-author of Overcoming Night Eating Syndrome, recently discussed late-night eating and weight gain for ThatsFit.com.Allison says most people have some sort of snack in the evenings, but the difference is that, with Night Eating Syndrome, the eating is usually related to eating in order to fall asleep -- and it usually affects the level of hunger during the first half of the day.People who have NES usually have little hunger in the first half of the day. They begin eating more as the day goes on and, after a while, feel resigned to the fact that they...

Prevention says diabetes is growing at a scary rate, but it's also one of the most preventable diseases around.Losing weight is a major first step.Shedding even 10 pounds can significantly slash your risk. Even extremely overweight people were 70% less likely to develop diabetes when they lost just 5% of their weight... even if they didn't exercise. If you weigh 175 pounds, that's a little less than 9 pounds! Use our calorie calculator to see how many calories you consume -- and how many you need to shave off your diet -- if you want to lose a little. Read...

The following list of life's lessons is being circulated around the Internet. I can't vouch for its origin but I can tell you it'll touch you and make you want to start living a happier life... NOW.Check it out -- the 45 lessons life taught me... supposedly penned by a 90-year-old woman.1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends andparents will. Stay in touch.5. Pay off your credit cards...

Just recently at the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Washington, D.C., it was declared that vitamin D levels may play a role in weight loss in obese patients.According to the investigators, vitamin D levels predicted subsequent weight loss success in subjects on a weight loss diet."Abdominal fat specifically tended to be related to vitamin D levels with the effect being stronger with the active form of vitamin D", one researcher reported at the meeting.Get the skinny here: http://www.examiner.com/x-12865-Detroit-Healthy-Living-Examiner~y2009m6d14-Vitamin-D-levels-may-play-a-role-in-weight-loss...

A study has shown that when faced with a healthy, low-calorie dish, we instinctively increase the portion on our plate or feel justified in going back for second helpings.So, in effect, it's because you are on a diet and eating "healthy foods" that you are gaining weight.There is some logic to this frustrating fact of dieting life.Check it out here at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1193076/Why-oh-healthy-diet-foods-make-eat-more.html...

Your ship is about to set sail on your chance to win a free 4-day vacation cruise for two courtesy of Diet-to-Go. We think a cruise is a great way to reward yourself for the progress you've been making toward your weight loss goal. But you need to act fast. The contest ends June 30 at 5 p.m. The grand prize winner will be announced on or about July 15th. Don't miss the boat. Enter now by visiting Diettogo.com and clicking on the contest icon. Or you can simply click here http://diettogo.com/diet-go-vacation-give-away-registration and fill out the registration form. The...

The annual Extreme BBrickover weight loss challenge was a stunning success with 9 men and women losing a total of 321 pounds - that's an awesome average of 35.7 pounds per contestant! Overall winner Paul Sappington lost 20.85% of his total body weight... a whopping 49.0 pounds in just eight weeks! Paul won the contest, but the honorary prize for most pounds dropped goes to second-place finisher Nathaniel Luckman who shed a super 68.0 pounds or 19.93% of his body weight! Also worth mentioning is third-place finisher Mark Kim who pared 54.0 pounds. Diet-to-Go provided the food; the challengers did...

When the heat of summer strikes, these cold meals are sure to satisfy and keep you cool. They're also portable which means they often end up with me at our neighborhood pool!If you don't currently get any of these meals, but would like to, please contact Customer Service at 1-800-743-SLIM (7546). We'll help you incorporate them into your meal plan! Greek Pasta SaladThis meal is on our Vegetarian menu and it's definitely our most popular pasta salad. We toss together the perfect portion of bow tie pasta, feta cheese, black olives, diced red peppers, and a great vinaigrette dressing. We...