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Do you really need protein supplements?The recommend amount of daily protein for Americans is 10-35% of calorie intake. That's roughly 46 grams for women and 56 grams for men. It's not difficult to get the daily recommendation for protein if you consume two to three servings of protein-rich food each day. However, you may find you need to supplement your diet with extra protein, especially if you're exercising at a moderate or intense level. Felicia Stoler, PhD, shares how to get enough protein on a daily basis, as well as if you need to supplement your current diet.

What changes have been made to U.S. Dietary Guidelines and how will these changes impact you?Every five years, the Department of Health and Human Services releases updated Dietary Guidelines. This report contains the government's thoughts on how Americans should be eating. What recent changes have been made to the Dietary Guidelines? Cut back on animal protein. This is especially recommended for men and teen boys, largely because they are not consuming enough produce. Cut added sugars. The report recommends cutting sugar intake to 10% of your daily calorie intake. This means cutting added sugar from coffee and limiting sweets. No need to limit cholesterol. There is no longer a limit of 300 mg of cholesterol per day, but the report recommends looking at what foods are providing your cholesterol. Omelets and avocados are preferred to cheeseburgers and pizza. Felicia Stoler, PhD, discusses these new Dietary Guidelines and how it may impact the way you feed yourself and your family.

How can you stay on target with your 2016 fitness goals?It’s mid-February... the time when so many fall off the fitness wagon. It's not too late to get back to those goals and make progress. How can you stay on target with your 2016 fitness goals? Listen in as fitness experts, Grace DeSimone and Neal Pire, share some tips that will keep you on target, help you achieve your goals, and prevent you from becoming a victim of the six-week slip.

Should you work out with your partner?With Valentine’s Day around the corner, you might be considering ways to spend more time with your partner. You might also want your partner to be more active, so why not work out together? But, is that really a good idea? Should you train with your partner? Listen in as fitness experts, Grace DeSimone and Neal Pire, share the he-said/she-said perspective on training with your better half.

Cardiorespiratory fitness in young adults is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and death.A recent study that was posted by JAMA Internal Medicine found that young adults who participated in cardiorespiratory fitness had lower chances of developing cardiovascular disease and avoided the potential for early death. Researchers looked at 4,872 adults who were between the ages of 18 and 30. The study involved the participants using treadmill exercises from March of 1985 to June 1986, as well as 2,472 individuals who were tested seven years later. What did the researchers find? Out of the 4,872 participants, 273 died and 193 experienced cardiovascular disease during the follow-up tests. Among the 273 deaths, 200 were non-cardiovascular. How can cardiorespiratory fitness help young adults? John Higgins, MD, explains the study and discusses why fitness is so important to heart health, especially in young people.

A recent study found that being overweight or obese throughout adulthood is associated with increased risk of sudden cardiac death.A study recently published in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology found that being overweight or obese while in adulthood contributed to an increased risk of sudden cardiac death. Researchers used data from the Nurses’ Health Study, which looked at 72,484 women during a 32-year span (1980 to 2012). Researchers looked at the relation between body mass index (BMI) and weight gain and the risk for sudden cardiac death, death from coronary heart disease, and non-fatal heart attacks. What did the researchers find? Over the 32-year period of the study, researchers found 445 cases of sudden cardiac death, 1,286 cases of fatal coronary heart disease, and 2,272 non-fatal heart attacks. John Higgins, MD, joins Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss the study and how being overweight and/or obese can cause an increase of cardiac death.

Why is physical activity important for children?Healthy development is crucial for your child. A recent study conducted by Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University found that your child's weight and activity level has an impact on his or her's ability to think. Researchers looked at 45 normal-weight children that were between the ages of seven and 11. Of these children, 25 were active and 20 weren't. What did researchers find? Results showed that children who were lean and active scored better on cognitive tests than the inactive and overweight children. What else did the researchers find? John Higgins, MD, shares more details of the study and explains why weight and exercise matter when it comes to your child's cognitive health.

A recent study conducted by the University of Wisconsin Madison found that using a Fitbit can help postmenopausal obese women stay motivated to lose weight.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one-third (78.6 million) of U.S. adults are obese. A recent study conducted by the University of Wisconsin Madison found that using a Fitbit can help postmenopausal obese women stay motivated to lose weight. The participants included 25 overweight or obese postmenopausal women, and each received a 16-week technology-based intervention that used the Fitbit physical activity tracker and website. The overall study's goal was for 150 minutes/week of moderate and intense physical activity; however, individual goals were reset after week four based on progress. What were the results of the study? John Higgins, MD, joins Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss the study and how a Fitbit or other wearable device can help you stay motivated.

Even though it's tempting to boost your energy levels, it's not worth the risk.When you're running on five hours of sleep and the long list of things you need to get done isn't getting any shorter, it can be extremely tempting to reach for an energy drink to boost your energy levels. However, just one energy drink comes with a risk. According to a study by the American Heart Association, drinking one 16-ounce energy drink boosts blood pressure and the stress hormone responses in young, healthy adults. What else did the research find? Listen in as John Higgins, MD, shares information from the recent study, including this new-found link between energy drinks and the risk for heart disease.

With fewer calories and some amazing health benefits, why not have a glass or two of bubbly?Whether you're celebrating at a wedding, or toasting to the New Year, champagne might be your go-to drink. It turns out that there may actually be some health benefits from popping bottles. For example, while a glass of wine usually contains 120 calories, a four-ounce glass of champagne contains only 90 calories. A recent study also found that drinking one to three glasses of champagne a week can help delay the onset of dementia and memory loss. Will you be toasting to good health this year? Listen in as John Higgins, MD, shares the health benefits of drinking champagne.

What can you do to stay on track during the holidays?During the months of October to January, you're at an increased risk of gaining weight and losing sight of your health and fitness goals. In fact, during the holiday season, the average person gains one to two pounds and people who are already overweight can gain close to five pounds. What are some tips to help avoid weight gain and to stay on track during the holidays? Listen in as fitness experts Grace Desimone and Neal Pire share the best fitness strategies for the holiday season.

During the holidays, it can be hard to find a balance between enjoying yourself and sticking to your health and fitness goals.Throughout the holidays, it can be extremely tempting to just embrace the food and alcohol that surround you. You may think you can give yourself a break and that you'll start "fresh" in the New Year. Even though this plan sounds appealing, it could actually backfire and set you back further in your health and fitness goals. You might also be thinking the extreme opposite, pushing yourself at an unhealthy rate. Working out constantly while not getting enough food can be dangerous and unhealthy. How can you find a balance and not sabotage your health and fitness during the holidays? Listen in as fitness experts Grace Desimone and Neal Pire share tips on how to stay healthy throughout the holiday season.

Many airports now have specific workout rooms and are offering health club memberships if you fly frequently.When you're traveling and are expected to be somewhere at a certain time, it can be extremely frustrating when your flight has become delayed. To pass the time and help ease stress, you might want to consider doing some exercises. In fact, many airports offer exercise rooms and health clubs for passengers waiting for their flights. What are some exercises you can do while stuck at an airport? Listen in as Christopher George Berger, PhD, shares simple yet effective workouts you can do in an airport if you have some time to kill.

The last thing you want to worry about is getting sick while traveling during the holidays.During one of the busiest times of the year, getting sick at an airport might be the last thing you want to worry about. You may try to avoid getting sick while traveling by taking care of your health before you take off. But, with airborne illnesses, new environments, and typically unhealthy foods, it can be difficult to prevent. How can you stay healthy during your holiday travels? Listen in as Christopher George Berger, PhD, shares how you can stay healthy while traveling during the holiday season.

How can you effectively use heart rate monitoring in your personal workouts?Heart rate monitoring can be extremely beneficial for your overall health. For example, high resistance intervals are an effective method for improving the aerobic qualities of fast twitch fibers through constant oxygen delivery to your muscles. However, before buying a heart rate monitor, there are some things you need to be aware of. What are some of the features you should look for when purchasing a heart rate monitor? Listen in as George Centeio, MA, shares the benefits of heart rate monitoring, as well as what you should look for when you buy a heart rate monitor.

How can a heart rate monitor help enhance your workout?Within the past few years, heart rate monitoring has become a popular fitness trend. Monitoring your heart rate can be used to measure how hard you're working during an exercise, and track changes in your fitness level. Cardiac intervals are a high-intensity option for increasing the power of the cardiac muscle and its mitochondrial density. Why would you want to consider using this method of fitness? Listen in as George Centeio, MA, shares the basics of heart rate monitoring.

Is wearable tech the most popular gadget in fitness?The annual survey of worldwide fitness trends is now in its 10th year, and this go-around has some very surprising results. Back in 2014, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) took over the number-one spot, which was previously long-held by educated, certified, and experienced fitness professionals (in that position since 2008 and now at number five). Body weight training took over the number-one spot for 2015 but fell to number two in 2016 behind newcomer wearable technology. The 2016 ACSM Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends continues to support previous trends, with two additional trends appearing in the top 20: flexibility and mobility rollers and Smartphone exercise apps. What are the most popular Smartphone exercise apps? Listen in as Walt Thompson, PhD, shares the most popular Smartphone exercise apps, as well as the other fitness trends of 2016.

What will be the most popular fitness trend of 2016?If you're trying to lose weight or transform your life into a healthier one, you might have thought about using a wearable device that tracks your running mileage, calories burned, and your average heart rate. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has announced its annual fitness trend forecast, and, for the first time, exercise pros say wearable technology will be the top trend in fitness. The results were released in the article "Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2016: 10th Anniversary Edition" published in the November/December issue of ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal®. What can you expect for the months to come as trends in fitness? Listen in as Walt Thompson, PhD, shares the top fitness trends for 2016.

What are some questions you should be asking your personal trainer?Whether it's losing weight before a big event (class reunion), or just trying to get back in the swing of working out, you may have hired a personal trainer to help you with your specific goals. You may be dying to ask your personal trainer certain questions, like how quickly will you be seeing results? Listen in as fitness experts Grace Desimone and Neal Pire answer the most common questions that you may want to ask your personal trainer.

Recent reports suggest that sitting for long periods of time can be just as bad as smoking.You might have heard how bad sitting can be for your health. Unfortunately, you might be spending most of your time sitting at work, and you might find it difficult to stay active throughout the workday. What if there was a way to get some exercise in while you were at the office? By providing workers with a portable pedaling device, researchers have discovered that inspiring office employees to be active at work could be as easy as pedaling a bike... and they don't even have to leave their desks. Listen in as John Higgins, MD, discusses what a portable pedaling device is and how it can help you stay active throughout the work week.