Diet and Fitness

HowStuffWorks offers guidance for developing an exercise routine that will help you get in shape and stay healthy. Learn about diet and fitness and get tips from professional trainers.

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Take a pill. Lose weight. Watch the jaws drop at your high school reunion. If only it were that easy. With Hydroxycut it is! At least, that's what the ads say.

By Sarah Siddons

Everybody needs liquid. In fact, your body can survive longer without solids than without liquids, as we need water more than we need food. But can you survive on only liquids?

By Sarah Siddons

What if a diet came along that promised to target stubborn belly fat, but said you don't have to exercise and that dessert of dark chocolate is just fine? That's exactly what the Flat Belly Diet promises. But does it really work?

By Elizabeth Abbess

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Although the name may sound peculiar, the DASH diet is a great way to lose weight, lower your blood pressure and increase your overall health by incorporating healthful foods into your diet.

By Rosalind Jackson

You've seen the ads and heard all the hype. NutriSystem seems to subtract the hard work from the weight-loss equation -- but is it too good to be true?

By Olivia Page

Sugar Busters burst onto the diet scene during the low-carb craze of the mid-'90s. Do its rules still hold up today?

By Claribel Pope

The cabbage soup diet works quickly, but it cuts out nutrients along with calories. And how long can you last eating only 1,000 calories a day?

By Elizabeth Abbess

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For centuries, certain cultures -- especially those in China and Japan -- have been drinking tea for its health benefits. Among tea choices, green tea has been especially noted for its positive antioxidant, anticarcinogenic and metabolic properties.

By Sarah Siddons

If you spend any time watching TV or reading magazines, you've seen hundreds of ads for different weight-loss schemes, from eating baby food to cutting out carbs. The hCG diet is one of the newest diet fads on the block. Does this one actually work?

By Tom Scheve

Whether it's referred to as the Special K Diet or the Special K Challenge, the point of this diet plan is to limit the dieter's caloric intake in order to kick start weight loss.

By Rosalind Jackson

If the promise of easy weight loss hasn't delivered for you, you're not alone. But if you want to lose weight, and keep it off, start here to find sound, practical advice designed for the long term.

By Jennifer Czinsky

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You know there are certain people who go into detox in order to rid themselves of certain addictions, and one of those addictions could be to food.

By Rosalind Jackson

Whether you're looking to shed just a few or several pounds, you're probably planning to go on a diet. But which one should you choose? Learn about the South Beach diet to see if it's right for you.

By Rosalind Jackson

Almost all diets involve eating less of something, and the range of food that come in for cutting in today's diets is staggering. In this article we cover low-fat diets. Learn more.

By Betsy Hornick

We all know exercise is good for us, but how much do we need in order to achieve maximum heart benefits? What makes 90 minutes of exercise per week the magic number?

By Julia Layton

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An increasing number of grocery stores and restaurants are responding to the needs of the low-carb consumer. Find out what this low-carbing lifestyle is all about.

By Katherine Neer

The Atkins diet paperback has been on the New York Times bestseller list for over 350 weeks. No wonder it seems like almost everyone is on the Atkins diet. Originally a diet craze in the 1970s, the Atkins program has made an amazing comeback.

By Allison Klein

Leg cramps can stop you dead in your tracks, anytime day or night. What causes your muscles to spasm like that, and what can you do about the pain?

Athletes know that the body loses salt through sweat. It's important for the salt to be replaced to minimize things like muscle cramps that are associated with salt imbalance. That's where electrolytes come into play.

By Jill Ferguson

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When you spy your slim self in the mirror, you may wonder where that lost weight went. Your body has been rearranging molecules to create a svelte you.

By Cristen Conger

When you exercise, you're using your muscles to create motion. The body has an incredibly complex set of processes to meet the demands of working muscles. Find out how your body responds to exercise.

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

Electrolytes are important for athletes and play a large part in many medical treatments. Just what are electrolytes anyway?

Heating things up burns calories -- that's a scientific fact. But can drinking ice water really help you burn calories?

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Pilates, an exercise system originally developed to rehabilitate German internees in World War I England, has entered into the mainstream. Learn how Pilates builds muscle strength without adding bulk.

By Janel Chatraw

How can someone die from heat? Learn what happens in the body during a heat stroke.