Well, stop talking to yourself and listen up: Even one high-fat, high-sugar, all-around-junk meal can change your body for the worse. (Lose up to 15 pounds WITHOUT dieting with Eat Clean to Get Lean, our 21-day clean-eating meal plan.) [block:bean=mkt-course-eatcleanstaylean] Here, seven things that super crappy food can do in 9 days or less: It messes with your metabolism. So you’ve been blessed with a speedy metabolism and tend to eat whatever you want....

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While working out at a moderate pace for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week was prescribed in the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans as the amount of exercise needed for health benefits, it may not be enough to counteract the health risks associated with the hours most Americans spend sitting each day, according to new research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. This recent study found that the more you sit, the higher your risk of mortality....

How to apply concealer. The under-eye area needs concealer most because the eye is set back in its socket, which lies in a shadow created by the surrounding bone structure. The skin around the eye also tends to be thinner than the skin on the rest of the face, so pigment discolorations and surface veins show through easily, making the under-eye area look dark and dull. The first thing you need, then, is a lightweight, flesh-tone concealer that is a shade or two lighter than your foundation....

Article from How to Apply Perfume Correctly by Miriam Lacey of BellaSugar Fragrance is highly personal, and generally, as long as it smells good to you, there’s no real “right” or “wrong.” However, if you want to get the full experience of your favorite perfume and have it wear as beautifully as possible, there actually is an optimal way to put it on. To find out how, see our tips below....

Actually, when done correctly, these exercises can prevent knee pain—not to mention trim your hips and thighs. Unless you have an injury or have been diagnosed with a joint disease—something like osteoarthritis—a few quick fixes will have you lunging and squatting without pain in no time. (Want to work out more but don’t have the time? Try Fit in 10, our new workout program that only takes 10 minutes a day....

Ashley’s answer: This is such an important question, thank you for asking it. The most important thing to focus on is your health, so you’ll want to make sure that how you gain weight doesn’t compromise it. I am so glad that the Paleo diet is helping you. I’ve had many clients who have interpreted the diet differently, so keep in mind that you don’t have to eat any of the foods I recommend that you don’t like....

So you go for the carrot sticks, the celery, the low-fat dressing. You skip the butter on your bread. And then you go home and eat two gallons of ice cream. Sometimes food cravings occur in a woman when your body lacks nutrients, including vitamins and minerals, during pregnancy, says Helene Leonetti, MD, an obstetrician/gynecologist in private practice in the suburbs of Philadelphia. But the funny thing is, we rarely crave a nice big bowl of steaming butternut squash....

“The average lunch or dinner, and even some breakfasts, can run up to 800 calories or more, so by simply substituting one 300-calorie meal for a usual meal, you can cut as many as 500 calories a day—and lose 1 pound in a week,” says Cathy Nonas, RD, a researcher at the New York Obesity Research Center. But to make that easy, prepare a list of 300-calorie meals you can turn to after the holiday, or as soon as you need weight loss, recommends Nonas, author of Outwit Your Weight with Julia VanTine....

A team from Yale, Cornell, and Pennsylvania University asked a group of volunteers to watch a one-hour TV show. While they watched, the study participants received tubes of stacked yellow potato chips (think Pringles). Some of the tubes contained red potato chips every seventh or tenth chip. Turns out that once you pop, you really can’t stop—unless something jolts you out of your chewing complacency. Those who received tubes containing red chips ate about half as many chips as the rest of the study participants, says Brian Wansink, PhD, a professor of food psychology at Cornell and author of the book Mindless Eating....

You’re Eating Like a Caveman The diet: The Paleo Diet is exactly how it sounds: You eat only food that hunter-gatherers of the Paleolithic era would’ve eaten. Think: meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, and nuts—no dairy, refined sugars, or processed foods.Beauty benefits: Clear skin. Several studies have linked dairy to blemishes. One theory: Milk has hormones that may play a role in producing pore-clogging sebum. Researchers also believe that carbs can cause breakouts by increasing insulin, and ultimately inflammation in the skin....

Researchers at the Center for Genomic Medicine at Kyoto University in Japan asked about 1,400 people (average age 67) to stand with one leg raised and their eyes open for up to 60 seconds. Everyone tried this twice; best times were used for analysis. Then, using MRI, the researchers scanned everyone’s brain. They found that those who struggled to balance for 20 seconds had cerebral small-vessel disease (SVD), even though they weren’t exhibiting any classic symptoms....

A recent Stanford University study suggests that the nutritional differences between conventional and organic foods are negligible. But in a competing study, researchers at the Organic Center found powerful reasons to stick with organic wheat: Grown without pesticides, it may develop more robust chemical defenses against environmental stresses and predators—and many of the protective compounds act as antioxidants, says Erin Smith, senior science consultant with the Organic Center. Deeper root systems also allow the plants to draw more minerals from the soil, and organic farmers tend to plant older or native varieties, which are frequently more nutritious....

Ellipticals and stationary bikes erase pounding altogether, and treadmills offer a more forgiving surface than city streets, as well as at-your-fingertips incline control that can nearly triple your calorie burn. Combine these joint-friendly features with our high-energy interval workouts and you’re guaranteed to torch megacalories and slim down quickly—up to 6 1/2 pounds this month—without wreaking havoc on your knees, hips, or lower back. More from Prevention: Considering a joint replacement?...

DrynessToo few oil glands leave feet prone to dryness; with age, cell turnover slows, making the problem worse. Fix it: Hydrate daily: Restore softness by applying foot cream immediately after bathing, while skin is still wet. “These formulas are heavier than body lotions so they seep into thicker skin,” says Stuart Mogul, DPM, a podiatrist in New York City. For maximum benefits, look for one that also contains exfoliators such as lactic acid to improve penetration of hydrators like glycerin....

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Apply makeup with your fingertip instead of a brush or sponge; the heat from your hand warms up the product so it glides over peach fuzz. Finally, use a light touch and smooth on makeup in the direction hair is growing to help tamp it down. Bobbi Brown is a celebrity makeup artist, CEO of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, and the author of five beauty books.