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Planks Yes, I know you've been told time and again how great planks are for you. But do you know why? For the strongest midsection (read: flat abs and tight waist), you want to train your core to resist flexing and twisting. The ab and back muscles are all that support the lower spine between your pelvis and your rib cage, so your goal should be to make them as firm as possible. Anti-flexion and anti-rotation exercises like planks challenge all-around core stability, without the back strain that crunches and sit-ups can cause. Now that's a major pro. Already mastered this move? Find out seven ways to make planks even harder! Roll With It Research shows that foam rolling can improve range of motion during a workout as well as reduce soreness afterward. It's a quick and easy way to minimize adhesions and knots in soft tissue, so your muscles and joints can move freely. Do It: Total-Body Foam Roll Starting with your calves, use a foam roller or lacrosse ball on all your major muscle groups—hamstrings, glutes, quads, IT bands, and shoulders—spending more time on sore or tight areas. (Adjusting Your Eating habits)
Constant hunger pangs aren’t the only tip-off that your weight-loss plan has crossed over into potentially dangerous territory. If you’ve recently started a diet, check out these signs that you could be harming your health or setting yourself up for a weight-loss fail. Your Energy Level is Circling the Drain “It’s a tip-off that your calorie intake is way too low, You have no fuel, so you’re tired all the time.” As a general rule of thumb, most women need at least 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day just to sustain healthy metabolic function—but some may need more than that, So if you’re seriously dragging, it’s a sign that you may need to up your caloric intake. You Think About What You’re Eating 24/7 If you keep a running tally of your calorie intake in your head and constantly ruminate over meals you’ve had or plan to eat, you’re unhealthily obsessed, A adjusting your eating habits should be a lifestyle change not a diet that makes you more mindful, sure, but it shouldn’t be a mental energy suck or anything that causes you to engage in obsessive behavior. You’ve Cut Out an Entire Food Group Banning bad carbs or another category of food will probably help the number on the scale go down, sure. Problem is, you’re also ditching entire categories of crucial nutrients—for example, complex carbs for energy or B vitamins to keep your mood steady. Without them, your health suffers…and you also begin to feel bored and starving, MORE: Are Gluten-Free Diets Healthy? You Can’t Sleep You’ve Overhauled Your Social Schedule A healthy weight-loss plan is one you can stick to in almost any circumstance—whether you’re at home, eating out at a restaurant with friends, or heading to a party where you know a buffet table will be waiting. Avoiding outings that involve eating is a sign your diet is too restrictive—and bound to backfire once you finally do venture out to a buffet or barbecue. Your Moods Are Swinging All Over the Place We all know what it’s like to be hangry. But even if your appetite is in check for the time being, restricting calories too much wreaks havoc on brain chemicals, and that in turn can throw you into any combination of depressed, anxious, and edgy. Crazy mood swings screw up your weight-loss plans by triggering killer cravings…so you just end up gaining back the pounds you’ve shed.
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